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Citizenship
Immigration Law
Insights
Red-White-Red Card and changing employer.
The card is valid for a specific employer. If you change or lose your job, you must act quickly, otherwise your residence permit is at risk.
Where do you stand?
In short
- The Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte) is issued for a specific purpose and, for employment, for a specific employer.
- The Public Employment Service (AMS) checks the requirements; the residence authority issues the card.
- If you change jobs: report the change and apply for a change of purpose in good time.
- A transfer of the business to a new owner can also require new proceedings.
Working in Austria
The Red-White-Red Card
Third-country nationals need a suitable residence permit to work in Austria. The most common one is the Red-White-Red Card. It is issued for a specific purpose and, for employed work, for a specific employer. EU and EEA citizens do not need it.
Who is it for?
Who can get the card
- very highly qualified workers
- skilled workers in shortage occupations
- other key workers
- graduates of an Austrian university or college
- self-employed key workers
- start-up founders
- regular workers (Stammmitarbeiter)
Admission is governed by the Act on the Employment of Foreign Nationals (Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz)AuslBGAct on the Employment of Foreign Nationals: it governs when third-country nationals may work in Austria, for example through points systems for skilled workers and key workers.; the AMSAMSPublic Employment Service (Arbeitsmarktservice). For the Red-White-Red Card it checks the labour market requirements, such as points, salary and qualifications, and sends an opinion to the residence authority. checks the requirements, and the residence authority issues the card.
Change of employer
Change the purpose in good time
If your employment ends, the basis for the card no longer exists. To keep your permit, you must report the change to the authority without delay and file an application for a change of purpose (Zweckänderungsantrag)Change of purposeAn application for a residence permit with a different purpose while your current permit is still valid. It can be filed in Austria if you meet the requirements for the new permit..
This is an application for a residence permit with a different purpose while your current permit is still valid. It is only allowed if you meet the requirements for the new permit.
Transfer of the business
Here, too, you risk losing your permit
You might think that nothing changes when the business is taken over by a new owner. The courts see it differently: change of purpose proceedings may be necessary in this case too. If you do nothing, you risk your permit.
Questions we get asked
Red-White-Red Card: short answers
Can I change employer with the Red-White-Red Card?
Not just like that. The card is tied to one employer. To change, you usually need a new admission through the AMS before you start with the new employer.
What is the difference from the Red-White-Red Card plus?
The Red-White-Red Card plus gives you unrestricted access to the labour market, without being tied to one employer. You can get it, for example, as a family member or after a certain period with the Red-White-Red Card.
Do EU citizens need a Red-White-Red Card?
No. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens have freedom of movement and do not need a residence permit to work. After three months, a registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung) is required.
Read more
Related topics
Next step
Initial consultation at a flat fee
Whether a change causes problems depends on the individual case. We review your situation before you resign or sign anything.
Points calculator
How many points do you reach?
A points system applies to three groups of the Red-White-Red Card and to start-up founders. Choose your group and answer the questions.
1. Which group fits you?
2. Your details
For guidance only. This is not legal advice. Points alone do not decide. We check salary, the job offer and the other requirements with you. Status: October 2026. Source: Act on the Employment of Foreign Nationals (AuslBG), Annexes A to D (RIS, in German), and migration.gv.at.
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- ✓ Personal advice from our experts
- ✓ Review of your documents
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- ✓ Responses to all letters from the authority
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- ✓ All communication with the authority
- ✓ Regular reminders (Urgenz) to MA 35
- ✓ Obtaining Austrian documents
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Mag. Igor Matejuk, BEd
Mag. Adrian Zitter
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