Living in Austria can be a rewarding experience for foreign residents due to its high quality of life, clean environment, and rich culture. 

However, as in any country, foreigners often face challenges adjusting to local norms and practices. 

Some of the most common complaints foreigners express about life in Austria include perceived bureaucracy, difficulty integrating into social life, and, of course, the language barrier. 

Fortunately, there are practical ways to navigate these hurdles and make the transition to life in Austria smoother.

Bureaucracy and administrative hurdles

This is a common and early complaint, as foreigners have to deal with Austrian bureaucracy from the moment they start planning their move to the Alpine country. The paperwork can seem overwhelming, whether registering an address (Meldezettel), dealing with visa renewals, or navigating the tax system.

In Vienna, the department that deals with immigration and citizenship, the MA35, is notorious for lengthy processes and complicated exchanges. Local readers have called the officials there “insensitive and inefficient” and shared stories of delays, mistakes, and rudeness.

This is common throughout the country and in many different offices and settings. Regarding the MA35, readers have also given their key tips for dealing with the immigration authorities. Still, they are great advice for all sorts of Austrian bureaucracy: they recommend you prepare and bring everything you may need for an appointment.

Joining expat groups or seeking guidance from relocation services or local consultants can also be beneficial. Many local government websites now provide English translations, and apps like “Digitales Amt” allow residents to manage (some) administrative tasks online.

People also warn that although Vienna is a very international city and Austria has many immigrants, speaking German is still essential.

READ ALSO: 11 words to know for your Austrian Meldeamt appointment

The language barrier

This is a classic complaint. Mainly because not only do most people find German a complex language to learn (nouns have three genders, there are five different cases, and sentences are structured in a very particular way!), but then you have to go ahead and learn Austrian German—and whatever dialect is spoken in your region. 

In Vienna, you might get by to a certain extent with speaking English, but dealing with local administration and making friends will become much easier when you learn some German. In other parts of the country, you might need to go even further and learn at least a bit of the dialect or have friends and family members nice enough to “switch” to High German when you are around.

It’s hard, we know, but even though you might spend years and years in Austria without speaking any German at all (perhaps your work is in your native language or English, your friends are all expats, and you speak your mother tongue with your family), life in Austria becomes exponentially better once you learn at least some of the local language. 

READ ALSO: What are the best websites and apps for learning German?

Difficulty integrating socially

Austrians are often seen as closed off, unfriendly, and sometimes just plain rude. Those are all very controversial statements. Whenever a new poll comes out naming Austrians “the unfriendliest people,” the locals here laugh it off: “They don’t understand our humour.”

That’s partially true. 

Viennese, in particular, consider their general grumpiness an endearing, if not quintessential, trait. Additionally, Austrians are very private, and what may be seen as impolite by one’s standards (I fell, and nobody even looked to help me!) could be seen as being extremely respectful by Austrian standards (that girl fell, but she seems fine, how embarrassing for her. Must look away).

Also, like many other people worldwide, many Austrians make friends throughout their lives—in school, university, and so on—and are incredibly loyal friends. But if you move here without an Austrian partner to help you join “their” social circle, it may be rough to burst that bubble.

But, of course, two things can be correct at the same time. 

Austria suffers a lot with instances of xenophobia, racism and discrimination. This means that foreigners often have some horrible experiences with locals, and it can often feel overwhelming and even depressing to live here.

There are no easy answers to this. But realising that some cultural differences don’t mean people are unfriendly towards you can help. As much as saying “speak the local language” feels obvious and obnoxious, speaking German does help a lot with integration – even if just a few words for you to feel confident enough to stand your ground when someone is rude or xenophobic to you. 

READ ALSO: How to make friends in Austria without speaking German

Customer service complaints

Another notable difference foreigners often remark upon is the perceived lack of customer service, particularly in retail and hospitality. While people from some countries are accustomed to chatty salespeople and smiling waiters and waitresses, service here can be seen as cold or indifferent.

This is mainly because of two reasons: the first is that Austrians tend to value efficiency over friendliness. If you’re at a cafe and service is slow but “super nice,” Austrians will blame the niceness and be grumpy about it.

Also, service workers here are paid decent wages and don’t depend on tips or commissions to make ends meet. So if it feels like they don’t care whether or not you buy that shoe or like that strudel, it might as well be because they really don’t.

Understanding that this is essentially a cultural difference can help alleviate frustration. You can also check reviews online to find places that have a different culture regarding that. Often, an international brand or pub will have the friendly service you seek, or a small family-run business in the countryside might give you the loveliest experience you’d ever imagine.

READ ALSO: Why do foreigners find Austria such a difficult country to settle in?

Limited shopping hours

The restrictive opening hours of shops, especially on Sundays and public holidays, can surprise foreigners who are used to more flexible retail hours. 

Many immigrants find it inconvenient to adjust their shopping habits to suit Austria’s retail regulations, allowing very few shops, stores and supermarkets to open on holidays and Sundays.

There is a very cultural reason for this: Austrians view Sundays as a day for leisure and spending time with family and friends—for themselves and for the workers as well. This is part of the quality of living that attracts so many foreigners to Austria in the first place.

Understanding this is important, and in this matter, it’s well worth it to adapt to local customs: do your shopping more often (getting fresh produce) instead of big buys on a Sunday, enjoy the time to get some fresh air instead of being under the artificial lights of a shopping centre.

But if you fear being left with an empty fridge on a Sunday, you can always resort to some places that are allowed to stay open (often in train or metro stations) or online grocery shopping.

READ ALSO: Why everything in Austria is closed on Sundays – and what to do instead

What were your biggest complaints and cultural shocks when you first moved to Austria? And how did you overcome them? Let us know in the comments below.