First 30 Days in Austria: Foreign Nurse Checklist
Written by
Azra Mehanic
Founder, Move to Austria
Reviewed by
Azra Mehanic
Editorial and source review · August 13, 2026
Sequence address registration, residence documents, employer onboarding, health insurance, professional registration and first payslip checks.
Days 1–3: register the address
Anyone moving into accommodation in Austria must generally register the residence within three days. Obtain the accommodation provider’s signature on the Meldezettel and use the competent municipal office, magistrate or available online route. Address registration does not create immigration status, but it is needed for many later administrative steps.
Week 1: confirm residence and employer onboarding
Collect the residence card or follow the exact authority instructions and do not work before the necessary permission is valid. Give the employer the required identity, address, bank and social-insurance information, confirm the legal PA, PFA or DGKP title, collective agreement, pay classification, credited service and first salary date in writing.
Before the first shift: complete professional registration
Recognition or nostrification alone does not permit nursing practice. Obtain Health Professions Register confirmation for the lawful role and provide German, medical-fitness and trustworthiness evidence as required. Keep copies of the registration confirmation and contract, and refuse duties above the authorised level even if staffing is short.
Weeks 2–3: stabilise insurance, transport and communication
Almost all paid employees enter compulsory health insurance, but verify the employer registration and how dependants or any gap are covered. Arrange a secure salary account, local phone access and a reliable route to early, late and weekend shifts. Keep originals protected and share only necessary copies through verified channels.
By day 30: audit the roster and first payslip
Compare recorded hours, breaks, nights, Sundays, allowances, gross base, classification and deductions with the contract and collective agreement. Ask immediately about discrepancies and keep written evidence because claim deadlines can apply. Our document review can organise the arrival checklist and offer questions; authorities and labour advisers decide legal disputes.
Helpful resources
Official sources
Requirements and fees can change. Verify your individual case with the responsible authority before applying.
