Republic of Austria vs Kingdom of Norway
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:
Source basis
This comparison combines Republic of Austria and Kingdom of Norway government portals with the primary sources for each side's dominant skilled route. Every detailed figure links through to the underlying route or data page.
Reviewed
Primary sources
- migration.gv.at — Official immigration portal
Federal Ministry of the Interior (Austria) - verified
- UDI — Norwegian Directorate of Immigration
Utlendingsdirektoratet (UDI) - verified
- migration.gv.at - Permanent immigration: Red-White-Red Card
Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) - verified
- UDI — Skilled workers
UDI (Utlendingsdirektoratet) - verified
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
Kingdom of Norway
Norway's immigration is administered by the Directorate of Immigration (UDI). As an EEA member (not EU), Norway participates in free movement for EU/EEA nationals. Third-country nationals require a residence permit for skilled workers, with employer sponsorship and a salary meeting the going rate. Self-employment, family immigration, and student permits are also available. Permanent residence after 3 years of continuous legal residence on a work permit.
- Official portal
- Utlendingsdirektoratet (UDI)
- Languages
- Norwegian (Bokmål), Norwegian (Nynorsk)
- Currency
- Norwegian krone
How Republic of Austria and Kingdom of Norway differ
| Dimension | Republic of Austria | Kingdom of Norway |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 5 | 4 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 2 | 1 |
| 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. | Skilled worker permit -> permanent residence after about 3 qualifying years -> citizenship after meeting the UDI citizenship residence category. |
| Dominant skilled visa | Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte) | Skilled Worker Residence Permit (Oppholdstillatelse som faglaert) |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | No fixed published floor | 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. | UDI does not publish a fixed skilled-worker processing window on the route page; applicants are directed to UDI waiting-time guidance. |
| Skilled visa government fees | Austria publishes a EUR 218 application fee for the Red-White-Red Card, with the same fee shown for Red-White-Red Card plus/family applications. | Norway lists NOK 6,300 for an adult skilled-worker residence permit application, with NOK 3,150 for under-18 work applicants and separate first-time family immigration fees. |
| Official languages | German | Norwegian (Bokmål), Norwegian (Nynorsk) |
| Currency | Euro | Norwegian krone |
| Primary regulator | ÖRAK | Advokatforeningen |
| 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, with the same fee shown for Red-White-Red Card plus/family applications.
- 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
Kingdom of Norway
Skilled Worker Residence Permit (Oppholdstillatelse som faglaert)
- Salary minimum
- No fixed published floor
- Government fees
- Norway lists NOK 6,300 for an adult skilled-worker residence permit application, with NOK 3,150 for under-18 work applicants and separate first-time family immigration fees.
- Processing time
- UDI does not publish a fixed skilled-worker processing window on the route page; applicants are directed to UDI waiting-time guidance.
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Routes unique to Republic of Austria
Routes unique to Kingdom of Norway
Visa routes side by side
Republic of Austria (5)
Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte)
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · 24 months; then RWR Card Plus after at least 21 months of qualifying employment during the preceding 24 months.
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.
Kingdom of Norway (4)
Skilled Worker Residence Permit (Oppholdstillatelse som faglaert)
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · 1–3 years initially; renewable.
Job-Seeker Visa (Oppholdstillatelse for aa soeke arbeid som faglart)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 1 year (previously 6 months — extended to support recruitment); non-renewable.
International Company Assignment Permit
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 2 years at a time; up to 6 years total, followed by 2 years outside Norway before a new permit of this type.
Student Residence Permit (Oppholdstillatelse for studier)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · 1 year; renewable for duration of studies.
Frequently asked questions
How long does permanent residence typically take in Republic of Austria vs Kingdom of Norway?+
Republic of Austria: Red-White-Red Card for 24 months -> Red-White-Red Card plus after 21 qualifying months -> citizenship usually from 10 years residence.. Kingdom of Norway: Skilled worker permit -> permanent residence after about 3 qualifying years -> citizenship after meeting the UDI citizenship residence category.. Both timelines are route-dependent — see each country’s settlement page for the breakdown per visa.
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Republic of Austria or Kingdom of Norway?+
Republic of Austria’s Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte) requires a salary of at least No fixed published floor; Kingdom of Norway’s Skilled Worker Residence Permit (Oppholdstillatelse som faglaert) requires No fixed published floor. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Does Republic of Austria or Kingdom of Norway have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+
Republic of Austria has more: 2 of its covered routes can be pursued without an employer sponsor, against 1 for Kingdom of Norway. 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.
Is the main skilled visa cheaper in Republic of Austria or Kingdom of Norway?+
Comparing the dominant skilled route in each country: Austria publishes a EUR 218 application fee for the Red-White-Red Card, with the same fee shown for Red-White-Red Card plus/family applications. By contrast, Norway lists NOK 6,300 for an adult skilled-worker residence permit application, with NOK 3,150 for under-18 work applicants and separate first-time family immigration fees. Those are government fees only and exclude relocation, qualification recognition, and living costs — open each fee page for the itemised breakdown.
Cite or reuse this dataset
This comparison is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite the page for the compiled head-to-head table and use the country-comparisons JSON endpoint to retrieve the indexed pair, destination profiles and underlying source datasets.
Suggested citation
Visa Atlas, "Republic of Austria vs Kingdom of Norway immigration comparison", https://visaatlas.org/compare/austria/vs/norway. Last verified 27 June 2026.
- JSON endpoint
- https://visaatlas.org/api/public/country-comparisons