Seasonal work in Austria: rules, pay, accommodation

Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland can do seasonal work in Austria without a work permit. You register your address within 3 days (Meldezettel), and your employer registers you with the health insurance fund before your first working day. In hotels and restaurants, the minimum pay from 1 October 2026 is €2,096.50 gross per month for helpers, plus holiday and Christmas pay.

Key facts at a glance

Work permit: Not needed for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland
Address registration: Within 3 days of moving in (Meldezettel)
Registration certificate: If you stay more than 3 months: apply within 4 months of arrival
Winter season: November to April
Summer season: May to October
Minimum pay (from 1 Oct 2026): €2,096.50 gross/month for helpers, more with a vocational qualification (collective agreement)
Weekly hours: 40 hours over 5 days (full time under the collective agreement)
Extra payments: Holiday pay and Christmas pay, pro rata for one season
Room and meals: Depends on the employer; check the job ad and contract

Who can do seasonal work in Austria?

Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland can work in Austria on the same terms as Austrians. You do not need a work permit.

If you come from another country (a third country), your employer needs an employment permit for you from the Public Employment Service (AMS). Tourism has a fixed number of places each year, the seasonal quota. As of October 2026: the Seasonal Quota Regulation 2026 allows 5,500 places in tourism, plus 2,500 places for people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

A permit lasts at most 6 months, and at most 9 months in total within 12 months. You also need a visa, and the employer must show that you have suitable local accommodation. If you have worked under the quota in 3 of the last 5 years, you can register with the AMS as a regular seasonal worker (Stammsaisonier).

What do I need to do after I arrive?

If you live in Austria, even for one season, you must register your address with the municipality. This is done with the Meldezettel form. Your landlord, or your employer if you live in staff housing, signs it.

Hand in the Meldezettel within 3 days of moving in (online with ID Austria or EU Login)
If you stay more than 3 months: apply for a registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung) at the residence authority, no later than 4 months after arrival
Your employer registers you with the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) before your first working day
Bring your passport or ID card

How am I insured?

Once your employer registers you, you have health, accident, pension and unemployment insurance. The employer deducts the contributions from your gross pay, together with income tax.

Ask your employer for a copy of the registration so you can check that everything is correct.

When and where is the season?

Statistics Austria counts the winter season from November to April and the summer season from May to October. The exact start and end of your job are in the job ad and the contract.

Tyrol and Salzburg have the most overnight stays, in winter and in summer. In summer they are followed by Vienna and Carinthia, in winter by Vienna and Styria.

How much will I earn?

Hotels and restaurants are covered by a collective agreement (Kollektivvertrag, KV). It sets minimum pay by qualification and responsibility. Your employer may not pay less. The current pay deal applies from 1 October 2026.

Helpers with less than 10 years of experience get at least €2,096.50 gross per month. Skilled staff with a completed apprenticeship, for example cooks or restaurant specialists, get at least €2,232.00 in Tyrol, Salzburg and Vorarlberg. This is for 40 hours a week. Overtime is paid with a 50% supplement.

On top of that you get holiday pay and Christmas pay, each about one month's pay per year. If you work only one season, you get the share for your time, at the latest with your final pay.

Is accommodation and food provided?

Whether you get a staff room and meals depends on the employer. Before you start, get it in writing: is there a room, what does it cost, and are meals included?

According to the ÖGK, a simple room near your workplace of up to 35 m² is not a taxable benefit in kind, as long as it is not the centre of your life. It is then not taxed like pay.

How do I apply?

A short CV with a photo, your previous jobs and your languages is usually enough. Add the dates you are available. References and work certificates help.

German helps you with the team and with guests. For service, reception and bar work, the AMS also lists English as important. If your employer requires you to use a foreign language in service or at reception, the collective agreement gives you a €40 allowance per language.

Can I get unemployment benefit between two seasons?

Yes, if you have worked long enough with insurance. For a first claim you need 52 weeks of work in the last 24 months. If you have received unemployment benefit before, 28 weeks in the last 12 months are enough. Under 25, 26 weeks in 12 months are enough for a first claim.

You must register with the AMS and be available for work in Austria. The basic amount is 55% of your net income. If you go home between seasons, ask the AMS beforehand which rules apply to you.

What about taxes?

Your employer deducts income tax directly from your pay. You do not need to register for it yourself.

If you did not work the whole year, you often get money back. You claim it with the employee tax assessment (Arbeitnehmerveranlagung), up to 5 years back. Sometimes the tax office does it automatically.

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Frequently asked questions

Can EU, EEA and Swiss citizens start working in Austria right away?

Yes. You do not need a work permit and you work on the same terms as Austrians.

How quickly do I have to register my address?

You hand in the Meldezettel at the municipality within 3 days of moving in.

Do I need a registration certificate?

Yes, if you stay longer than 3 months. You apply at the residence authority within 4 months of arrival.

Who registers me for social insurance?

Your employer registers you with the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) before your first working day.

What is the minimum pay in hotels and restaurants?

From 1 October 2026 at least €2,096.50 gross per month for helpers (40 hours). More with a completed apprenticeship, from €2,232.00 depending on the federal state.

Do seasonal workers get holiday and Christmas pay?

Yes, pro rata for the time you worked. It is paid at the latest with your final pay.

When is the season in Austria?

The winter season runs from November to April, the summer season from May to October.

Sources

Information without guarantee, as of October 2026