But Vienna also has several free services and public support offers that many newcomers don’t know about. Some are open to all residents, while others depend on your residence status, work situation, income, family circumstances or age.
Here are some of the most useful ones to know about.
StartWien orientation support
StartWien is the City of Vienna’s free support programme for new residents and should be one of the first places many newcomers check.
It offers individual “New in Vienna” orientation meetings, information events (with different topics and held in different languages) and a German conversation club. Services are available in more than 20 languages, and the orientation meetings cover topics such as housing, work, education and integration.
At the meeting, new residents can ask questions in their first language, get help finding a German course, and access the StartWien KonversationsKlub, the city’s German practice
But appointments are available only for people with a valid first residence permit, including several third-country permits, EU/EEA/Swiss categories, Article 50 Brexit residence permits and registration certificates. StartWien says refugees, people with short-term residence permits such as students or pupils, and tourists are excluded from this specific programme.
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German practice and possible course vouchers
German courses are not automatically free for everyone in Vienna, but there is free practice and some funding help.
StartWien offers the KonversationsKlub, a free German practice programme from A2 level. There are also several possible funding options, such as the ÖIF federal voucher for people who must fulfil the Integration Agreement, the AK education voucher for eligible Chamber of Labour members, and waff funding for vocational training.
The AK Wien education voucher is worth €150 for eligible AK members and can be used for further education, including language courses. There is also a Digi-Bonus of another €150 for certain digitalisation courses, and higher amounts for some parents in parental leave or people catching up on an apprenticeship qualification.
Free tenant advice before or after signing a lease
For anyone renting in Vienna, MieterHilfe is one of the most useful free services to know about.
The City of Vienna’s housing advice page describes MieterHilfe, or Tenants Assistance, as the city’s main advisory centre for tenants, offering free consultation on legal questions related to housing. This can be useful if you are unsure about rental costs, contract clauses, deposits, operating costs or what a landlord can legally charge.
MieterHilfe says it advises on tenancy-law matters and guarantees that its advice is free of charge. Advice is available by phone, contact form and at its InfoCenter in the 3rd district.
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Free kindergarten, with some extra costs
For families, childcare is one of Vienna’s most valuable public support offers.
The City of Vienna says all children can attend municipal and private kindergartens in Vienna free of charge until they start compulsory schooling. Extra costs may still apply for meals or additional services, especially in private kindergartens, children’s groups or day-parent care.
To be eligible for a free kindergarten place, at least one parent and the child must have their main residence in Vienna for the whole time the child attends kindergarten. The child must also be entered in Vienna’s kindergarten register and have a client ID.
Getting a place is a separate process. Families still need to register and go through the allocation system, and the new kindergarten year starts in September.
Free public Wi-Fi
Vienna’s StadtWien-PublicWLAN gives free internet access in many public places across the city.
This is a small but useful detail when you’ve just arrived, especially before you have a home internet contract or an Austrian mobile plan.
You connect with a Wi-Fi-enabled device, accept the terms of use, and can then use the free internet connection. The start page also shows local information, such as nearby drinking fountains, toilets, first-aid stations, weather, water temperatures and local events.
Coverage is roughly 50 metres from an access point, although walls, trees and other obstacles can affect the signal – which is stronger in the city centre.
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AMS help for jobseekers
The Austrian Public Employment Service, known as AMS, is Austria’s main labour-market service.
New arrivals who are allowed to work in Austria can use AMS services to look for jobs, register as jobseekers, access job-search tools and get guidance – these services are not just for unemployed people. People who already have a job but want to change occupations can also contact the service.
AMS offers advice, information, placement support, qualification opportunities and financial assistance, though eligibility depends on the person’s situation.
Waff career advice and training support
The Wiener Arbeitnehmer*innen Förderungsfonds, or Waff, is another Vienna-specific service worth knowing about.
For new immigrants, Waff offers information on work and careers in several languages as part of the StartWien programme. Its Perspektive service helps people who gained qualifications abroad check whether they can be recognised in Austria and find suitable courses or vocational training.
Waff also offers grants for vocational education and training. Its Training Account can cover different amounts depending on whether someone is employed or unemployed and, if employed, on income. There is also a general training account covering 50 percent of eligible training costs up to €500.
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Free employment-rights advice from AK Wien
If you are starting work in Vienna, the Chamber of Labour, or Arbeiterkammer, can be useful before signing a contract, after your first payslip arrives, or if something feels wrong at work.
AK Wien lists advice lines for employment law, parental leave, insolvency, consumer protection, tax, housing law, social insurance, residence rights and other topics. AK membership generally applies to employees, rather than self-employed people. If you work for a company in Vienna and are unsure about your rights, the AK is often a good first place to ask.
Expat Center consultations
International professionals and their families can also contact the Expat Center of the Vienna Business Agency.
It offers cost-free, confidential and independent consultations on living and working in Vienna. Topics include relocation, childcare, schools, taxes, residence permits and housing.
The service is aimed at international professionals and executives relocating to Vienna for work, expats already living in the city, and HR departments with questions about expat employees.
The Expat Center also offers workshops, events and social networking through the Expat Club.
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Key vocabulary
StartWien – the City of Vienna’s free support programme for eligible newcomers
die Orientierungsgespräche – orientation meetings
die MieterHilfe – Vienna’s free Tenants Assistance service
der Bildungsgutschein – education voucher
die Arbeiterkammer – Chamber of Labour, Austria’s employee representation body
der Hauptwohnsitz – main residence
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