How many points do very highly qualified workers need, and what scores the most points?

This category sets a higher bar than other Red-White-Red Card routes: a minimum of 70 points. The largest block is special qualifications (up to 40), which rewards a university degree (20), STEM/MINT subjects (30), a PhD or habilitation (40), senior management salary bands (20-30), and research, patents or awards (20 each).

Further points come from work experience (up to 20), language skills (up to 10), age (up to 20 for under-35s), and Austrian studies (up to 10). Because the special-qualification block is decisive, candidates with advanced degrees, high salaries or strong research records reach the threshold most easily. Map your profile against the official table to confirm you clear 70.