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  3. Republic of Austria vs Republic of Zimbabwe

🇦🇹 Republic of Austria vs 🇿🇼 Republic of Zimbabwe

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: 27 June 2026

🇦🇹

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 Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe publishes visa and residence guidance through the Department of Immigration, the eVisa platform and the ePermits system. The official route set covers holiday, business, conferencing and KAZA visitor visas, plus temporary employment, investor residence, spouse residence, student and scholars permits with detailed document, fee and authentication requirements.

Official portal
Department of Immigration, Republic of Zimbabwe
Languages
Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, Sign Language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa
Currency
Zimbabwe Gold

How Republic of Austria and Republic of Zimbabwe differ

Dimension🇦🇹 Republic of Austria🇿🇼 Republic of Zimbabwe
Total routes covered59
Routes without employer sponsor24
Routes leading to permanent residence42
Typical full settlement timelineRed-White-Red Card for 24 months -> Red-White-Red Card plus after 21 qualifying months -> citizenship usually from 10 years residence.—
Dominant skilled visaRed-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte)Temporary Employment Permit
Skilled visa salary minimumNo fixed published floor—
Skilled visa processing timeAustria 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 feesAustria publishes a EUR 218 application fee for the Red-White-Red Card shortage-occupation route.—
Official languagesGermanChewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, Sign Language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa
CurrencyEuroZimbabwe Gold
Primary regulatorÖRAKLSZ
Policy changes (last 12 months)00

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 Zimbabwe

Temporary Employment Permit

Salary minimum
—
Government fees
—
Processing time
—
Sponsor required
Yes
Leads to settlement
No

Routes unique to Republic of Austria

  • Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte)

    skilled-migration

  • Red-White-Red Card — Startup Founder

    entrepreneur

Routes unique to Republic of Zimbabwe

  • Holiday Visa

    short-term-business

  • Business Visa

    short-term-business

  • Conferencing Visa

    short-term-business

  • KAZA Visa

    short-term-business

  • Investor Residence Permit

    investor

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 Zimbabwe (9)

  • Holiday Visa

    No sponsor · Non-settlement · One-entry or two-entry holiday visas are described as valid for 30 up to 90 days.

  • Business Visa

    Sponsor · Non-settlement · Confirm the granted validity on the visa decision. Business visitor use must remain outside the Zimbabwean workforce.

  • Conferencing Visa

    Sponsor · Non-settlement · Confirm the granted validity on the visa decision and keep the stay within the event purpose.

  • KAZA Visa

    No sponsor · Non-settlement · One month, according to the Department visa overview.

  • Temporary Employment Permit

    Sponsor · Non-settlement · Confirm the permit validity on approval. Extensions use a separate extension evidence list and statutory fee.

  • Investor Residence Permit

    No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Confirm the permit validity on approval and use the official extension process where applicable.

  • Spouse Residence Permit

    Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Initial, extension and permanent spouse residence cases are handled under separate evidence lines on the official page.

  • Student Permit

    No sponsor · Non-settlement · Confirm the permit validity on approval. Extensions require evidence of continued study and prior results or progress.

  • Scholars Permit

    Sponsor · Non-settlement · Confirm the permit validity on approval. Extensions require current permit and school continuity evidence.

Frequently asked questions

Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Republic of Austria or Republic of Zimbabwe?+−

Republic of Austria’s Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte) requires a salary of at least No fixed published floor; Republic of Zimbabwe’s Temporary Employment Permit 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 Zimbabwe have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+−

Republic of Zimbabwe has more: 4 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.

This is not legal advice

We publish neutral, sourced information about immigration routes. Rules and thresholds change often — always verify details on the official government source linked on this page and consult a regulated immigration advisor before applying.