Career at the University of Vienna

Employment

At a Glance

Austria offers some of the most competitive and secure working conditions in the EU. As a University of Vienna employee, you benefit from strong legal protections, a structured salary system and a robust framework for health, safety, and career development. This page introduces the key principles relevant to your role at the University of Vienna.

Work-Life Balance

Working hours at the University of Vienna are regulated by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and company-level agreements. The standard working week in Austria is 40 hours (eight hours per day, Monday to Friday). Employees in a full-time position are entitled to 25 working days of paid annual leave per year, plus public holidays. For university employees, 24 and 31 December are additional days off with full pay.

Working time (general and academic staff) — WIKI (Intranet)

  • General University Staff (Allgemeines Universitätspersonal): You are required to document your working hours via the electronic SAP HRFI time-recording system. Flexitime (Gleitzeit) and telework (up to 10 days per month) are possible by agreement with your supervisor and depending on your contract and role.  HR & Finance Services — hrfi.univie.ac.at
  • University Staff in Science (Wissenschaftliches Universitätspersonal): There is generally no obligation to document daily working hours, reflecting the nature of flexible research work.

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Wages and Taxes

The Collective Bargaining Agreement (Kollektivvertrag) for University Staff regulates key labour law conditions such as working hours and salary and is updated on a regular basis. The salary is based on your role as University Staff in Science or as General University Staff and on your salary group.

Your annual gross salary is paid in 12 monthly instalments, with the corresponding net amount paid to you after deductions, plus depending on your kind of contract two special payments: the 13th and 14th salaries, known as 'holiday money' (Urlaubsgeld) and 'Christmas bonus' (Weihnachtsgeld). These special payments are taxed at a significantly lower rate and are paid by the university in four instalments.

For further information, see Collective Bargaining Agreement and Salary Scheme.

Salaries are typically transferred to your bank account in the middle of the month. You need an Austrian bank account or a bank account within the SEPA area to receive your salary. 

For information on opening an Austrian bank account, please refer to How to open a bank account in Austria.

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Georg Schroll

Understanding Your Payslip: Gross vs. Net

Your gross salary is the amount before deductions. Your net salary is what arrives in your bank account. Your employer automatically deducts and transfers the following:

  • Social security contributions: Covers health (BVAEB), accident, pension, and unemployment insurance.
  • Wage tax (Lohnsteuer): Income tax, calculated on a progressive scale.
  • Chamber of Labour levy (AK-Umlage): 0.5% of gross income, which funds your legal representation for labour rights.

For further information, see Income and taxation in Austria.

Important for Researchers: 30% Tax Deduction

Tax benefits for highly qualified researchers moving to Austria

If you qualify for the Immigration Benefit for Scientists and Researchers (Zuzugsbegünstigung), you must apply within six months of starting your position. Missing this window means losing the benefit for the entire duration of your stay. For further information, see Taxation and Salaries (EURAXESS Austria) and  Immigration Benefit (Website in German).

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