Country Overview
Austria borders Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland and Liechtenstein – all countries part of the Schengen Agreement. Austria has a population of over 8 million and the country’s official language is German.
Roughly 75% of the Austrian landscape is covered by the Alps, at an average altitude of over 300 meters – a fact that provides favourable conditions for winter sports. In the north of Austria lies the Danube river valley, where most of the country’s agriculture is developed.
Since it joined the European Union in 1995 (adopting the Euro as its official currency), the national economy has strengthened every year. Nowadays, Austria is known for having a high standard of living; the country’s Development Index (HDI) is the 25th in the world ranking. Aside from its well-developed industrial sector (with Red Bull and Woldford as examples), tourism is another fundamental segment of the local economy: Vienna and the various ski resorts attract millions of visitors every year.
Travel in Austria
Formerly the centre of the Habsburg-Austrian Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria bequeathed the world with the musicality in Strauss’s waltzes and the genius of Mozart. Austria’s capital, Vienna, with nearly 2 million inhabitants, attracts visitors from Europe and abroad for its vibrant cultural scene.
Many of the non-EU travellers come to Austria for the mountains and lakes of the Salzkammergut district and for romantic boat rides on the Danube.
Meanwhile, European citizens enjoy visiting the Kunsthistorisches Museum (considered one of the best museums in the world) and the graceful Schonbrunn Palace.
After joining the Schengen Area over a decade ago, Austria has been consolidated a position on the top 10 of most visited countries in Europe. Besides amazing culture and landscapes, the country is also a safe and pleasant place to travel to. With modern trains, clean roads, remarkable white wines and friendly people, this little nation offsets the distance from the sea with its intriguing character.
About Austria
Capital: Vienna
Area: 83,858 KM2
Population: 8,205,000
Timezone: UTC/GMT +1 hour
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Calling Code: +43
Languages:
- German 88.6%
- Turkish 2.3%
- Serbian 2.2%
- Croatian 1.6%
- Other 5.3%
ETIAS in Austria
In 1995, Austria became a member of the European Union and in 2007, it joined the Schengen Area. Due to these agreements, it nowadays holds strong political and economic ties with other 25 Schengen Member States – most of which are also EU members. This open-border policy also means EU citizens can travel to Austria without needing to apply for a visa.
Regarding non-EU passport holders (Canadians included), since a great number of visitors come to Austria overland from one of its EU neighbours, many travellers weren’t required to have their documents checked. However, after the 2015 immigration crisis in Europe, Austria re-established the control of its external borders with other Schengen Countries in 2016.
As one of the strongest supporter of a new immigration policy, the Austrian government has backed up the introduction of the ETIAS as of 2021. This authorization system will allow Austrian authorities to access to information of non-EU travellers prior to their arrival in the country. In case the visitor enters Austria from a different Schengen Country, he/she will nonetheless have to bear a valid ETIAS. This will assure Austrian authorities the given traveller has been “checked” and presents no threat to public health or safety.
Once implemented, the ETIAS will grant visitors an authorization to travel up to 3 months (in every 180-day-period) in Austria, being free to move around the Schengen Area. However, citizens of countries which until 2021 do not enjoy a visa-waiver policy will have to contact the Austrian consulate in their home country before travelling.
ETIAS Austria Facts
ETIAS Austria is a travel authorization that will be in place by 2022. Know the facts that will guide you about this travel requirement before its implementation.
- ETIAS Austria will be in place to document non-EU visitors who plan to visit and travel throughout Austria.
- It will be implemented as a pre-arrival measure to ensure that travellers entering Austria will not pose a threat to the zone.
- The visa waiver will be required for Non-Europeans from countries that are currently visa-exempted.
- ETIAS visa application is a simple online process that will take only a few minutes to complete.
- Upon approval of the ETIAS Austria visa waiver, one will be allowed to stay and enjoy free travel for up to 90 days within the zone.
Canada and Austria
Austria and Canada have a strong and positive multilateral relationship, sharing not only commercial and political interests but also working together on other global issues such as human rights. In the international relations, the fact Austria is both a member of the EU and has links with southeast Europe makes it a valuable partner for Canada.
In addition to prolific trade relations, the two countries also have close social ties – particularly in the academic sector, with Canadian Studies Centres in Vienna, Graz, and Innsbruck. Aside from university exchange programmes, Canada and Austria also promote various youth exchange programs, such as the International Experience Canada, where citizens between 18 and 30 years old can apply for a Working Holiday Program in the other country.
Canadian citizens don’t require a visa to travel to Austria, only a passport valid for 6 months. However, much like other non-EU countries who enjoy the Schengen visa-waiver agreement, Canadians will have to apply for an ETIAS starting 2021. This electronic authorization resembles the Canadian Eta and likewise, it will be a fully online and automatic process.
In case a Canadian traveller wishes to stay in Austria for longer than the 90-day period allowed by the ETIAS, he or she will have to apply for a specific visa. As the main bodies who deal with visa requests are the Embassy of Canada in Vienna or the Austrian Embassy in Ottawa.
List of Canadian diplomatic offices in Austria
The Embassy of Canada in Vienna, Austria
Address: Laurenzenberg 2, A-1010, Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 (1) 531-38-3000
Fax: +43 (1) 531-38-3321
Email: [email protected]international.gc.ca
Website: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/austria-autriche/
Facts: Heidi Alberta Hulan (appointed in 2017) – Ambassador
List of Austrian diplomatic offices in Canada
The Embassy of Austria in Ottawa, Canada
Address: 445 Wilbrod Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6M7, Canada
Phone: (+1) 613 789 1444
Fax: (+1) 613 789 3431
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.bmeia.gv.at/oeb-ottawa
Facts: Stefan Pehringer (appointed in 2017) – Ambassador
Consulate of Austria in Calgary, Canada
Address: 1015 – 4th Street S.W., Suite 1200 Calgary , Calgary, Alberta T2R 1J4, Canada
Phone: (+1) 403 252 9937
Fax: (+1) 403 263 8529
Email: [email protected]
Facts: Nikolaus Demiantschuk – Honorary General Consul
Consulate of Austria in Halifax, Canada
Address: 1096 Marginal Road, Suite 140, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H4N4
Phone: (+1) 902 444 3891
Email: [email protected]
Facts: Peter Gabriel Wünsch – Honorary General Consul
Consulate of Austria in Montreal, Canada
Address: 630, Boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest, Suite 2800, H3B 1S6 Montreal, Canada
Phone: (+1) 514 849 3708
Fax: (+1) 514 849 9577
Email: [email protected]
Facts: Marc Andrew Bissell – Honorary General Consul
Consulate of Austria in Regina, Canada
Address: 2401 Saskatchewan Drive, Suite 100, Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 4H9, Canada
Phone: (+1) 306 359 7777
Fax: (+1) 306 522 3299
Email: [email protected]
Facts: Anthony Merchant – Honorary General Consul
Consulate of Austria in Toronto, Canada
Address: 30 St. Clair Avenue West Suite 1402, Toronto Ontario M4V 3A1 , Canada
Phone: (+1) 416 967 4867
Fax: (+1) 416 967 4101
Email: [email protected]
Facts: Walter Schneider – Honorary Consul General
Consulate of Austria in Vancouver, Canada
Address: 595 Howe Street, Suite 1160 , Vancouver British Columbia V6C 2T5, Canada
Phone: (+1) 604 687 3338
Fax: (+1) 604 681 3578
Email: [email protected]
Facts: Anthony Haber David – Honorary General Consul
Consulate of Austria in Winnipeg, Canada
Address: 1001 Sherwin Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3H 0T8, Canada
Phone: (+1) 204 833 0102
Fax: (+1) 204 833 0103
Email: [email protected]
Facts: Donald W. Streuber – Honorary General Consul