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Reader question: Will Austria follow Spain in introducing a digital nomad visa?

There is a trend among European countries to introduce visas that permit remote workers to relocate from abroad. However, the question remains whether Austria will also adopt such a visa. Here is an overview of the current situation.

Published: 7 March 2023 13:53 CET
Updated: 12 April 2023 13:02 CEST
Reader question: Will Austria follow Spain in introducing a digital nomad visa?
Digital nomads can work from anywhere in the world - in theory. (Photo by Windows on Unsplash)

In January, there was positive news for individuals who work remotely and are interested in relocating to southern Europe. 

Spain has recently introduced a ‘digital nomad’ visa, also known as the visa for remote workers, which permits non-EU freelancers and remote workers to enter and reside in the country (for more information, visit our sister site The Local Spain). 

Portugal also offers a digital nomad visa that permits remote workers to reside in the country for up to one year.

With more European countries acknowledging the advantages of permitting remote workers to relocate from other countries, one may wonder if Austria will follow suit.

READ ALSO: Digital nomad visas: How does Austria compare with other countries?

Is Austria looking to implement a digital nomad visa?

There are currently no government plans to implement a digital nomad visa in Austria. Most countries in Europe with such a visa demand digital nomads earn high salaries – in areas that usually have lower average wages. This heats up the local economy and brings money to the country or specific regions, such as the coastal areas of Portugal. 

It’s perfect for countries such as Croatia, Greece, Malta and Spain. However, Austria has other issues that won’t be addressed through a digital visa. 

Currently, the country is actually trying to attract more workers to its short-staffed full-time workforce. Whereas it is hiring full-time teachers, doctors, or IT professionals, Austria is not looking for temporary workers who won’t contribute to the tax system and pension fund in the ageing country – at least for now.

READ ALSO: How Austria is making it easier for non-EU workers to get residence permits

Instead, the government is looking for ways to bring back retirees to the workforce, attract part-time workers and make it easier for high-skilled immigrants to work in hired positions in Austria.

What are the rules now?

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 – and can work during this time.

For stays of more than three months, you’d have to get an Anmeldebescheinigung, which is a registration that shows you have health insurance and means to support yourself (usually through employment). In practice, since EU/EEA citizens have freedom of movement within the bloc, many people only find out about the registration years later – in that case, the fine for the delay is €50 (different provinces might have different fines).

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

For non-EU citizens, things are more complicated. Some third-country nationals, like those from the US, the UK, Canada and Brazil, can stay in Austria for up to 90 days out of every 180 days as a tourist without the need to apply for a visa beforehand.

For people who 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, working in Austria remotely as a third-country national with a tourist visa or Visa D is not legal. In practice, it is something digital nomads do, as it is obviously impossible for authorities to check every tourist’s computer for evidence of remote working. Still, working illegally in Austria could lead to extradition, fines and even a re-entry ban.

READ ALSO: Six official websites to know if you’re planning to work in Austria

What about a self-employed visa?

Austria has a long-term visa option for self-employed key workers. This immigration route is essentially an investor visa. It 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.

This is financially out of reach for most digital nomads and not in keeping with the digital nomad lifestyle.

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AUSTRIAN CITIZENSHIP

How well integrated in Austria are people with a ‘migration background’?

Every fourth person living in Austria has a migration background - who are they, and how well integrated are they?

Published: 8 July 2024 13:01 CEST
How well integrated in Austria are people with a 'migration background'?

There were around 2.45 million people (or 27.2 percent of the population) with a migration background living in Austria in 2023, a 35.1 percent increase from 2015, according to Austria’s Federal Statistical Office, the Statistik Austria.

However, Austria’s definition of “migration background” is somewhat limiting, and the number of people with strong family ties to foreign countries is likely much higher. According to Statistik Austria, “People with a migration background are those whose parents were both born abroad. Persons who were themselves born abroad are categorised as “first generation”, while descendants born in Austria of parents with a foreign place of birth are assigned to the “second generation”.”.

READ ALSO: How Austria’s centre-left SPÖ party plans to change integration policy

That means that both parents must have been born abroad for the person to be counted as “with a migration background”. According to this definition, persons with an Austrian father and a Croatian mother, for example, do not have a migration background.

Three out of four migrants feel that they belong to Austria

A 2024 survey by Statistik Austria revealed that most immigrants have a positive affiliation with Austria. Almost three-quarters (72.8 percent) feel a sense of belonging to Austria. The bond is particularly strong among people born in Syria (80.8 percent), Iran (80.5 percent), and Bosnia and Herzegovina (76.8 percent). The lowest perceived affiliation with Austria can be found among immigrants from Ukraine (59.0 percent). 

As the length of stay increases, the tendency to feel a sense of belonging to Austria strengthens. When asked whether they feel they belong more to Austria or their country of origin, 55.7 percent of immigrants who have lived in Austria for between one and less than five years choose Austria. This proportion rises to 70.4 percent with a stay of five to 15 years and to 81.0 percent with more than 15 years.

The use of the German language is often considered a significant factor in integration. The government survey asked immigrants about the instances when they speak German. According to the study,  12.9 percent of immigrants state that home communication occurs predominantly in German. Around a half (50.8 percent) communicate at home predominantly in their language of origin. 

READ ALSO: Austria’s far-right leader defends plans for ‘re-migration’ and revoking citizenship

German is used significantly more often by immigrants as a language among friends – 24.5 percent speak mainly German in this context. In comparison, 25.4 percent communicate exclusively or predominantly in their language of origin. 

People who were born in Bosnia and Herzegovina (72.0 percent), Serbia (67.7 percent) or Iran (67.6 percent) are most likely to consider their present German language skills to be at least good. This proportion is lowest among immigrants from Ukraine (36.9 percent), Turkey (51.2 percent) and Syria (58.1 percent).

And who are the foreign citizens?

Statistik Austria also updated numbers on foreign citizens – those without Austrian citizenship – in the country. There are currently 1.8 million foreign nationals in Austria, with the largest group being Germans, followed by Romanians, Turks, Serbs, Hungarians and Croatians. 

READ ALSO: Four things you should know if you’re going to give birth in Austria

Then, there were citizens from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Syria, Ukraine, Poland, Afghanistan, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Italy, and the Russian Federation. 

Foreign citizens often have a migration background but, curiously, may not fit that definition if they have parents who were both born in Austria but neither has Austrian citizenship. On the other hand, many people with Austrian citizenship, especially those who are naturalised, have a migration background if they or both of their parents were born abroad.

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