# US citizen, software engineer, looking to work from Vienna



## BobbyTables (Feb 1, 2017)

Hello,

I am looking to move to Vienna, where my current employer has an official satellite office. I work as a software engineer, and my company is a contractor on a number of UN type projects.

I would like to know if I could get an EU Blue Card to live and work in Vienna based on my current employment situation. My salary exceeds the minimum of 1.2x the average annual salary in Austria for "professions in shortage"but falls just short of the 1.5x threshold for other professions (not that it matters, it appears all manner of software jobs are deemed to be in shortage).

Specifically, I'm curious to know the following:

1) Is it sufficient that my employment is guaranteed by the main, US, branch of my company, or would I need to get a new contract under the Austrian office?

2) Would I have to pay Austrian taxes as well as US taxes? I'd imagine if my employment "contract" is American I'd have to pay American taxes, but I'm not sure.

Thanks!


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

As a US citizen, you're always on the hook to at least file US taxes. In fact, you'd be far better served to be paid from the Viennese branch of your employer, with the "usual" obligations to pay Austrian taxes and social insurances. And, in that case, it would be up to your employer (the Austrian branch) to handle your visa.

If you are doing the work in Austria, then you are working in Austria and thus subject to Austrian law and taxes. You can take advantage of the FEIE (Foreign Earned Income Exclusion) and/or the Foreign Tax Credit to avoid any double taxation on your salary income. You might also want to take a look at the US-Austrian tax treaty while you're at it.
Cheers,
Bev


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## BobbyTables (Feb 1, 2017)

Great, thanks!!


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