Austria’s National Council has approved the 2025 *Niederlassungsverordnung*, trimming the cap on quota-bound residence titles from 5,846 to 5,616—a 4 % reduction.
The quota applies to family reunification, settlement permits for financially independent retirees and upgrades to the Red-White-Red Card Plus. Crucially, work-linked categories such as the standard Red-White-Red Card and EU Blue Card remain uncapped, so companies can still hire as many qualified third-country nationals as the labour market authority will authorise.
![Austria Cuts 2025 Immigration Quota, Tightening Family & Retiree Permits]()
VisaHQ can streamline applications for both quota-bound and uncapped Austrian residence titles, guiding HR teams and individual applicants through documentation, appointment booking and real-time status tracking. By leveraging its user-friendly platform and local partners, VisaHQ helps families secure scarce quota slots—or identify alternative visa routes—while keeping employers compliant and talent mobile. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/austria/.
Of the 5,616 slots, 4,850 are reserved for family immigration, 385 for “privatiers,” 89 for EU long-term residents transferring status and 292 for relatives upgrading to more flexible status. Provincial sub-quotas open on 2 January; Vienna gets the lion’s share (1,640), Tyrol the fewest (165). Employers with high expatriate volumes should diary these dates—some provinces exhaust family quotas within weeks.
HR impact: relocation timelines may lengthen if dependants miss a slot. Contingency plans could include Schengen C-visas or commuter arrangements, though these add cost and complexity. Industry bodies may revive calls for a separate corporate-family quota if talent attraction suffers.
The quota applies to family reunification, settlement permits for financially independent retirees and upgrades to the Red-White-Red Card Plus. Crucially, work-linked categories such as the standard Red-White-Red Card and EU Blue Card remain uncapped, so companies can still hire as many qualified third-country nationals as the labour market authority will authorise.
VisaHQ can streamline applications for both quota-bound and uncapped Austrian residence titles, guiding HR teams and individual applicants through documentation, appointment booking and real-time status tracking. By leveraging its user-friendly platform and local partners, VisaHQ helps families secure scarce quota slots—or identify alternative visa routes—while keeping employers compliant and talent mobile. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/austria/.
Of the 5,616 slots, 4,850 are reserved for family immigration, 385 for “privatiers,” 89 for EU long-term residents transferring status and 292 for relatives upgrading to more flexible status. Provincial sub-quotas open on 2 January; Vienna gets the lion’s share (1,640), Tyrol the fewest (165). Employers with high expatriate volumes should diary these dates—some provinces exhaust family quotas within weeks.
HR impact: relocation timelines may lengthen if dependants miss a slot. Contingency plans could include Schengen C-visas or commuter arrangements, though these add cost and complexity. Industry bodies may revive calls for a separate corporate-family quota if talent attraction suffers.
