How to Hire Nurses from Abroad in Austria (2026)

6 min

Nursing Shortages in Austria and the Financial Reality

Austria faces a long-term shortage of registered general nurses (Diplomierte Gesundheits- und Krankenpfleger/innen). The shortage is acute across all nine federal states, particularly in major hospital networks and long-term care facilities in Vienna, Upper Austria, Styria, and Tyrol. The official shortage occupation list (Mangelberufsliste) regularly includes registered nursing staff, reflecting a structural deficit that local training programs cannot immediately fill.

Hiring non-EU nurses (third-country nationals) is a viable way to stabilize staffing levels, but it requires navigating Austria's strict qualification recognition and immigration framework. It is not a quick fix for an immediate shift coverage problem. However, for healthcare providers planning 6 to 12 months ahead, international recruitment offers a sustainable path to building qualified teams.

What this costs you, roughly:

Qualification nostrification fee: €150 to €500 in official fees paid to the competent authority or Fachhochschule, excluding translation and notarization costs.
Document translation and legalization: €500 to €1,500 per candidate for court-certified translations into German and legal stamps (apostille or full consular legalization).
Red-White-Red Card application fee: €160 paid to the immigration authority (Magistrat or Bezirkshauptmannschaft).
Adaptation training or preparatory courses: €1,000 to €4,000 if the candidate requires supplementary coursework or clinical practice to achieve full equivalence.
Travel and initial accommodation support: €1,000 to €3,000 for flights and temporary housing during the first 1 to 3 months.

The Legal Route and Required Authority Filings

To employ a non-EU nurse legally in Austria, two separate processes must happen: the recognition of professional qualifications (Nostrifizierung) and the issuance of a combined work and residence permit, known as the Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot - Karte).

The immigration route for registered nurses is the Red-White-Red Card for Shortage Occupations (Fachkräfte in Mangelberufen). Because nursing is listed on the national shortage list, the employer does not need to go through an individual labor market test (Ersatzkraftverfahren), which saves time during processing.

The main authorities involved in this process are:

The Qualification Authority: Depending on the state and qualification, recognition is handled by a University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule) offering nursing degrees, or the provincial government (Amt der Landesregierung). They assess the candidate's degree against the Austrian curriculum.
The Labor Market Service (Arbeitsmarktservice - AMS): The AMS verifies that the job offer meets local wage standards and checks if the applicant meets the point threshold for points-based immigration (evaluating age, qualifications, language skills, and experience).
The Residence Authority: In Vienna, this is Magistratsabteilung 35 (MA 35). In other regions, it is the local District Commission (Bezirkshauptmannschaft - BH) or City Magistrate (Magistrat). They issue the physical Red-White-Red Card.
Health Professions Register (Gesundheitsberuferegister - GBR): Operated by Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (GÖG) and the Chamber of Labour (Arbeiterkammer), entry into this register is mandatory before any nurse can practice independently in Austria.

Employers can submit the Red-White-Red Card application directly to the competent regional authority (MA 35 or BH) in Austria on behalf of the candidate, or the candidate can submit it at the Austrian embassy or consulate in their home country.

Realistic Timeline from Job Offer to First Shift

Recruiting a nurse from outside the EU to work in Austria typically takes between 6 and 14 months. The exact duration depends heavily on whether the candidate already possesses certified B2 German language proficiency and how many curricular gaps are identified during nostrification.

Step 1: Language Preparation and Qualification Filing (Months 1 to 4): Candidate secures a certified German B2 language diploma (ÖSD, Goethe-Institut, or Telc). Qualification documents are translated and submitted for nostrification in Austria.
Step 2: Nostrification Decision Notice (Bescheid) (Months 4 to 6): The authority issues a decision letter detailing whether the foreign degree is fully equivalent or requires supplementary exams/practical training (Anpassungslehrgang).
Step 3: Red-White-Red Card Application (Months 6 to 9): The employment contract and Nostrifizierungsbescheid are submitted to the residence authority. AMS reviews the file and issues its approval (Gutachten).
Step 4: Visa Issuance and Arrival (Months 9 to 10): The candidate receives entry Visa D from the embassy, travels to Austria, registers their residential address (Meldezettel), and picks up the Red-White-Red Card.
Step 5: Registration and Adaptation Phase (Months 10 to 14): The nurse registers with the Health Professions Register (GBR). If mandatory adaptation modules are required, they can work under supervision or in lower-tier care roles (such as Pflegeassistenz) while completing clinical hours.

Employers should verify exact processing times directly with the relevant regional immigration authority and the AMS, as regional backlogs can alter timelines.

Mandatory Pay Rates, Collective Agreements, and Housing

Austria strictly enforces wage equality for foreign workers. You cannot pay an international nurse less than a locally recruited employee with equivalent qualifications. Compensation is governed by regional collective agreements (Kollektivverträge - KV) or public sector salary schemes.

For private, non-profit, and social care providers, the primary collective agreement is the SWÖ-KV (Sozialwirtschaft Österreich). Public hospitals follow the salary schemes set by their respective federal state governments (for example, the Wiener Gesundheitsverbund scheme in Vienna).

Fully Recognized Registered Nurse (Diplomierte/r Gesundheits- und Krankenpfleger/in): Under SWÖ-KV (Verwendungsgruppe 7), the starting base salary for a full-time position (37 or 38 hours) is approximately €2,900 to €3,400 gross per month, depending on recognized prior years of experience.
Nurse in Adaptation Phase (Pflegefachassistenz / Pflegeassistenz level): If the nurse's qualification is not yet fully recognized and they are completing an adaptation phase, they must be paid according to the KV grade matching their interim position (typically €2,400 to €2,700 gross per month under SWÖ-KV).
Mandatory Bonuses: Austrian law mandates 14 monthly salary payments per year (13th and 14th salary - Weihnachtsgeld and Urlaubsgeld). Additional allowances (Zulagen) apply for night shifts, Sunday work, public holidays, and specific care environments.

Employers in urban centers like Vienna are not legally required to provide permanent housing. However, offering temporary, furnished housing for the first 3 to 6 months is standard practice for successfully onboarding foreign healthcare workers. In rural regions or alpine valley facilities, providing subsidised staff housing is often necessary to secure candidates.

Finding Candidates and Compliance Requirements

Employers recruit international nurses through direct marketing, government-to-government placement agreements, specialized recruitment services, or open candidate registries. Regardless of the sourcing channel, legal compliance regarding fee structures is paramount.

Under Austrian law and international labor standards (including the ILO General Principles), job seekers must never be charged recruitment fees, placement charges, or documentation processing costs for securing employment. Legitimate employers bear all costs related to search, selection, and authority application filings. Demanding financial compensation from candidates creates severe legal exposure for your facility under Austrian labor legislation and renders work permits subject to cancellation.

Search the Workuro Registry for Nurses

Workuro operates an open candidate registry where nurses from outside the EU publish profiles specifically stating their intention to work in European countries, including Austria. Workuro is not a recruitment agency, does not charge per-hire placement fees, and does not participate in contract negotiations.

You can search the registry by qualification level, language proficiency, and target destination. When you find nurses whose qualifications match your facility's operational profile, you initiate contact with them directly to arrange interviews and verify language credentials.

Our candidate registry is young and growing. You will not find tens of thousands of pre-vetted profiles ready to start tomorrow. Instead, you get a direct channel to motivated healthcare professionals who want to move to Austria, allowing your internal HR team to manage the hiring process transparently and without agency markups.