Austrian Adventure Your Seasonal Work Visa Guide

The tourism industry is one of the economic pillars of Austria, which is supported by the year-round season: summer festivals in Salzburg and Vienna, ski holidays in Tyrol and Vorarlberg, which are known all over the world. The sustained influx of visitors ensures that the Austrian Gastronomy and Hotel Operator companies are always in need of a domestic worker, and this has provided a huge potential to the non EU international candidates in individual positions such as Kitchen Helper Jobs Austria, Dishwasher (Abwascher), and Food Prep Assistant.

Your Fastest Track to a Job Seasonal Permit

Seasonal Worker Permit (Saisoniers) is also aimed at the non-EU/EEA citizens that address temporary workforce needs in tourism and agriculture. This is a quota based permit which is linked to a particular employer within a given duration.

Essentials to Positions of Kitchen Helper

• Job Requirement: You should obtain a signed Employment Contract with one of the Austrian Hotel Operator or Restaurant Groups. The contract should be of a position of high Seasonal Demand (e.g. winter season at Ski Resorts or summer in Major Cities).
• Employer Sponsorship: Your employer should request the AMS to approve you with regards to quota. The AMS conducts a labor market test to see that there is no qualified worker of Austria or EU.
• Accommodation & Wages: The employer is to ensure that locally customary Accommodation is offered (and often even free/subsidized) and that the wages are compliant with the relevant Collective Agreement (Kollektivvertrag).

Pay, Perks and the 14-Salary System

Austria lacks one statutory Minimum Wage Austria. Instead, Hotel Staff and Gastronomy wages are legally stipulated by a Collective Agreement (Kollektivvertrag), and these are usually highly beneficial to the employee.

Guaranteed Pay & Benefits

• Hourly rate Austria: There are no fixed rates depending on the region and experience, but the lowest rate of Kitchen Assistant is ensured by the corresponding Collective agreement and is often higher than non-CA jobs.
• 13th and 14th Month Salary: Austrian law provides Sonderzahlungen (special payments) or so-called 13th (Holiday Pay) and 14th (Christmas Bonus) month salary. This will greatly increase your annual income and is obligatory even when it comes to Fixed-term contracts.
• Accommodation: In expensive or isolated areas such as Tyrol, employers often offer subsidized or free staff Accommodation and meals.
• E-A-T Compliance:  You should ensure that the amount of salary set in your Employment Contract is in clear terms as the amount is given as a gross (before tax/social security) sum and that the salary includes a must-have 13th and 14th Month Salary payment.

Application Process (The AMS First) This is done in steps

Obtaining an Austrian Work Authorization is a process that is initiated by the employer, although the applicant has to pursue the visa application outside of Austria.

Certification of the Work Permit (Employer Side)

• Job Requirement: get Signed Employment Contract of the Restaurant Group (This is the Job Requirement).
• AMS Application: The employer is also making the application of the Seasonal Worker Permit to the local AMS branch.
• AMS Approval: In case of the quota slot and passing of the labor market test, the AMS provides the confirmation of the work permit.

Visa Granting (Applicant Side)

• Documentation:  Gather all required Documents, such as the AMS confirmation, Valid Passport, Proof of Accommodation, Health Insurance (or commitment to get it), and in most cases, a Police Clearance Certificate.
• Visa Application: You have to send your Visa Application to the Austrian embassy or consulate to your home country to order a D-visa (more than 90 days) or C-visa (shorter seasons).
• Processing & Entry: Pay visa fees (usually €150 -200). Processing can take 26 weeks. Upon the issue of a visa, you can enter Austria.
• Tip: Start your search early! You should also apply during the Apply Between window (see table above) by the time the particular season begins so that your application is processed before quotas are filled.

Indispensable Skills and Language

No formal qualification such as the Red-White-Red Card is a pre-requisite to the Kitchen Helper Jobs Austria, but some practical skills and language capability cannot be compromised on a success.

• Skills required: Physical Fitness (fast-paced kitchen-like setting), Reliability, and Hygiene Certification (it is usually done by the employer).
• Language Requirement: Basic German (Grundkenntnisse) is a requirement. Also, you require the converse German to communicate with colleagues, follow simple instructions in the kitchen, and process goods/deliveries, when the head chef is not fully fluent in English.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

A Kitchen Helper or Kitchen Assistant will find Austria an exciting and satisfying place to work with good pay that is supported by a Collective Agreement and an opportunity to reside in a beautiful nation. The key to success lies in earning your Job Offer Requirement early and leaving the application of the important AMS permit to the employer.

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Disclaimer

This job information is gathered as a learning and informational purpose only. The permit regulations (e.g. quota dependency, types of visas, involvement in AMS) and wage frameworks (e.g. standards of Collective Agreement, 13 th and 14 th Month Salary) are founded on the most current government and labor regulator rules available as of late 2025.