Entering Austria from Ukraine and working

You are an Ukrainian citizen and would like to enter Austria. How does it work? 

You can enter Austria visa-free as a Ukrainian citizen with your biometric passport.   

You are a third-country national who has fled Ukraine and would like to enter Austria. How does this work? 

Depending on whether or not you are allowed to enter Austria visa-free due to your citizenship (see information from the BMI on visa requirements), you may first need to apply for a visa before you can legally enter Austria.   

Which residence title can you get as an Ukrainian citizen and how long is the residence title valid? Which residence title can your family obtain? 

As an Ukrainian citizen who has fled Ukraine since February 24, 2022, you will receive a so-called "Ausweis für Vertriebene”. Your wife/husband and your children (up to 18 years old) will also receive this identity card. This identity card confirmed the right of residence until March 3, 2023.    

Since the right of residence has been extended until March 4, 2024, the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (in German: Bundesamt für Fremdenwesen und Asyl, short: BFA) will automatically send a new identity card with an extended validity date to all Ukrainians already registered as displaced persons. If you have not received this yet, it does not mean that you are not legally residing in Austria at the moment. Your right of residence will continue to exist after March 3, 2023 until March 4, 2024, regardless of the validity date on your current "Ausweis für Vertriebene".

Please find more information about "Ausweis für Vertriebene" on the website of the BFA  in German, in English, in Ukrainian and in Russian.

What residence title can you get as a third-country national who has fled Ukraine? 

If you have a job offer from an Austrian company, the employer may be able to apply for a Red-White-Red – Card or an EU Blue Card for you. For this, there are certain requirements for the job offer and for your qualifications. ABA Immigration and Residence Services will be happy to assist you and your employer in the process of applying for a Red-White-Red – Card or an EU Blue Card.  

If you had been living in Ukraine as a person entitled to asylum or as a person entitled to subsidiary protection, you will receive an "Ausweis für Vertriebene", just like Ukrainian citizens. If this does not apply to you, you can enter Austria on humanitarian grounds or pass through Austria to continue to your country of origin. You are legally resident in Austria until you are able to travel on to your country of origin. Please find more information about this on the website of the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (in German: Bundesamt für Fremdenwesen und Asyl, short: BFA) in German, in English, in Ukrainian and in Russian.

Can you work with the so-called “Ausweis für Vertriebene”?

Yes! Since April 21, 2023, persons who have an "Ausweis für Vertriebene" are exempt from the Alien Employment Act. This means that you have free access to the Austrian labour market and can be employed by an Austrian employer in the same way as he/she would employ an Austrian or EU citizen. In particular, the employer does not have to apply for a work permit ("Beschäftigungsbewilligung") for you.

Please also note the information by AMS.

In principle, you can also work as a self-employed person as holder of the "Ausweis für Vertriebene". However, you must of course comply with all other (trade law, etc.) regulations.

As an employer, you would like to hire a Ukrainian skilled worker, who has a "Ausweis für Vertriebene". What do you have to do? 

You can employ the skilled worker, who has an “Ausweis für Vertriebene” without further ado. As of April 21, 2023, a work permit ("Beschäftigungsbewilligung") is no longer necessary for this group of people.