Staying After Your Studies: Job Search, Starting a Business, Red-White-Red Card

Last updated: October 2026 · Official sources linked

You have graduated. Many international graduates would like to stay in Austria. Our founder came to Austria as a student in 2011. In 2017, he founded a GmbH in Vienna. We know this path first-hand. Austria offers graduates a number of advantages. But you must use them in time.

Who is this route for?

This article is for people from third countries who studied in Austria. Degrees from universities, universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen) and accredited private universities count (oesterreich.gv.at).

Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees qualify. For a diploma programme (Diplomstudium), the degree counts from the second stage of studies onwards.

Which route fits? That depends on two questions. Do you already have a job offer? Do you want to be employed or start a business? You have four routes:

Route	Fits if …	Points
1. Extension by 12 months	you do not have a job yet or are planning to start a business	none
2. Red-White-Red Card for graduates	you have a job at your level of education	none
3. EU Blue Card or another card	your salary is high	depends on the card
4. Start-up or Self-employed Key Worker	you want to start your own business	Start-up: 50

Requirements

Route 1: Extension by twelve months. You held a “Residence Permit – Student” (Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Student). You completed your studies in Austria. You can then extend the permit once by twelve months. The aim is later to obtain a Red-White-Red Card, an EU Blue Card or a permit as a researcher. The general requirements continue to apply, for example health insurance.

Route 2: Red-White-Red Card for Graduates of Austrian Universities (Studienabsolventen) (oesterreich.gv.at):

• a degree from Austria (see above)
• a permanent job that matches your qualification
• a salary at least as high as that of Austrian graduates in comparable work
• general requirements, but without proof of accommodation and means of subsistence

There is no points system. The authorities do not state a fixed euro amount. The AMS assesses the local salary on a case-by-case basis.

Route 3: EU Blue Card or other cards. With a well-paid job, the EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU) may be a fit. In 2026, the threshold is €55,678 gross per year. For Very Highly Qualified Workers (Besonders Hochqualifizierte), studying in Austria brings up to 10 points.

Route 4: Starting a business. For the Start-up Founder Card, you need €30,000 in capital, half of it equity, and 50 points. A degree from Austria brings 30 points there. As a Self-employed Key Worker (Selbständige Schlüsselkraft), you show a benefit for the economy. One example is an investment of at least €100,000.

Worked examples

• Start-up, aged 28: master’s degree in Austria (30). Two years of work experience (4). German B1 (10). Age up to 35 (10). Result: 54 points. At least 50 are required.
• Very highly qualified, aged 27: bachelor’s and master’s in computer science (STEM, 30). One year of experience (2). English A2 (10). Age up to 35 (20). Entire degree completed in Austria (10). Result: 72 points. At least 70 are required.

The point values come from migration.gv.at. Check your result with the points calculator.

Checklist: what to prepare

• Mark the expiry date of your permit in your calendar
• Obtain your degree certificate or transcript of records (Sammelzeugnis)
• Arrange health insurance for the period after your studies
• Compare salaries: what do Austrian graduates earn in your profession?
• Have your employer fill in the employer’s declaration (Arbeitgebererklärung)
• If starting a business: prepare a business plan and proof of capital
• Book an appointment with the authority early

Documents

For the Red-White-Red Card as a graduate according to oesterreich.gv.at:

• completed application form
• valid travel document
• passport photo 45 x 35 mm, no older than six months
• degree certificate; for a diploma programme, also the study record book and examination certificates
• employer’s declaration under the Foreign Nationals Employment Act (Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz)
• in individual cases: criminal record certificate

For the extension by twelve months, you need proof of graduation. In addition, there are the general documents, for example on health insurance.

Process and timeline, step by step

An example: your student permit is valid until 30 September. You graduate in June.

1. July to September: application for an extension by twelve months. By 30 September at the latest.
2. During the twelve months: you look for a job or plan your business.
3. Job offer received: you apply for the Red-White-Red Card. In Austria, you can do this at any time. Allow for eight weeks before you start work.
4. Review: The authority forwards the application to the AMS. The AMS checks the job and the salary.
5. Decision: within eight weeks.
6. Collection: in person, by appointment. As a rule, only then may you work full-time.

You can also switch directly from your student permit to the Red-White-Red Card. Submit the application on the last day of your permit at the latest. Only then can your time as a student count later on.

Costs and duration

• Application fee: €218 (as of 2026). The same fee applies to the extension as a student.
• Decision: within eight weeks
• Validity of the card: usually up to two years

Competent authority

In most cases, you file an application for a change of purpose (Zweckänderungsantrag) in person in Austria. Your future employer can also submit the application (oesterreich.gv.at). The authority at your place of residence is responsible. The AMS checks the specific requirements.

In Vienna, applications for a change of purpose are handled by the first-application centres of the MA 35. Renewals are handled by the branch offices. For start-up founders and the self-employed, the Business Immigration Office is responsible. If you have questions, the MA 35 customer service can help on +43 1 4000-3535.

After approval: the next steps

1. Social insurance: Your employer registers you before you start work.
2. Residence: If you move, re-register your address (Meldezettel) within three days.
3. Change of job: The card is valid for one employer. After filing an application for a change of purpose, you may provisionally start with the new employer after 45 days.
4. After two years: Red-White-Red Card plus (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte plus) with 21 months of employment within the last 24 months.

Forms and online services

• BMI application forms and employer’s declaration
• Appointment booking MA 35 for first applications and changes of purpose
• Points calculator on migration.gv.at

Common pitfalls

• Missing the deadline. After expiry, an application counts as a first application. You then lose your continuous right of residence.
• The job does not match your degree. The position must correspond to your level of education.
• Salary too low. “Local rate” means as much as Austrian graduates earn in this profession.
• Starting work too early. As a rule, you may only work full-time once you have the card.
• Starting a business without a plan. Twelve months is short. Start your business plan and proof of capital while you are still studying.

Related routes

• Studying in Austria
• Red-White-Red Card 2026
• EU Blue Card
• Start-up Founder Card
• Self-employed Key Worker

FAQ

How long may I stay after my studies to look for a job? You can extend your permit once by twelve months. Submit the application before your current permit expires.

How much do I need to earn as a graduate? There is no fixed amount. The local salary of Austrian graduates applies. Compare it with the collective agreement (Kollektivvertrag) for your sector.

Do I have to leave the country to apply? No. If you find a suitable job within the twelve months, you apply for the card in Austria. An application is also possible after a short absence from Austria.

Can I start a business straight after my studies? Yes. The extension by twelve months is also intended for starting a business. For the business itself, you then need an application for a change of purpose, for example to the Start-up Founder Card.

Does my Austrian bachelor’s degree count for the EU Blue Card? Yes, if the programme lasted at least three years. In 2026, the salary must be at least €55,678 a year.

Sources and legal basis

• oesterreich.gv.at – Red-White-Red Card for Graduates
• oesterreich.gv.at – Residence Permit – Student
• oesterreich.gv.at – Studying and working for third-country nationals
• oesterreich.gv.at – Start-up Founders
• oesterreich.gv.at – Red-White-Red Card plus
• migration.gv.at – Very Highly Qualified Workers
• migration.gv.at – EU Blue Card
• migration.gv.at – Start-up Founders, points table (English)
• wien.gv.at – Residence Permit – Student
• wien.gv.at – Units of the MA 35
• Legal basis according to oesterreich.gv.at: § 41 NAG (Red-White-Red Card), § 64 NAG (students, extension after graduation)
• Settlement and Residence Act (Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz, NAG) in the RIS
• Foreign Nationals Employment Act (Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz, AuslBG) in the RIS

General information based on official sources. Leading Viennese law and tax firms review your individual case, and we guide you personally all the way to your goal.