Red-White-Red Card for Experienced Regular Seasonal Workers
Austria offers a dedicated Red-White-Red Card pathway for experienced third-country nationals who have already worked in Austria as registered regular seasonal workers in tourism, agriculture or forestry.
This pathway can allow qualifying workers to transition from recurring seasonal employment to permanent employment and longer-term residence in Austria.
CETO Global Immigration Consulting & Partners assists applicants in assessing their eligibility and coordinates the immigration process together with qualified legal and immigration professionals.
Applicants generally need to meet the following requirements.
7 Months in Each of the Previous Two Calendar Years
The employment must have taken place in the same sector in which you now intend to obtain permanent employment.
A1 Level
The required language certificate must satisfy the applicable Austrian requirements.
Permanent Employment
The proposed employment must be in the relevant sector and satisfy applicable Austrian employment and wage requirements.
No Points Test Applies
Eligibility is instead based on the specific employment history, language and permanent employment requirements.
There is no separate specific labour-market test comparable to the one used for some other Red-White-Red Card categories. The AMS nevertheless assesses whether the employment-related legal requirements are fulfilled.
This pathway is particularly valuable because it can allow an eligible worker who has already developed a recurring employment relationship in Austria to transition toward permanent employment and longer-term residence in Austria.
It is therefore different from an ordinary seasonal employment permit, which is temporary in nature.
Austria also has separate rules for ordinary seasonal workers, who may generally work temporarily in tourism, agriculture or forestry under quota-based employment permits.
The Red-White-Red Card for Regular Workers, however, is a permanent immigration pathway available only to workers who satisfy the specific previous employment and other requirements.
For applicants residing in Vienna, the competent authority is generally MA 35.
Foreign documents may require certified translations and, where applicable, legalization or apostille.
We review whether your previous seasonal employment satisfies the applicable requirements.
Your German A1 evidence and permanent Austrian employment offer are reviewed.
The required employment and immigration documentation is prepared and coordinated.
The relevant employment-related requirements are assessed by the Austrian Public Employment Service.
If the employment and general residence requirements are satisfied, the competent Austrian residence authority can issue the Red-White-Red Card.
The card authorizes temporary settlement and employment with the employer specified in the application.
The holder may also carry out subsidiary self-employment if all applicable legal requirements are satisfied.
Up to 2 Years
No. This Red-White-Red Card category does not use a points system.
Yes. Applicants must generally demonstrate German language skills at A1 level.
Under the current rules, applicants generally need at least seven months of qualifying employment in each of the previous two calendar years as a registered regular seasonal worker in the same sector.
The pathway applies to tourism, agriculture and forestry.
Yes. The employer must offer qualifying permanent employment.
No. The pathway is specifically linked to qualifying employment as a registered regular seasonal worker and the other applicable requirements.
It is generally issued for up to two years.
From Seasonal Employment to Permanent Residence & Work
If you have established a qualifying seasonal employment history in Austria and your employer wants to employ you permanently, the Red-White-Red Card for Regular Workers may provide a pathway toward longer-term residence and employment.
CETO can help assess your employment history and coordinate the next steps of your immigration process.
