We advise you if you want to set up a business in Austria, help you if you have questions about the company formation, VAT and EORI number and support you if you need information about companies registered in Austria.
Austria is known for its international orientation and offers the best prerequisites for business settlement and expansion. Austrian law offers the right type of business for every company size and every branch.
Here is a brief summary with initial general information:
It should be noted that in Austria you need appropriate business licenses for business activities. Many can be applied for without special conditions. However, some of these licenses are tied to a special certificate of proficiency. This can be appropriate vocational training, a corresponding degree or even a long-term proof of practical experience.
Sole proprietorship
The simplest form of starting a company is as a sole proprietorship.
If you already have a residence permit, the establishment can be completed within a few days. The requirements for the establishment are low. We offer all-inclusive offers where we apply for the NeuFög funding, carry out the business license registration and make the corresponding reports to the tax office and social security insurance. If all the necessary documents are available, we can set up and register your company for you within a week.
It is more difficult if you do not yet have a residence permit, then you need a very good business plan and also have to prove that you are able to finance your living in Austria. In comparison to other forms of company, it should be noted that you are liable for your company with all of your private assets.
Branch
If you already have a company in your home country, there is the possibility of a branch. The advantage is that you do not need any share capital for this establishment and still have a complete business identity in Austria. This means you will receive an Austrian tax number and the branch can do business in Austria to the fullest extent. The advantages of the branch are: the cost of around 5,000 to 6,000 euros is low, it can be dissolved again without great effort, you do not need any share capital, you do not have to come to Austria for the establishment, you can too apply for an Austrian bank account, you only need a permanent representative and no managing director under trade law, the monthly fixed costs for operating a branch are minimal.
The only negative point to having a branch is that it is not independent from the parent company in your home country. Many of our clients start with a branch and when business is going well they upgrade the branch to an independent GmbH.
GmbH
If you do not have a company yet, want to found an independent company or a subsidiary, the form of a GmbH is recommended. It represents the Austrian variant of a Ltd.
For the establishment of a GmbH you need a managing director under trade law. The person must be registered in Austria and must also live here. The GmbH can consist of several shareholders. The shareholders do not have to live in Austria. However, a bank account in Austria is absolutely necessary. The share capital must be paid into this account. The legal minimum capital is 10,000 euros. At least 50% of this must be paid in cash when the company is founded, the rest can be brought in in kind.
The main advantage of a GmbH is: The limited liability, the shareholders are only liable with the paid-in capital, the GmbH can be designed independently of the parent company. The disadvantage are the higher start-up costs (you have to calculate with around 10,000 to 15,000 euros) and the higher monthly fixed costs. If no shareholder can take on the role of managing director, then the managing director must be employed and incurs monthly costs of at least 3,500 euros.
Owners, shareholders, and managing directors of branches and limited liability companies can apply for a residence permit. If their application is approved, they will receive a residence permit that allows them to enter and reside in Austria without any problems.
Parent companies of branches or subsidiaries can send employees to Austria. These employees can also receive a residence permit for the duration of their employment in Austria. The duration of the approval depends on the bilateral agreements between Austria and your country. As a rule, the approved duration is limited in time but an extension may be possible.
If you have any questions, write to us, also via WhatsApp +436766607343
We look forward to accompanying you on your way to Austria.
Ruttensteiner GmbH holds, among others, a business license for business and economic consulting, including corporate organization, in accordance with § 94 Z 74 of the Austrian Trade Regulation Act (GewO) 1994. In addition, our managing director, Dipl. Coach Dietmar Erwin Ruttensteiner BSc MBA CMC, has extensive training and many years of experience.
Due to our one stop shop and single point of contact concept, where we take care of everything, we must point out the following for legal reasons. We are a business consulting agency. Behind the scenes, we work with selected law firms, tax consultants, and notaries. For legal reasons, we must point out that we ourselves are not lawyers, tax consultants, or notaries. Activities reserved for these professional groups are carried out behind the scenes by our partners from the corresponding professional groups. We must also mention that we are not a government agency or a public institution, but a commercially managed business consulting agency. We have no influence on laws, authorities, or public institutions in general. However, over the years we have built up an excellent network and good relationships with the authorities.