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VISAS

Digital nomads: Who can work remotely in Austria?

The Covid-19 pandemic ushered in a new era of remote work opportunities, but being a digital nomad is still a legal grey area in some countries. Here’s how it works in Austria.

Digital nomads: Who can work remotely in Austria?
What are the rules for digital nomads in Austria? (Photo by Canva Studio / Pexels).

Travelling the world as a digital nomad is a dream come true for many and Austria is a prime location for those that want to explore the mountains or spend time in historic Vienna. 

But the lifestyle of a digital nomad is not always as free as people expect – especially when it comes to visas, taxes and health insurance.

Here’s what you need to know about working remotely in Austria.

READ MORE: How can British second home owners spend more than 90 days in Austria?

Does Austria have a digital nomad visa?

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, many countries have jumped on the remote work bandwagon and are offering eligible people a digital nomad visa for a set amount of time (usually one year or more).

Unfortunately, Austria is not one of those countries.

But that doesn’t mean Austria is completely out of bounds. Instead it just means knowing the different immigration rules for EU and non-EU citizens when it comes to spending time in the Alpine Republic.

What are the rules for EU citizens?

Citizens of EU and European Economic Area (EEA) countries can stay in Austria for up to three months (90 days) without having to register as a resident.

For stays of more than three months, you have to be employed, self-employed, a student at a recognised educational institution or have enough money to support yourself financially.

In theory, this means someone from France or Italy can relocate to Austria for several months (or years) to live and work – as long as they follow the rules related to proof of residence, health insurance and tax.

For example, anyone that wants to live in Austria for more than three months is required to officially register their address. This is known as the Meldebestätigung (proof of residence) and is required to get the official registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinugung).

READ MORE: Anmeldebescheinigung: How to get Austria’s crucial residence document

Then there is health insurance, which is compulsory for all legal residents in Austria. 

If you work for an employer, this is organised automatically through the Österreichische Gesundheitskasse (ÖGK). For those that are self-employed, health insurance is provided through the Sozialversicherungsanstalt der Selbständigen (SVS).

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) does provide some cover but not all medical visits, so self-supporting people in Austria have to find private health insurance to ensure they won’t be a burden on the Austrian medical system.

Taxes should also be considered by any EU citizens thinking about relocating to Austria to work remotely as this is where it can get complicated without a dedicated digital nomad visa.

In Austria, you will be considered a tax resident if you spend more than 180 days per year in the country.

Depending on the rules of your country of residence, this could impact where you are liable to pay tax on income and is something to keep in mind when planning to relocate to Austria on a temporary basis.

What are the rules for non-EU citizens?

Like EU and EEA citizens, some third-country nationals can stay in Austria for up to 90 days out of every 180 days as a tourist. These countries include the US and the UK.

The 90-day rule applies to the entire Schengen Area though, so if you spend 90 days in Austria you can’t then jump over the border to spend another 90 days in Germany. Instead, you will have to leave the Schengen Area if you do not have a valid visa.

FOR MEMBERS: Austria vs Germany: Which country is better to move to?

For people that want to stay in Austria for longer than 90 days there is the option to apply for Visa D, which allows third-country nationals to stay in the country for up to six months as a visitor (or up to 12 months in exceptional circumstances). This visa has to be applied for in your country of residence before arriving in Austria.

However, as there is not a dedicated digital nomad visa in Austria (as already mentioned above), working in Austria remotely as a third-country national with a tourist visa or Visa D is not legal.

Instead, a long-term visa option is to apply for a self employed key worker visa. This immigration route is essentially an investor visa and involves a minimum investment of €100,000 into a business, the creation of new jobs and proof that the business will have an impact on the region.

For most digital nomads, this is financially out of reach and not in keeping with the digital nomad lifestyle.

So for most non-EU citizens, it is possible to stay in Austria for up to six months as a tourist. But for anything longer – or to work legally in Austria – it means giving up the digital nomad lifestyle and committing to living in Austria on a more permanent basis.

This article was updated on May 9th 2022 to clarify that working remotely while in Austria as a tourist is not legal.

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POLITICS

EXPLAINED: Austria wants to define its fundamental culture but what is it?

Politicians from Austria's centre-right ÖVP are putting together a definition of Austria's 'guiding culture', known in German as 'Leitkultur'. What is that and why are they doing it?

EXPLAINED: Austria wants to define its fundamental culture but what is it?

When you think of Austria, your first thoughts might be of Alpine hills, Schnitzel and traditional folk music. 

Is this what politicians are referring to when they talk about Austrian ‘Leitkultur’ or ‘leading or guiding culture’? 

Many in Austria are considering this question because the coalition government is honing in on this concept. 

Austria’s Integration Minister Susanne Raab, of the centre-right Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), has been tasked by chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) to develop a legal definition of ‘Austrian guiding culture’.

It’s part of the “Austria Plan” that Nehammer presented earlier this year when he called for a “guiding Austrian culture by 2030, which should also be reflected in law as a national cultural asset”.

READ ALSO: ‘Austria Plan’ – What are the chancellor’s new plans for the country?

Raab said it should ensure “that symbols and behaviours that contradict our fundamental values can be treated in a legally differentiated manner”.

However, this topic has been the subject of heated debate with critics accusing politicians of using it to alienate immigrants, particularly asylum seekers and refugees.There is a fear that the ‘Leitkultur’ concept goes against multiculturalism and calls on people to conform to one ‘guiding culture’ without an acceptance of other ways of life outside western culture. 

The concept is not just a talking point in Austria – it’s also been discussed heavily in neighbouring Germany for years, particularly by centre-right and far-right parties. 

How is Austria planning to define Leitkultur?

The Austrian government says it wants to define a concept of national cultural heritage in law over the next six years. 

As a first step, the Integration Minister has brought together a panel of experts who will meet on Thursday.

Under the banner “Austrian identity and guiding culture: values of coexistence”, the first meeting will be an introductory exchange, according to Raab’s office. The minister will outline her approach to the topic before the discussion, Austrian newspaper Der Standard reported.

The panel includes Katharina Pabel, a lawyer from Linz, Rainer Münz, who worked for Erste Bank and advised Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the EU Commission and Wolfgang Mazal, a professor at the Institute for Labour and Social Law at the University of Vienna.

What is Austrian ‘guiding culture’?

In an interview with Der Standard before the meeting, Mazal said the initial discussion “should serve to find a consensus in society about what is important to us and what form of coexistence we should cultivate”. He added that the ‘Leitkultur’ debate should be a “process of reflection”.

Mazal does not share the criticism of the term – in his view, it is not about placing one culture above others. Similar to the mission statement of a company, a “guiding culture” should define the “fundamental direction” of a society, he said. 

But the ÖVP’s communication has been more rigid. Secretary General Christian Stocker, for instance, recently explained in a Facebook video that Austrian identity is “what defines us”. This goes “from A to Z”, for example from brass band music to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. “How we celebrate our festivals and holidays” is also part of our identity, he said. And “anyone who doesn’t want to accept all that is welcome to leave”, he made clear.

Overall, the People’s Party is focussing the debate very strongly on the topic of migration. Stocker says, for example, in the context of his comments on identity, that those “who have come to us” have done so voluntarily. “They have chosen this country and therefore they must also accept how we live in this country, what tradition and identity we have.”

In social media posts, Der Standard notes that the party states things like: “Anyone who believes that they should not shake a woman’s hand because she is ‘unclean’ must leave.” Or: “Anyone who rejects our way of life must leave!” 

Integration a key component 

Integration Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) told the Kronen Zeitung earlier this year that the concept was centred on integration. 

“Integration means learning the language, going to work and also accepting the values of our coexistence,” she said.

“And that is relevant because many people come to us who have been socialised completely differently. Where the culture is completely different, where women are worth less than men, where girls have no access to education and are forced into marriage or where the police are not your friend and helper, but highly corrupt. All of this is important to convey. And this is where immigrants also have to adapt.”

Raab added that it was possible for someone who did not adapt to face sanctions. 

“Yes, there will be measures that can be implemented in law, Raab told the newspaper, suggesting that could include cuts to social benefits, for example, or negative influences in the citizenship procedure or to asylum status.

The minister gave the example of when refugees come to Austria they have to take a German and values course as well as sign a declaration of integration otherwise there is a risk of having social benefits cut. The ÖVP is also currently considering further sanctions. 

Whatever the case, it is clear that the ÖVP is pushing for more integration measures in Austria, which is something they have been doing consistently. 

READ ALSO: Austrian minister wants foreigners to improve German levels to keep social benefits

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