Moving to Austria: Corona

Have you been dreaming of a emigration to Austria? Were you planning to actually take the plunge and did corona throw a spanner in the works? Then you are not the only one. Many people have put their plans for a move abroad on hold in the last few years. Some people now never want to leave the Netherlands again and others can't wait to leave home and hearth to finally make their dreams come true.

Are you also going to emigrate to Austria soon? Then it is more than logical that you would like to know what the current situation is in the country with regard to corona. 'Normal' travel to Austria is no longer possible these days due to the special entry requirements. In this article we have tried to provide you with up-to-date information as concisely as possible.

Why do people actually want to move to Austria?

Many people who go to Austria know the country from holidays. Traditionally, many Dutch skiers go to Austria on holiday. This is not only because of the good price-quality ratio when you compare it with other countries where you can ski, but also the country, the people and the culture is what attracts many Dutch people. Also, a lot in the country is well arranged. A good example of this is the Austrian health care.

Austria and COVID19

As previously explained, in this article we will not only discuss how Austria is dealing with the corona pandemic, but we will also discuss the current rules and additional measures taken.

Latest update of the corona figures in Austria

The average number of people who tested positive this week was 38,135. Just like in the rest of Europe and actually the whole world, you can see that there are also a lot of infections in Austria. Records are broken daily in terms of the number of infections. Fortunately, we are now talking about the Omikron variant and it is a lot less deadly than the previous variants.

Vaccination figures in Austria

Austria has almost 9 million inhabitants. Of these, 77.8% have had their first vaccination and 75.7% are fully vaccinated. Furthermore, 50.2% have already had their booster shot. Austria, together with neighboring Switzerland, has very low vaccination rates when compared to the rest of Europe. According to many, the explanation for this is the culture and mentality of the Austrians. They are a very independent people with local forms of government. This is probably why people do not really feel the need to listen to the central government.

Current information

Austria, like many other countries, has had hard lockdowns. Fortunately, many countries have now put this behind them, including Austria. Previously, the 2G+ rule applied everywhere in Austria and unvaccinated people were therefore allowed to do almost nothing.

At the moment, restaurants and events are allowed to stay open until midnight. Depending on the number of participants, the 2G rule may also be applied and the FFP2 mask remains mandatory in all public spaces. Also on public transport. Furthermore, the 2G rule has been abolished in shops and the 3G rule is being applied again in the catering industry. However, Vienna would like to retain the 2G rule in the catering industry and is currently working on achieving this. All these measures apply to everyone aged 12 and over.

A valid ticket, i.e. a valid QR code, is valid for everyone over 12 years old. Only in Vienna is it already from 6 years old. Children who are not fully vaccinated or do not have a recovery certificate can also use the 'Holiday Ninja Pass'. This also counts as 2G.

So what exactly is the Holiday Ninja Pass?

Children between the ages of 12 and 15 who are not fully vaccinated or do not have proof of recovery can therefore use the Holiday-Ninja-Pass. Tests must be taken and if the result is negative, this document can be used for access to all facilities.

What exactly is the 2G rule?

The 2G rule is still quite confusing for the Austrians themselves, so we can imagine that it is even more confusing for the Dutch. To summarize it simply: it is about being vaccinated or cured. Are you not vaccinated? Then you cannot use the facilities.

Have you been vaccinated?

• Then you must be fully vaccinated with an EU-approved vaccine.
• If you have had 3 vaccinations (or 1x Jansen in combination with a booster), you do not need a PCR test.
• If you have had 2 vaccinations (or 1 with Janssen) you need a PCR test.
• Have you recovered? Then you need a PCR test.
• Have you recovered and been vaccinated once? Then you also need a PCR test.
• Have you recovered and been vaccinated twice? Then you do not need a PCR test.
• Have you recovered, been vaccinated and then recovered again? Then you do not need a PCR test.
• Have you been vaccinated once and recovered? Then you need a PCR test.
• Have you been vaccinated once, recovered and vaccinated again? Then you do not need a PCR test.
• Have you been vaccinated twice (or once with Janssen) and have you recovered afterwards? Then you do not need a PCR test.

Currently, a Johnson&Johnson (Janssen) vaccination is still valid when entering Austria, but you can no longer use it for the 2G rule to visit the catering industry. Do you want to visit the catering industry? Then you must also have had the booster shot.

Where does the 2G rule apply?

As you have read, there are a number of places where the 2G rule is applied. These are the following cases: all accommodations, catering, leisure and sports facilities, cultural institutions, shops and contact professions.

Furthermore, no corona test will be accepted as an entrance ticket any longer. An FFP2 mask is also mandatory outside when a distance of at least 2 meters cannot be maintained.

Exceptions to the 2G rule

The group of people for whom the 2G rule does not apply is for people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons and pregnant women. This group is still allowed to use a PCR test.

Please note! From February 2022, vaccinations will have a shorter validity period

The validity of a double vaccination for people over 18 is now 180 days. For young people under 18, the validity for a double vaccination is 270 days. Children of school age can use the Holiday Ninja Holiday Pass 210 days after their double vaccination.

It is also good to know that in the East the second or third injection is already valid from the day of vaccination.

Travel to Austria

To enter the country, you also need a 2G certificate. Don't have one? Then you will not be allowed to enter the country. In addition to your 2G certificate, you must also show a negative PCR test result. This may not be older than 72 hours. People who have had a booster shot or have been fully vaccinated twice and have proof of recovery do not need to show proof of a negative test when entering Austria. Do you have proof of recovery and have you been vaccinated once or fully after this? Then you do not need to hand over a negative test result.

Are you traveling alone?

If you are only in transit, you do not need any proof and you do not have to register yourself. However, at a random border control you may be asked for proof that Austria is not your final destination. These border controls are carried out randomly. Are you in transit and do you want to spend a night in the country? Then the aforementioned rules apply and Austria is considered your final destination.

Are you not vaccinated? Do you not have proof of recovery? Then you have a quarantine obligation upon arrival. This can only be ended by a negative test result via a PCR test. Please note that this can often take at least 24 hours. That is why it is best to have a PCR test carried out in the Netherlands before you travel to Austria.

You are also required to register yourself via the Pre-Travel Clearance. You can easily complete your registration online. After this, you will receive an email with the confirmation to your email address and you must be able to show it to the authorities upon arrival.

International removals

When you are moving internationally, everything needs to be arranged properly. Especially during corona. It is very important for a moving company to find out the rules and measures of the country of your destination. In this case Austria. Of course, this all entails a bit of extra work. So make sure you make your choice carefully and choose an experienced moving company so that your belongings can be transported neatly and safely to your new place of residence. When you are moving your belongings, you naturally want this to be done as well as possible.

Moving costs

It is very difficult to make an estimate of an international move. This is because the costs of a move depend on various factors. In this case, not only the basic costs such as personnel and transport are taken into account, but also the size of your belongings, the type of home you live in and the accessibility of your home. Sometimes, for example, extra trips have to be made. These kinds of details also have a great influence on the price.

Of course, there are also your personal wishes. For example, do you want to hire extra movers? Do you want to hire a packing/unpacking service? Do you need a handyman? And these are just a few examples of extra services that you can hire. That is why it is best to request moving quotes from moving companies.

Moving quotes

When requesting moving quotes, you have to be very careful. It can happen that you have to pay for this or that you are suddenly stuck with something. Of course, you don't want this either. It is also best to request moving quotes from different moving companies. This way you can easily compare everything and make the right choice.

Moova's services

At Moova we understand that you don't have time to look up all the international moving companies in your area and call or email them. Your move is chaotic enough, so you don't want extra work.

That is why we at Moova have come up with a solution for this. With us you can now easily request free quotes online. This is free, it is done within 2 minutes and it is completely without obligation! What more could you want? After your request, you will receive the quotes as soon as possible and you will not be committed to anything until you choose this yourself.

Finally

As you have read, the Austrian government has taken many new measures and you need many new documents to be able to travel to the country. Austria is known as one of the countries that are very strict in their corona approach, so it might be wise to take a good look at this for yourself.

You can also look at other articles on our website regarding emigration to Austria and who knows, you might come across things there that can help you with your emigration.