Third-country citizens who are to take up employment in undertakings as key workers due to their qualifications, may apply for a Red-White-Red Card valid for twelve months if they fulfill the following requirements:
Eligibility criteria for key workers |
Points |
Qualifications |
Maximum of allowable points: 30 |
Completed vocational education/training or special know-how or skills* in the prospective occupation |
20 |
General eligibility for admission to a university |
25 |
Completion of a programme with a minimum duration of three years at an institution of tertiary education |
30 |
Work experience according to qualification |
Maximum of allowable points: 10 |
Work experience (per year) Work experience in Austria (per year) |
2 4 |
Language skills |
Maximum of allowable points: 15 |
German: elementary use of the language on a basic level (A1 level), or English: independent use of the language (B1 level) |
10 |
German: intensified elementary use of the language (A2 level), or English: intensified independent use of the language (B2 level) |
15 |
Age |
Maximum of allowable points: 20 |
Up to 30 years of age Up to 40 years of age |
20 15 |
Sum total of maximum allowable points: |
75 |
Bonus points for professional athletes and professional sports coaches |
20 |
Required minimum: |
50 |
* Key workers with special know-how or skills do not have to furnish proof that they have completed formal training (e.g. musicians, designers or professional athletes)
A company wants to employ a Director of Sales and has found no suitable person for this specific job in the Austrian labour market. The Canadian applicant for this position is 43 years old, a university graduate and has over 9 years of work experience. His native language is English. He receives 30 points for completing studies, 10 points for work experience and 15 points for his language skills. As he is over 40 years old, he does not receive any points for his age. Since he would receive 55 points and therefore exceed the minimum number of points, which is 50 points, he can apply for the Red-White-Red Card.