Austria’s Interior Ministry has raised the financial-means requirement for the popular Residence Permit – Without Gainful Employment category, a route used by retirees, remote workers and ‘neo-nomads’ who rely on foreign income. A ministerial circular dispatched on 8 January and published on 11 January took immediate effect on 13 January, lifting the benchmark for single applicants to €1 273.99 net per month (about €15 288 per year), up from €1 222 in 2025. Married couples must now show €2 009.85, with an extra €196.57 for each dependent child.
The figures are pegged to the Ausgleichszulagenrichtsatz, Austria’s annually indexed social-assistance reference value, and represent a roughly four-percent increase. While modest, the change may disqualify lower-income pensioners and freelancers who budgeted on last year’s numbers. Immigration lawyers warn that applications already filed but not yet substantively reviewed could be assessed under the higher threshold and advise clients to submit updated bank statements proactively.
For those unsure about interpreting or evidencing the new benchmarks, VisaHQ offers step-by-step assistance—from preliminary eligibility checks to compiling proof of funds—via its Austria portal (https://www.visahq.com/austria/), streamlining what can otherwise be a paperwork-heavy process.
![Austria quietly hikes income threshold for ‘without-work’ residence permits]()
For multinational companies the revision has knock-on effects: spouses or partners accompanying key staff on local contracts often use the without-work permit as a stop-gap. HR departments may need to boost allowance packages or guarantee funds to ensure family members meet the new ‘secure livelihood’ standard. Application refusals for insufficient means remain one of the chief causes of processing delays and costly appeals.
Critics also point to the ministry’s muted communication—no public press release was issued—arguing that transparency is vital for Austria’s competitiveness as a relocation destination. Industry bodies have requested a transitional grace period; none has been granted so far.
Prospective applicants should check updated thresholds before submitting in 2026 and consider professional support to avoid inadvertent non-compliance.
The figures are pegged to the Ausgleichszulagenrichtsatz, Austria’s annually indexed social-assistance reference value, and represent a roughly four-percent increase. While modest, the change may disqualify lower-income pensioners and freelancers who budgeted on last year’s numbers. Immigration lawyers warn that applications already filed but not yet substantively reviewed could be assessed under the higher threshold and advise clients to submit updated bank statements proactively.
For those unsure about interpreting or evidencing the new benchmarks, VisaHQ offers step-by-step assistance—from preliminary eligibility checks to compiling proof of funds—via its Austria portal (https://www.visahq.com/austria/), streamlining what can otherwise be a paperwork-heavy process.
For multinational companies the revision has knock-on effects: spouses or partners accompanying key staff on local contracts often use the without-work permit as a stop-gap. HR departments may need to boost allowance packages or guarantee funds to ensure family members meet the new ‘secure livelihood’ standard. Application refusals for insufficient means remain one of the chief causes of processing delays and costly appeals.
Critics also point to the ministry’s muted communication—no public press release was issued—arguing that transparency is vital for Austria’s competitiveness as a relocation destination. Industry bodies have requested a transitional grace period; none has been granted so far.
Prospective applicants should check updated thresholds before submitting in 2026 and consider professional support to avoid inadvertent non-compliance.
