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Capital isn’t the only path — an alternative with no money threshold exists

Red-White-Red Card
Austria — Self-Employed Key Workers

From €100,000 in sustained investment capital transferred to Austria — or an alternative with no money threshold at all: job creation/preservation, technology transfer, or regional significance. No points system — assessment is individual.

Investment capital from
€100,000
Threshold-free alternative
jobs / technology / region
Points system
none — individual assessment
Card term
24 months → then 3-year residence

Capital isn’t the only path to status

The official page explicitly lists alternative criteria, not reducing everything to a money threshold.

CRITERION
REQUIREMENT
MONEY THRESHOLD
Investment capital
REQUIREMENTsustained transfer to Austria
from €100,000
Job creation/preservation
REQUIREMENTgenuine jobs in Austria
not fixed
Know-how/technology transfer
REQUIREMENTintroducing new technologies
not fixed
Regional significance
REQUIREMENTsubstantial benefit to an entire region
not fixed

What the process consists of

Unlike other Red-White-Red Card categories, there is no points system here — the decision rests on assessing macroeconomic benefit from submitted documentation.

COST ITEM
RATE
APPLIES TO
Application fee
RATE€218
per applicant
Investment capital (if this path is chosen)
RATEfrom €100,000
per applicant
Preparing a business plan and supporting documents
RATEdepends on the consultant
per applicant

How the process runs

01
Choosing a qualifying criterion
Capital from €100,000, or an alternative with no money threshold.
02
Preparing a business plan and documents
Confirming investment, an employment forecast, or regional significance.
03
Filing the application
Fee €218; macroeconomic benefit is assessed without a points count.
04
Receiving the Red-White-Red Card for 24 months
With the right to pursue self-employment as stated in the application.
05
Transitioning to Niederlassungsbewilligung, then a 3-year status
While the conditions of the activity are maintained.

A good fit if

You can transfer sustained investment capital from €100,000 to Austria.
Or your business creates/preserves jobs in Austria, transfers technology, or is significant for a region — no money threshold.
You are prepared for an individual document-based assessment rather than a points system.
You plan self-employment rather than employed work.

A poor fit if

You assume €100,000 in capital is the only path and haven’t considered alternative criteria that may need no money threshold at all.
You want a points system with clear scoring criteria — assessment here is individual, without points.
You plan employed work rather than self-employment — this category is specifically for self-employed key workers.
Your capital is below €100,000 and you have no genuine plan for jobs, technology, or regional significance.

Who runs this programme

Your request goes to two or three firms from this list. You see exactly which ones before it is sent, and you can exclude any of them.

No matching firms in the directory for this category yet — the list is curated by hand and grows over time.

This is an independent list of firms in the market, not our partners — we do not forward requests to them or receive payment for referrals. Contact them directly via the link.

Frequent questions

Can you get this status with no money threshold at all?

Yes — per the available data, alternative criteria exist (job creation/preservation, technology transfer, regional significance) that aren’t tied to a fixed capital amount.

How are applications assessed without a points system?

Per the available data, the decision rests on assessing macroeconomic benefit from submitted documents — a business plan, investment confirmation, employment forecast — rather than a points count.

Must the €100,000 be transferred all at once?

Per the available data, a sustained transfer of investment capital from €100,000 to Austria is required — the exact mechanism for confirming sustainability isn’t detailed on this page; check with the appointed firm.

How long is the card valid before status renewal?

Per the available data, the Red-White-Red Card is issued for 24 months, then converts to a Niederlassungsbewilligung (residence permit), then to a 3-year status.

Does this category suit employed workers?

No — per the available data, this category is designed specifically for self-employed key workers; other Red-White-Red Card categories exist for employed workers.

Does this programme grant Austrian citizenship?

No — this page covers a path from temporary status to residence, not citizenship or a separately described path to it.

Sources

Figures are for reference only. Verified against official sources on 27 August 2026. A precise quote is issued by the appointed firm after document review. This material is not legal advice, a public offer or investment advice.