RWR card - the changes announced in Feb 2019 (Vienna)
Hi all, I keep seeing the Red White Red card (RWR-card) being a hot button topic on the forums. I just wanted to make sure the legal changes announced by the Austrian minister of economy in February Protected content sufficiently communicated here:
- accommodation (in German: "ortsuebliche Unterkunft"): one of the most discussed hurdles was the requirement to prove a right to appropriate accommodation (often for a period of up to 2 years, when dealing with MA Protected content from the beginning of the RWR card application process. This requirement will be abolished.
Change to take effect after being accepted by Austrian parliament, expected before summer Protected content .
- lower minimum salary requirements for RWR-card category of 'other key employees' (in German: Sonstige Schluesselkraefte):
.) applicants max 30 years old: at least EUR 2,088 gross (instead of previously required 2,610 gross)
.) applicants above age of 30: at least EUR 2,610 gross (instead of previously required 3,132 gross)
Change to take effect after being accepted by Austrian parliament, expected before summer Protected content .
- digitization to speed up the RWR card application process: instead of having the different relevant authorities transfer applications between them via snail mail, the process shall become digitized, allowing for a swifter communication (and hopefully shorter application processing duration).
Change to take effect after being accepted by Austrian parliament, expected before summer Protected content , with first trial operation also starting this year. However, complete rollout of digitization will likely only start at the beginning of Protected content .
- RWR card for vocational trainings: this new category shall especially allow third country nationals holding a pupil's visa to prolong their legitimate stay in Austria
Change to take effect after being accepted by Austrian parliament, implementation expected still in Protected content .
Best, Patrick
