ABA - Invest in Austria - Quality of Life
In the World Competitiveness Yearbook, Austria ranks as number one in a survey based on the quality of life; making it the most liveable city in the world. According to the yearbook, it is also fourth for its healthy people and environment, and is in the top ten for its education system.
Every company that locates in Austria benefits from the rich culture, high security and political stability in the country. According to the Quality of Living Survey 2010, carried out by the Mercer Consulting Group, Vienna is the most liveable city in the EU.
If entrepreneurs move to Austria with their families they can take advantage of the educational facilities provided by the country, such as their children being taught in their mother tongue at institutions like the Vienna International School, the Swedish School and the Japanese School Association.
With a low crime rate in Austria, inhabitants are able to enjoy living in a country with the highest possible level of personal security. Austria can hardly be beaten in terms of security of property or persons. There are also modern climate protection policies in place, making Austria an environmentally friendly country and global role model.
Education
There is a free and public school system in Austria and it is compulsory for everyone to complete at least nine years of education.
Nearly 90% of Austrian students complete secondary school and afterwards students are encouraged to specialise in certain subject, with many institutions providing courses to do so. There are also polytechnic schools in Austria that act as specialised high schools, which offer a university entrance diploma at graduation. Austria offers a dual education system where an individual can gain an apprenticeship or training directly after their compulsory learning. With 22 public universities, 21 international schools, including 6 with a European focus, as well as the broad cultural and recreational offering of the area, Austrians understand the importance of education.
Schools and universities work with the business community where students can gain information and help for their projects.
Culture
According to the 2010 Mercer Study, Vienna ranks the highest in the world for its focus on art and culture. Vienna, named as the ‘world capital of music’, has 2 imperial palaces, 3 opera houses, 50 theatres and more than 100 museums, as well as being home to the renowned Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Art is celebrated at festivals held in Morbisch and St Margarethen, whilst theatre and music lovers could attend the Wiesen Jazz Festival, Theatre Summer Festival and Salzburg Festival.
Lower Austria has been deemed as an excellent location for physical and spiritual rejuvenation as the area is strewn with monasteries and religious grounds, while Wachau has also been selected by UNESCO as a significant world heritage site.
Recreational Activities
Austria has nearly 5,000 tennis courts, 80 golf courses, 22,000 km of ski slopes, 50,000 km of hiking paths and 10,000 km of biking paths for individuals wanting to enjoy leisure activities and the fresh Austrian air.
Wellness is a huge segment for Austria’s health-related sector. 170 new hotels have opened in the last two years in Austria, boosting the number of wellness retreats to 989 in 2010. There are also 33 spas, attracting 8 million visitors annually, and 200 private clinics and rehabilitation centres.
Austria is well-preserved with green meadows, mountains and clear waters, particularly in Burgenland, where there is the Lake Neusiedl and the Pannonian lowland. This makes for a wonderful place to visit or live in, whatever the time of year.
If you prefer retail therapy, Austria has a well-developed shopping infrastructure, providing top brands and plenty of choice in towns and cities across the country.
Alternative Energy / Environmental Issues
Two energy sources Austrians use are biomass and water, yet the main supply for energy is hydropower. The solar energy market in Austria has been growing rapidly and the sector generated revenues of €1 billion in 2008.
In Austria, the government and authorities place a strong focus on promoting renewable energy use and both customers and entrepreneurs benefit from using renewable energy in the country.
Renewable energy services include:
- Verbund-Austrian Renewable Power GmbH (ARP)
- Austrian Energy Agency
- Umbrella Organisation Energy-Climate Protection
- Austrian Biomass Association
- Working Group on Renewable Energy
- Environmental Technology Cluster
Renewable energy companies include:
Other
When emigrating to Austria there are key steps to think about when applying for a residence title and an employment permit so that a new business can form within the country. Individuals applying for residences must state the exact reason for residential permission as there are 20 different residence permits for various purposes and laws differ depending on the duration of the individual’s stay. If a person gains a settlement permit for over 5 years then they may also be liable for full Austrian citizenship.
Two residence permits (settlement for key employees and residence for exceptional cases of non-entrepreneurial occupation) would be particularly helpful for highly qualified workers. To be considered a key employee, the applicant must prove excellent qualifications or exceptional professional experience, which required by the Austrian labour market.
Registration forms can be accessed via the internet or the responsible registration authorities.
