Republic of Austria vs Republic of Belarus
A neutral side-by-side of immigration systems, routes and regulators. Each row links to the underlying visa page with its primary government source.
Last reviewed:
Republic of Austria
Austria issues residence permits through the MA 35 (Vienna) and Bezirkshauptmannschaften (other regions). The headline route is the Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte), a points-based work permit for skilled workers, key workers, graduates of Austrian universities, self-employed, and startup founders. The EU Blue Card (Austria) is also available. Settlement after 5 years of continuous legal residence.
- Official portal
- Federal Ministry of the Interior (Austria)
- Languages
- German
- Currency
- Euro
Republic of Belarus
Belarus publishes its entry-visa, e-visa, visa-free travel, transit, arrival-visa and foreigner-registration guidance through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The source-backed packet covers e-visa, visa-free entry, transit, tourist, business, private-purpose, study, employment and permanent-residence entry-visa routes, with clear caveats for Russia-Belarus technical restrictions and post-arrival registration or residence steps. Confirm current MFA, Border Committee and Citizenship and Migration Department instructions before paying or travelling because the visa framework changed materially in 2024 and 2025.
- Official portal
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus
- Languages
- Belarusian, Russian
- Currency
- Belarusian ruble
How Republic of Austria and Republic of Belarus differ
| Dimension | Republic of Austria | Republic of Belarus |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 5 | 9 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 2 | 3 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 4 | 1 |
| Typical full settlement timeline | Red-White-Red Card for 24 months -> Red-White-Red Card plus after 21 qualifying months -> citizenship usually from 10 years residence. | — |
| Dominant skilled visa | Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte) | Employment Entry Visa |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | No fixed published floor | — |
| Skilled visa processing time | Austria publishes the AMS/residence-authority workflow for the Red-White-Red Card but does not publish a single central processing-time target for shortage-occupation skilled workers. | — |
| Skilled visa government fees | Austria publishes a EUR 218 application fee for the Red-White-Red Card shortage-occupation route. | — |
| Official languages | German | Belarusian, Russian |
| Currency | Euro | Belarusian ruble |
| Primary regulator | ÖRAK | MFA |
| Policy changes (last 12 months) | 0 | 0 |
Skilled-route head-to-head
Comparing each country’s most-used skilled-migration route side by side.
Republic of Austria
Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte)
- Salary minimum
- No fixed published floor
- Government fees
- Austria publishes a EUR 218 application fee for the Red-White-Red Card shortage-occupation route.
- Processing time
- Austria publishes the AMS/residence-authority workflow for the Red-White-Red Card but does not publish a single central processing-time target for shortage-occupation skilled workers.
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Republic of Belarus
Employment Entry Visa
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- No
Routes unique to Republic of Austria
Visa routes side by side
Republic of Austria (5)
Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte)
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · 2 years; then RWR Card Plus (employer-independent, also 2 years, renewable).
EU Blue Card (Austria)
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · 2 years; renewable.
Student Residence Permit (Aufenthaltsbewilligung Studierender)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · 1 year; renewable for the duration of studies.
Family Reunification (Familiennachzug)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · 1 year initially; renewable. Spouses get RWR Card Plus (3 years).
Red-White-Red Card — Startup Founder
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · 2 years; then RWR Card Plus progression.
Republic of Belarus (9)
E-visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Single entry, not exceeding 30 days.
Visa-Free Entry
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Varies by regime: airport entry is up to 30 days, Brest-Grodno tourist-zone entry is up to 15 days, listed European road/rail entry is generally up to 30 days or 90 days for Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Latvian non-citizens, and nationality agreements vary.
Transit Through Belarus
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Transit through Belarus is generally no longer than 2 days including the day of entry, excluding unintended delays; airport transfer without a visa is limited to no more than 24 hours in the designated airport zone.
Short-Term Tourist Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Tourist-purpose visas can be single or double entry and are issued for not longer than 30 days.
Business Entry Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · C short-term visas are valid up to 90 days. D long-term multiple-entry visas may be issued for more than 90 days but not more than 5 years, with stay limits controlled by the visa rules and treaties.
Private-Purpose Entry Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Short-term private visas are within the C visa framework of up to 90 days. Long-term private visas may be available where the MFA long-term visa conditions are met.
Study Entry Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Entry-visa validity depends on the visa issued; longer study normally requires local residence-permit steps after arrival.
Employment Entry Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Employment entry-visa validity depends on whether the visa is issued as a short-term C visa or long-term D visa; local residence or exit-entry steps may be needed after arrival.
Permanent Residence Entry Visa
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Entry-visa validity is set by the visa issued; the permanent-residence basis depends on the separate Citizenship and Migration Department decision.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Republic of Austria or Republic of Belarus?+
Republic of Austria’s Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte) requires a salary of at least No fixed published floor; Republic of Belarus’s Employment Entry Visa is the dominant skilled route. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Does Republic of Austria or Republic of Belarus have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+
Republic of Belarus has more: 3 of its covered routes can be pursued without an employer sponsor, against 2 for Republic of Austria. No-sponsor routes — such as digital-nomad, self-employment, and points-based skilled migration — matter most if you do not yet have a job offer.