Austria Job Seeker Visa for Indians: Who Can Apply

The Job seeker visa sits inside Austria's Red-White-Red Card system, and it is the only part of that system that lets you enter Austria to look for work without a contract. Skilled workers in shortage occupations and other key workers need a job offer before they apply. The rules below are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For tourist, business and study visas, see our Austria visa guide for Indian passport holders.

Who can apply for Austria's Job seeker visa?

The visa is open only to people who qualify as very highly qualified workers on Austria's points scale. The Austrian Labour Market Authority (AMS) assesses your points, and the visa is granted once the AMS confirms them.

• Points: at least 70 out of 100.
• Purpose: a 6-month stay to look for a job in Austria, with no job offer in hand.
• Residence: you must prove habitual residence in the Embassy's territory. The Austrian Embassy New Delhi covers all of India, plus Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. An Indian citizen living in another country applies at the Austrian mission there.
• Supporting proof: accommodation, health insurance and means of subsistence.

There is no job seeker option under the Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations or Other Key Workers categories. The EU Blue Card also needs a binding job offer.

How are the 70 points counted?

The migration platform of the Austrian Federal Government publishes this scale for very highly qualified workers. Qualification points are capped at 40, work experience at 20 and language at 10.

Here is how the arithmetic works for a common Indian profile. An applicant under 35 with a four-year engineering degree that counts as a MINT subject (maths, informatics, natural sciences, technology) scores 30 for education. Five years of matching experience is ten half-years, so 10 points. English at A2 or above adds 10, and the age band adds 20. That totals exactly 70. The same person with four years of experience scores 68 and falls short.

Two details matter for Indian applicants. First, the scale lists education points for higher education of at least four years, so a three-year degree does not match that line as published; ask the AMS how your qualification is assessed. Second, age points fall at 35, 40 and 45, so the same CV can score fewer points a year later.

Where do Indians apply, and what does it cost?

You apply in person at the Austrian Embassy New Delhi. VFS Global handles Schengen and short national visas for Austria, but the Embassy lists job seeker visas, residence permits and work-programme visas among the applications made in person at the Embassy.

• Address: EP-13, Chandragupta Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021.
• Consular hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 12:00, by prior appointment only.
• Contact: NEW-DELHI-KA@bmeia.gv.at, tel. (+91/11) 2419 2700.
• Fee: EUR 195. No rupee amount is published; the Embassy says consular fees are paid in INR at the current exchange rate.

What happens when you find a job in Austria?

A job offer moves you from the Job seeker visa to the Red-White-Red Card for very highly qualified workers. The card is valid for 24 months and is tied to the employer named on it. You need a concrete job offer that matches your qualification with adequate pay, plus an employer's declaration.

The application fee is EUR 218. That is the fee for a temporary residence permit card from 1 January 2026, according to the Austrian Embassy New Delhi's settlement and residence page. The migration platform's FAQ gives approximately eight weeks for the entire process, depending on how complete your documents are and on the authority's resources.

What if you score below 70 points?

A lower score closes the Job seeker visa, not every Austrian work route. These alternatives need either a job offer or an age you may still meet:

• EU Blue Card: a degree of at least 3 years (ICT professionals can use 3 years of comparable experience within the last 7 years), a binding job offer and a gross annual salary of at least EUR 55,678 (2026). There is no points test, but a labour market test applies.
• Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations: completed vocational training in an occupation on Austria's annual shortage list, a binding job offer and at least 55 of 90 points.
• Other Key Workers: gross monthly pay of at least EUR 3,465 (2026), a labour market test and at least 55 of 90 points.
• Working Holiday Programme visa: for Indian nationals aged 18 to 30, up to 12 months, with any job allowed to fund the stay; fee EUR 195, applied for at the Embassy.

Mistakes to avoid before your Embassy appointment

• Booking a VFS slot. Job seeker applications are lodged in person at the Embassy.
• Counting points the scale does not give. Languages stop at 10 points and qualifications at 40, however many degrees or certificates you hold.
• Arriving without the three supporting proofs. The migration platform lists accommodation, health insurance and means of subsistence for this visa.
• Guessing the subsistence figure. Confirm what counts as sufficient means on migration.gv.at before you apply.
• Applying in New Delhi while living abroad. The Embassy processes only applicants who prove habitual residence in its territory.

If your Austrian file needs a flight reservation, hotel booking, travel itinerary or cover letter, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares them, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need German for Austria's Job seeker visa?

German is not a stand-alone condition on the published scale. German or English earns language points: 5 for A1 and 10 for A2, capped at 10. You can reach the language maximum with English.

Can I pay the Austria Job seeker visa fee in rupees?

The fee is EUR 195, and no INR amount is published. The Embassy says consular fees are paid in INR at the current exchange rate, so the rupee figure depends on the rate when you pay.

Can an Indian living in Dubai apply for the Austria Job seeker visa in New Delhi?

No. The Austrian Embassy New Delhi can only process applications from people who prove habitual residence in its territory. Indian citizens living in another country must apply at the Austrian mission there.

Who checks my points for the Austria Job seeker visa?

The Austrian Labour Market Authority (AMS) assesses the points. The Job seeker visa is granted once the AMS confirms that you meet the 70-point threshold.