A key deadline for unemployed people with a mini-job falls on January 31st
One of the biggest “do something now” deadlines linked to February is for jobseekers receiving AMS support who also have minor (“geringfügig”) employment.
AMS guidance says people who were already unemployed and already in a minor job on January 1st, 2026 will only be able to continue that activity from February 1st if they fall under one of five statutory exceptions. Otherwise, the mini-job must end by January 31st, 2026, with AMS warning that non-compliance can trigger retroactive consequences back to January 1st.
This will also affect foreign residents, particularly those balancing part-time work with AMS payments while searching for a new role.
READ ALSO: What people in Austria need to know about new unemployment rules from July 2025
Drivers will need a valid 2026 motorway vignette from February 1st
February 1st will be the hard cut-over date for Austria’s annual motorway vignette year.
ASFINAG says the 2025 annual sticker vignette is only valid until January 31st, and from February 1st motorists must have a valid 2026 vignette (sticker correctly attached or digital).
For anyone buying a digital vignette online as a consumer, ASFINAG has also highlighted the 18-day waiting period for online purchases, which can matter if you need validity immediately.
READ ALSO: Everything drivers in Austria need to know about the 2026 Vignette
Vienna will replace the student semester ticket with a youth annual pass
In Vienna, February 1st will mark the start date for a major ticket-product switch for under-26s.
Wiener Linien says its new Jahreskarte Jugend will replace the Semesterkarte and Ferien-Monatskarte, and notes the Semesterkarte will only be valid until January 31st. The change applies to all under-26s regardless of whether they are studying, working or in training, which will matter for young foreign residents who relied on the student-specific products.
READ ALSO: End of €1-a-day travel: Vienna announces €467 annual pass from January 2026
Local parking changes will start in some towns
A few municipalities will also switch parking rules and fees in February.
In Klosterneuburg (Lower Austria), the town has published implementation guidance on its Kurzparkzonen page.
In Telfs (Tyrol), the municipality says a new parking order will start from February 1st and that “green plate” vehicles will no longer automatically park for free in short-term zones unless actively charging.
Tobacco taxes and tobacco retail rules will tighten from February 1st
Several tobacco-related changes will take effect from February 1st, including higher excise duty rates once the tax debt arises after January 31st, 2026.
Cigarettes will be taxed at 32 percent of the retail price plus €85.50 per €1,000 (up from €83.50), cigars/cigarillos at 13 percent with a higher minimum, fine-cut at 56 percent with a higher minimum per kilogram, and heated tobacco at a higher per-kilogram rate.
At the retail level, the Tabakmonopolgesetz also sets time-bounded minimum margin floors from February 1st. In practice, shoppers may see price changes, while tobacconists and wholesalers will need to ensure their margin calculations comply.
Hemp flower retail will reopen to some licensed specialist shops
From February 1st, a transitional rule will allow certain hemp specialist retailers to resume selling legally permissible hemp flowers (THC up to 0.3 percent), provided they meet strict eligibility criteria and obtain a “Hanf-Lizenz”.
The transition is time-limited (currently running until December 31st, 2028), and it is aimed at shops that were already active in this niche as of January 10th, 2025.
For foreign-run businesses, the paperwork requirements can be significant, including documentation rules and, where relevant, certified translations.
READ ALSO: How teenagers in Austria are swapping beer and cigarettes for new addictions
Innsbruck will change how you access the Recyclinghof
From February 1st, Innsbrucker Kommunalbetriebe (IKB) says access to its Recyclinghof will be managed via the IKB Recycling App or an authorisation card, with alternative options listed for people who do not want to provide personal data, according to ikb.at.
IKB also sets out a new procedure for service companies delivering bulky waste on behalf of private customers from February 1st, including a permission-transfer form.
Some energy tariffs will switch on February 1st
In Upper Austria, Wels Strom (eww) says its spot tariff for private customers will move from hourly to quarter-hourly price changes from February 1st, 2026. For households on dynamic pricing, this will increase price granularity – and potentially complexity.
In Salzburg, Salzburg AG has announced its PV feed-in remuneration framework for the 2026/27 period starting February 1st, including a time-limited “Sonderbonus”.
What February weather is like in Austria
February is deep winter across Austria, but it won’t feel the same everywhere.
In lowland cities such as Vienna, Linz and Graz, daytime highs are usually around 0C to 5C, while nights often drop to roughly -5C to -1C. In Alpine regions and inner valleys, temperatures are typically harsher: daytime readings often stay below 0C and nights can fall to -10C or colder, especially in sheltered valleys. Cold spells well below average aren’t unusual, particularly in the first half of the month.
Snow is common in February, especially away from major cities and at higher elevations. In urban areas, the month often brings a mixed bag of snow, sleet and freezing rain, which can quickly turn pavements into skating rinks and occasionally disrupt transport. In the Alps, February is usually one of the most reliable months for snow cover and skiing conditions.
READ ALSO: Austria's many, many, many words for snow
Daylight increases noticeably compared with January, even if the weather still feels stuck in winter. Sunshine hours tend to rise steadily through the month, but prolonged grey, overcast spells can still happen, especially during stable high-pressure cold periods.
What's happening in February?
There are no public holidays in Austria in February, but Carnival is coming up and Fasching celebrations pop up around the country.
For schools, “Semesterferien” in February 2026 are spread across the country. Vienna and Lower Austria have them from February 2nd to 7th, 2026. Burgenland, Carinthia, Salzburg, Tyrol and Vorarlberg follow from February 9th to 14th, 2026. Upper Austria and Styria have their semester break from February 16th to 21st, 2026.
READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about Vienna's ball season this year
University calendars don’t necessarily match school holidays. For example, the University of Vienna’s calendar shows a lecture-free “Semesterferien” period running from February 1st through February 28th, 2026, which can affect housing patterns, student jobs and demand cycles in Vienna.
February is traditionally peak season for Austria’s ball calendar and carnival events, so certain days can feel unusually busy in central districts and tourist centres.
The Vienna Opera Ball is scheduled for February 12th and typically brings heightened activity around the city centre that day. Villach, in Carinthia, marks Faschingssamstag on February 14th with plenty of events on the city centre. Graz is set to host its Faschingsumzug on February 17th, which may lead to local traffic management and disruptions along the parade route.
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