Austria's Seasonal Worker Quota Explained (2026/27): 8,000 Places and the New Western Balkans Quota

Short answer: The Saisonkontingent 2026 lets Austrian tourism employers hire 5,500 non-EU seasonal workers, plus 2,500 extra places only for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia: 8,000 in total. It runs from 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2026. The employer applies to the AMS. Each permit lasts up to six months.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules change — check with AMS / the embassy before you act.

What is the Saisonkontingent?

The Saisonkontingent is a yearly limit on how many seasonal workers from outside the EU Austria allows in tourism (and, separately, in agriculture). It is set by a regulation from the labour ministry. The current one is the Saisonkontingentverordnung 2026, published on 17 October 2025.

Each place in the quota is one work permit (Beschäftigungsbewilligung) for one worker at one employer. While a permit is valid, it "blocks" one place. When it ends, the place is free again for a new permit.

The tourism quota covers hotels and restaurants, but also cable cars and ski lifts, ski and sports schools, and leisure businesses, according to the WKO explanation of the regulation.

Who needs a quota place?

You need a quota place if you are a "third-country national" — a citizen of a country outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland — and you want a seasonal job in Austrian tourism. This includes workers from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Nepal, India, the Philippines and other countries.

You do not need a quota place if:

• you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland (for example Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, Spain, Italy). You can work freely. See our guide to work permits for EU and non-EU workers;
• you are registered with the AMS as a Stammsaisonier (a regular returning seasonal worker). Your permit is issued outside the quota. More on this below;
• you already have a residence permit that gives you free access to the labour market.

How many places are there in 2026, and in which state?

There are 5,500 regular tourism places and 2,500 extra Western Balkans places — 8,000 in total. Tirol and Salzburg together hold more than half of both quotas. These are the official numbers from § 1 of the regulation:

Source: BGBl. II Nr. 218/2025, § 1.

At the busiest times of the season, the regular tourism quota may be exceeded by up to 50%, as long as the yearly average stays within the limit. The Western Balkans quota may not be exceeded. The ministry therefore says that up to 10,750 places can be used at peak times (5,500 × 1.5 + 2,500).

What is the new Western Balkans quota?

The Western Balkans quota is an extra 2,500 places, on top of the 5,500, only for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. It started with the 2026 regulation. Applications were possible from 1 November 2025.

Three rules matter:

1. It is split by state. Tirol has 850 places, Salzburg 778, Vorarlberg 366 (table above).
2. It cannot be exceeded at peaks. Unlike the regular quota, there is no 50% extra.
3. When it is full, the regular quota is still open. Under § 3 (3) of the regulation, workers from these five countries can also get a permit from the regular 5,500 places once the Western Balkans places in a state are used up.

Demand is real. The Upper Austrian chamber of commerce reported that all 109 Western Balkans places in Upper Austria were used by May 2026. The ministry plans to evaluate the Western Balkans quota in March 2027.

Note: Albania is not on the list. Albanian workers use the regular quota.

How does the process work, step by step?

The employer applies for the permit; the worker then applies for the visa. You cannot apply for a quota place yourself. This is how it works according to migration.gv.at and the Foreign Employment Act (AuslBG):

The six-week decision deadline is set in § 20a AuslBG. The fee is listed on the AMS fees page.

Visa rules are the same for everyone: even citizens of countries that can visit the Schengen area without a visa (for example Serbia or Bosnia) need a C or D visa to work a season, says migration.gv.at. A visa C usually costs €90, a visa D €195.

If you come from Nepal, read our step-by-step guide: Seasonal work visa for Austria from Nepal.

Does the employer have to give me housing?

Yes. For a seasonal quota permit, the employer must confirm that you will have "locally customary" accommodation for the whole job. If the employer provides the room, the rent may not be automatically taken from your wage (§ 4 (1) Z 11 AuslBG).

"Customary" does not tell you what the room looks like. In SeasonHop's survey of 226 seasonal workers (spring 2026, see research), not knowing the room in advance was the number one worry — ahead of pay. Ask for photos of the actual staff room before you sign. Our guide to seasonal worker accommodation lists what to ask.

How long can I work with a quota permit?

One permit lasts up to six months. In any 12 months, one worker can get permits for a total of up to nine months. Both limits are in § 5 (3) AuslBG and § 3 of the 2026 regulation.

In practice this means: one winter season (for example December to April) and part of a summer season fit inside the limit. Two full six-month seasons in the same 12 months do not.

A seasonal permit does not lead to permanent residence or family reunification. The only built-in "next step" is the Stammsaisonier status (below).

Is the quota extended for winter 2026/27?

This is not yet publicly confirmed (status: 6 October 2026). The regulation officially ends on 30 November 2026. But § 5 (2) contains an automatic extension: if the quotas were used on average by more than 75.0% nationwide between December 2025 and July 2026, the end date moves to 30 November 2027 — with the same numbers.

The WKO adds a second condition: the extension applies if no new regulation was issued by 30 September 2026. We searched the federal law gazette (RIS), the AMS, the ministry and WKO news on 6 October 2026. We found:

• no new "Saisonkontingentverordnung 2027" in the law gazette, and no draft in public consultation;
• no official publication of the December–July utilisation rate;
• one partial signal: Upper Austria's Western Balkans places were fully used by May 2026.

So it is likely, but not confirmed, that the 2026 numbers continue for winter 2026/27. If you are an employer, ask your regional AMS office before you plan with a quota place. We will update this article when there is an official statement.

Is there a way around the quota?

Yes: the Stammsaisonier route. If you worked in Austrian tourism under the quota for at least three months in three of the last five calendar years, you can register with the AMS as a Stammsaisonier. Your future permits are then issued outside the quota and without a labour market test. Read the full guide: Stammsaisonier: how your third season frees you from the quota.

Even before you qualify, returning helps: § 4 of the 2026 regulation says people who were legally employed under a quota at least once in the previous five years must be preferred when permits are given out.

What are the most common mistakes?

Most problems come from wrong order or wrong timing. These are the ones we see most:

• Starting work on a tourist entry. Visa-free entry to the Schengen area does not allow work. Since 10 April 2026, the EU's Entry/Exit System records every entry and exit of non-EU travellers digitally.
• Booking flights before the visa. Work may start only after the visa is issued.
• Applying too late. The AMS has up to six weeks, and the embassy needs time too. In Tirol and Salzburg, where demand is highest, places can run out.
• Paying someone for a "quota place". The permit is applied for by the employer, and the AMS fee is charged to the employer. Anyone who asks you for money to "reserve" a quota place is a red flag. See our guide to fake hotel job offers.
• Not checking the contract against the collective agreement. The AMS checks pay too, but you should know your wage group. Wage tables differ by state — ask which table and wage group (Lohngruppe) your contract uses.

FAQ

What is the Saisonkontingent 2026?

It is Austria's yearly limit on work permits for non-EU seasonal workers. For tourism it is 5,500 places plus 2,500 extra places for five Western Balkans countries, valid from 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2026 (BGBl. II 218/2025).

Can I apply for a quota place myself?

No. Only the employer can apply, at the regional AMS office for the workplace. You need a job offer first. After the permit is granted, you apply for the visa yourself, in person.

Which countries are in the Western Balkans quota?

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Albania is not included. Croatia and Slovenia are EU members, so their citizens need no permit at all.

Is there a Saisonkontingent for winter 2026/27?

Probably, but it is not yet officially confirmed. The 2026 regulation extends automatically to 30 November 2027 if utilisation was above 75% from December 2025 to July 2026. No official utilisation figure was published by 6 October 2026.

How long does the AMS take?

By law, the AMS must decide within six weeks (§ 20a AuslBG). After that, you still need the visa. Plan at least two to three months from job offer to start date.

Is "hotel jobs in Austria with visa sponsorship" the same thing?

Austria does not use the word "sponsorship", but the idea is similar: the employer applies for your work permit at the AMS. Without an employer's application, there is no seasonal permit.

If you want an employer who explains the permit process and shows the real staff room before you sign, you can find seasonal hotel jobs on SeasonHop. See open seasonal jobs with housing