Global immigration firm Fragomen has confirmed that Austria’s 2026 salary benchmarks entered into force on 1 January but are only now filtering through to permit adjudications. Key-Employee Red-White-Red Card holders must earn at least €3,465 gross per month (14 payments), up 7.4 % from €3,225. The EU Blue Card threshold rises to €55,678 gross per annum. Super-Key Employee and Wage-and-Social-Dumping exemptions climb to €8,316 per month. (fragomen.com)
Employers renewing cards or onboarding new assignees must ensure employment contracts reflect the higher amounts; collective-bargaining agreements may set even steeper floors. Fragomen notes that posted-worker notification exemptions also now require the €8,316 figure, potentially reducing compliance relief for high-earners who narrowly cleared the old €7,740 bar. (fragomen.com)
![Austria raises 2026 minimum-salary thresholds for Red-White-Red Card and EU Blue Card]()
Failure to meet the updated salaries can lead to outright refusals or retroactive fines under Austria’s strict Wage-and-Social-Dumping Act. HR teams should cross-check January payrolls, adjust secondment budgets and alert talent acquisition units that offers drafted in late 2025 may fall short.
Because salaries in Austria are paid over 14 instalments, mobility managers must divide the annual cost accordingly when benchmarking against peers in 12-pay-cycle jurisdictions. Fragomen expects authorities to audit more aggressively once electronic filing begins later this year.
Employers renewing cards or onboarding new assignees must ensure employment contracts reflect the higher amounts; collective-bargaining agreements may set even steeper floors. Fragomen notes that posted-worker notification exemptions also now require the €8,316 figure, potentially reducing compliance relief for high-earners who narrowly cleared the old €7,740 bar. (fragomen.com)
Failure to meet the updated salaries can lead to outright refusals or retroactive fines under Austria’s strict Wage-and-Social-Dumping Act. HR teams should cross-check January payrolls, adjust secondment budgets and alert talent acquisition units that offers drafted in late 2025 may fall short.
Because salaries in Austria are paid over 14 instalments, mobility managers must divide the annual cost accordingly when benchmarking against peers in 12-pay-cycle jurisdictions. Fragomen expects authorities to audit more aggressively once electronic filing begins later this year.
Source: Fragomen Immigration Alert
