The Chinese are leading holders of residence and work permits in Austria.
After 15 years of introducing the residence and work permit in Austria to attract talents from outside the European Union, the number of holders reached 12,643, with Chinese citizens becoming the largest group, following a gradual increase from 2,443 holders five years ago.
Historical data indicates that the number of residence and work permit holders has seen a continuous increase. Over the course of ten years, the number did not exceed 1,640 people, then rose to 4,514 in 2020 before reaching the current level. Despite this growth, the card still represents a small percentage of the total residence permits granted to citizens of non-EU or non-EEA countries.
The extended version of the residence and work permit, designated for the family members of the main cardholder and granting unlimited work rights, is more common. Currently, it is held by more than 142,000 people, with Turkish, Serbian, and Bosnian nationalities making up the majority of holders.
When looking at long-term residence permits in Austria, the EU permanent residence card remains the most widespread, with over 350,000 holders. This type of permit is granted to individuals who have legally and continuously lived in Austria for at least five years and have met the integration requirements approved by the authorities.
General statistics show that the number of holders of various residence permits and ship disembarkation in Austria is about 507,600 people, with women making up slightly more than half of the number. The number of holders of these cards who are under 14 years old or over 65 years old is about 150,000 people. The largest groups include Turkish, Serbian, and Bosnian nationalities, followed by Russian, Kosovo, North Macedonian, Chinese, Ukrainian, Indian, and Iranian nationalities.