Last updated: October 2026 · Official sources linked
The short answer in 30 seconds
- Canadian citizens can enter without a visa for short stays, usually for up to 90 days within any 180-day period (BMI – visa list).
- You may also apply for your first residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) in Austria, but this does not extend your visa-free stay (oesterreich.gv.at).
- Canada takes part in the Working Holiday Programme for 18- to 30-year-olds (oesterreich.gv.at).
- There is a social security agreement (including one with Québec) and a double taxation agreement (Ministry of Social Affairs, BMF).
- You can exchange your Class B driving licence without a practical test (oesterreich.gv.at).
Canada and Austria have a lot in common: a high quality of life, strong universities and, with CETA, a shared trade agreement between Canada and the EU. Canadians are in a good position to move to Vienna. You can enter without a visa, and young people can use the Working Holiday Programme. For a longer stay, however, you always need a residence permit. The authority decides on your application.
Your status as a Canadian citizen
You are a third-country national (Drittstaatsangehörige) and exempt from the EU visa requirement (BMI – countries requiring a visa). For short stays, the general rule is 90 days within any 180-day period. If you want to settle or work long-term, you need a residence permit (BMI – entry).
For short stays, you are recorded in the Entry/Exit System (EES), which has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 (BMI – EES). The BMI has announced the ETIAS travel authorisation (€7, valid for three years) from the fourth quarter of 2026. Check before you travel whether it already applies (BMI – ETIAS).
Entry and where to apply
| Route | Where | Important |
|---|---|---|
| Application from abroad | Austrian Embassy in Ottawa | in person, before entering Austria |
| Application in Austria | Residence authority in Austria; in Vienna, MA 35 | only during your permitted visa-free stay |
Please note: an application in Austria does not give you a right to stay beyond your visa-free period. Once it has ended, you wait for the decision abroad (migration.gv.at).
Working in Austria
The most important route is the Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte). For Other Key Workers (Sonstige Schlüsselkräfte), the 2026 minimum salary is €3,465 gross per month plus special payments, and you need at least 55 points. Highly qualified university graduates can also consider the EU Blue Card.
You do not need a job-seeker visa, because you can enter without a visa. Once you find a job, you can apply for the card in Austria during your permitted stay (migration.gv.at).
Working Holiday: Young Canadians aged 18 to 30 can come to Austria for six or twelve months and work here. The usual wage and social security rules apply (oesterreich.gv.at). The Austrian Embassy can give you details on how to apply.
Studying in Austria
To study, you need the “Residence Permit – Student” (Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student). You can apply for it in Austria after entering without a visa. Students may work up to 20 hours a week; the employer needs a permit from the AMS. In 2026, students aged 24 and over must prove funds of €1,308.39 per month, and students under 24 €722.58 (migration.gv.at). More: Studying in Austria and Staying after your studies.
Starting a company and investing
For how the formation works, see Founding a GmbH or FlexCo. Canadian companies can also open a branch office (Zweigniederlassung). If you move to Austria yourself, you need a residence permit:
- Self-employed Key Worker (Selbständige Schlüsselkraft), for example with an investment of €100,000.
- Start-up Founder Card with at least €30,000 in capital and 50 points.
Would you like to live in Austria without working, for example in retirement? For this there is the quota-based Settlement Permit – except gainful employment (Niederlassungsbewilligung – ausgenommen Erwerbstätigkeit). In 2026, you need a regular income of at least €2,616.78 per month as a single person and €4,128.24 as a married couple (migration.gv.at). Only investing? See Investing in Austria without relocating.
Property
When buying land or apartments, you count as a foreign national. As a rule, you need approval under the land transfer law (Grundverkehrsrecht) of the federal province; in Vienna, under the Vienna Act on Property Acquisition by Foreigners (Wiener Ausländergrunderwerbsgesetz). More: Buying property as a foreigner.
Tax and social security
- Social security: Austria has a social security agreement with Canada and a separate agreement with Québec (Ministry of Social Affairs).
- Tax: There is a double taxation agreement (BMF – list of DTAs, BMF – DTA partner countries).
Our partner tax advisers will go through the effects on your income and pension with you.
Qualifications and driving licence
For regulated professions, your qualification must be recognised in Austria. Clarify this early, ideally before you apply for a residence permit.
You may use your Canadian driving licence for six months after taking up residence. Within this period, you must have it exchanged. For Class B, there is no practical driving test (oesterreich.gv.at).
Business links between Canada and Austria
The Austrian Economic Chamber’s point of contact is the AußenwirtschaftsCenter Toronto. According to the WKO economic report, Austria has a trade surplus of just under €1 billion with Canada (WKO – economic situation). Under CETA, almost all industrial goods traded between Canada and the EU are duty-free (WKO – exports and imports). Further information is available on the WKO country page for Canada.
Frequently asked questions
Can I come to Vienna on a Working Holiday and stay afterwards? Working Holiday is limited in time. If you want to stay afterwards, you need a residence permit of your own, for example a Red-White-Red Card.
Can I apply in Vienna? Yes. As a visa-free visitor, you may submit your first application in Austria. However, you must leave when your visa-free period ends (oesterreich.gv.at).
Does the social security agreement also cover Québec? Yes, there is a separate agreement for Québec (Ministry of Social Affairs).
Do I have to take a new driving test in Austria? Not for Class B, provided you have your licence exchanged within six months.
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