How Austria could make it easier for skilled foreigners to get a work permit
The Austrian chancellor and head of centre-right ÖVP party wants to make the process for the Red-White-Red residence permit more modern and straightforward.
Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) is set to make a speech to outline his "Austria plan", a series of measures he will promote next Friday as he (supposedly) launches the centre-right's campaign for parliamentary elections set to take place in autumn this year.
The expected speech has made the headlines for several reasons this week as the party releases parts of it to Austrian media. The chancellor is expected to talk about an income tax reform that would lower the amount of taxes people pay and defend several measures that would make the lives of immigrants - particularly asylum seekers - harder in Austria.
However, the incumbent is also expected to announce a series of proposals that will benefit skilled foreigners who want to get a work permit in the country, the so-called Red-White-Red card. Currently, the process is known for being bureaucratic and slow. If Nehammer has his way, this will change.
READ ALSO: COMPARED: Germany’s Chancenkarte vs. Austria's Red-White-Red card for skilled non-EU workers
Simplified access
According to a "rough draft" of the speech made available to the newspaper Der Standard, the chancellor is going to propose that the permit be issued "within 72 hours" - though there is no mention of how that target will be achieved.
Additionally, he will say in his speech on Friday that, in the future, it should be possible to submit an application for the RWR card digitally.
Finally, another significant change for qualified immigrants: Nehammer will propose that "diplomas and certificates from certain countries and universities with high standards should no longer have to be officially recoginised".
READ ALSO: How can I validate my foreign diploma in Austria?
As the process having qualifications recognised can be bureaucratic and slow, this could only be good news for qualified immigrants.
However, no specifics on which countries and universities would be considered with "high standards" were given.
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Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) is set to make a speech to outline his "Austria plan", a series of measures he will promote next Friday as he (supposedly) launches the centre-right's campaign for parliamentary elections set to take place in autumn this year.
The expected speech has made the headlines for several reasons this week as the party releases parts of it to Austrian media. The chancellor is expected to talk about an income tax reform that would lower the amount of taxes people pay and defend several measures that would make the lives of immigrants - particularly asylum seekers - harder in Austria.
However, the incumbent is also expected to announce a series of proposals that will benefit skilled foreigners who want to get a work permit in the country, the so-called Red-White-Red card. Currently, the process is known for being bureaucratic and slow. If Nehammer has his way, this will change.
READ ALSO: COMPARED: Germany’s Chancenkarte vs. Austria's Red-White-Red card for skilled non-EU workers
Simplified access
According to a "rough draft" of the speech made available to the newspaper Der Standard, the chancellor is going to propose that the permit be issued "within 72 hours" - though there is no mention of how that target will be achieved.
Additionally, he will say in his speech on Friday that, in the future, it should be possible to submit an application for the RWR card digitally.
Finally, another significant change for qualified immigrants: Nehammer will propose that "diplomas and certificates from certain countries and universities with high standards should no longer have to be officially recoginised".
READ ALSO: How can I validate my foreign diploma in Austria?
As the process having qualifications recognised can be bureaucratic and slow, this could only be good news for qualified immigrants.
However, no specifics on which countries and universities would be considered with "high standards" were given.
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