We regularly receive posts from British Nationals living in the UK who want to retire to Austria. Austria is a lovely place to live, but just like any other country it does have its immigration rules and for British Nationals sadly, these have now increased.
Any British Nationals who have wanted to move to Austria since 1st January 2021 now encounter a lot more rules/restrictions. The main rules/restrictions are as follows:
- Annual Provincial Quotas
- Proof you can support yourself
- HealthSozialministerium The Austrian Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection is responsible for the following fields: The health care system Initiatives for people with disabilities Consumer protection Public health and medical issues Care and support The rights of consumers and the protection of their health Senior citizens’ policy Social policy Social insurance Insurance
- German Language Requirements
- Criminal Background check
- Local Accommodation
- Property Rules on foreign ownership
Annual Provincial Quotas
The main resident permit for retirees (Privatiers) is called Settlement Permit Except Gainful Employment or Niederlassungsbewilligung – ausgenommen Erwerbstätigkeit in German.
Each Province (Bundesland) in Austria determines a quota for the coming year. The quotas are drafted in the October to December timeframe, but are typically not agreed until the following year.
Anyone wanting to apply for this permit needs to be ready to apply early in the year (ideally soon after 2nd January) and they are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Once the quota is used up, that is it! In Vienna these run out within hours/days. These quotas apply for all third country nationals.
We understand that you can apply via the Austrian Embassy in London, but responsibility is still with the local authority where you plan to live (e.g. MA35Magistratsabteilung 35 Residency and citizenship issues in Vienna are handled by Magistratsabteilung 35 (MA35). It has several offices in Vienna and where you need to go depends on whether or not you are an EU citizen (you go to one or other of its EU Referat offices depending on the district you live in), or its premises for third country nationals. in Vienna, or the local Bezirkshauptmannschaft). You will probably not be able to meet some of the pre-requisites whilst living in the UK (e.g. Austrian approved health insurance, rental contract etc). It is probably advisable to apply for something like a Visa-D first and apply in Austria.
You will also need to renew this resident permit annually as it is only valid for 12 months.
The table below illustrates the quotas for 2024 and 2023:
| Province | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Burgenland | 5 | 25 |
| Carinthia | 45 | 45 |
| Lower Austria | 30 | 30 |
| Upper Austria | 25 | 25 |
| Salzburg | 40 | 40 |
| Styria | 75 | 75 |
| Tyrol | 40 | 40 |
| Vorarlberg | 30 | 30 |
| Vienna | 130 | 130 |
Note 1: There is a helpful a post on the English Speakers in Austria site of someone sharing their experience applying for this permit (see below)
Note 2: There is no “I fancy retiring somewhere in Austria Residence Permit”, you need to make the decision exactly where you want to live beforehand!
Proof you can support yourself
You will need to prove that you can support yourself whilst living in Austria. The residence permit does not allow you to work and so remote working for a UK based company would not be allowed.
The monthly income requirements for 2024 are:
- For singles: € 2,435.91
- For couples: € 3,842.92
- For each child additionally: € 375.85
You will either need to prove that you have this as income or have the money in an “accessible” bank account. Stocks and shares or property will not count. Ideally this should be some form of bank account in Euros to avoid issues, sometimes UK bank accounts are accepted, but not always.
Health Insurance
Austria does not have the equivalent of the NHS with free healthcare for residents. Healthcare is insurance-based and for residence permits there is a restrictive list of approved policies (see below). For those in receipt of a UK State pension, you can apply for an S1 in the UK and use that to apply in Austria.
For those not eligible for an S1 and over the age of 50 (especially with preexisting conditions), you may find the list of private insurance policies restrictive (the less expensive ones may well refuse to cover you). OeGK Self Insurance is EUR 495.58 (2024 value) per month, but on-boarding can be tricky and they may require proof of UK NI payments.
Note 1: If you “think” your only option will be OeGK, then please ensure your UK NI payments are up to date and make up any shortfall as that can take many months (.GOV.UK Check NI). In addition, please apply for form CA3916 (PDU1)
Note 2: If you are using an S1 in Austria, your ability to use NHS services in the UK will depend on which devolved country you are visiting in the UK. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all have different rules (See below), do NOT assume you will have full access to the NHS on visits.
German Language Requirements
Retirees should not forget that Austria is a German-speaking country. English is not always widely spoken (especially by some officials). Unless you have a recognised University degree, you will need to pass an A1 level German course from an approved institution (Link). It must have been taken within the last year.
You may need to continue with these German language courses and Integration Agreements to maintain residency, especially after 2 years.
Criminal Background Check
You will need a criminal background check from the UK (or the country where you last lived). This can be requested via the ACRO website in the UK
In some cases you may need to provide an Austrian KSV records statement for private individuals (this is effectively similar to a credit rating). (Infopass for Behörden)
Local Accommodation
You must prove a legal claim to accommodation in Austria, for example, by presenting a rental agreement. The accommodation must be customary for a family of comparable size.
Provincial Property Rules
Austria has provincial property rules and some provinces are a lot stricter on foreign ownership than others. Salzburg, Tyrol and Vorarlberg in particular are known to be restrictive.
Any Third Country National3rd country nationals Third country nationals are citizens of non-EU/EEA countries. Residency and naturalisation procedures for third country nationals are more complicated than for citizens of EU Member States or EEA signatory states. (this now includes British Nationals not covered by the Withdrawal AgreementWithdrawal Agreement The Withdrawal Agreement sets out the terms of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and provides for a deal on citizens’ rights. It sets out a transition period which lasts until 31 December 2020. During this time you can continue to live, work and study in the EU broadly as you did before 31 January 2020. If you are resident in Austria at the end of the transition period, you will be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, and your rights will be protected for as long as you remain resident in Austria. Any rights that are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement will be the subject of future negotiations. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-withdrawal-agreement-and-political-declaration ) wanting to buy property needs to go through an additional approval process. This process costs more, takes longer, AND can be refused. The granting of authorisation is contingent on it being in the public (in particular economic, social and cultural) interest.
Please take advice from a local notary (Notar) before attempting to go down this route and before selling up in the UK. There is an overview on this below and this link.
Working
If you want to work in Austria, then you will need a residence permit that allows you to do this. This also applied if you intend to work remotely for a UK based company. Your S1 may also be cancelled if you start working.
Any company wanting to employ you will need to prove that an EU national or someone who already has the right to work in Austria cannot do the job first.
The Working in Austria site has lots of information on this topic
Short Term Options
British Nationals wanting to spend a little bit of time in Austria, can of course stay for up to 90 days visa-free (ETIAS is required from Spring 2025). For stays up to 6 months, you can apply for a Visa-D tourist Visa via the Austrian Embassy where you live (e.g London). You need to apply for this BEFORE traveling. Winter Sports insurance coverage might be required for traveling in the winter. A UK EHIC/GHIC is not accepted for the Visa application.
Dual Citizenship (EU) or EU Spouse
If you have Dual Citizenship with EU/EEAEEA The European Economic Area (EEA) consists of the 27 EU Member States as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The United Kingdom is not part of the EEA. Citizenship or have an EU/EEA spouse, different rules apply. Please see the Working in Austria website for further details
Summary
It has not become impossible for a British National to retire to Austria after 1st January 2021, but do not underestimate the planning to do so. It is also important to recognise that British Nationals are now Third Country Nationals who now have to compete with everyone else from outside the EU wanting to retire to Austria.
For further advice, please contact one of the free advisory services or a specialist immigration lawyer in the province where you want to retire.
Useful Links:
- BMI Settlement Permit without gainful Employment
- BiA – Health Insurance in Austria
- BiA – S1 Differences in the UK
- Establishment Regulation (Niederlassungsverordnung) 2024
- Austrian Embassy London, Visa Information
- Austrian Embassy London, Quota based Resident permit Appointment
- BiA Austria Property Buying Overview
- ESiA Applying for the Austrian residence permit “Aufenthaltstitel: Niederlassungbewilligung ausser Erwerbstätigkeit”
- BiA Moving from the UK to Austria
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