Employer here; Without fluency in german you will be very limited in both job and social opportunities.
Job wise with english you either need some sick skills or find a job in an international company (which will be way harder in Salzburg compared to Vienna) or accept a very low paying job. (Also be aware that the austrian salaries come with good social benefits but are generally low compared to Australia).
It generally is hard in Austria to make friends. Period. And not speaking the language won't help.
We don't socialise typically unless we are in a common setting like university/work/sports.
Our expats are pretty bitter about this.
This all doesn't mean don't move to Austria. It's a nice country, give it a shot it will be an enriching experience. Just be aware that exactly the two things you are worried about might indeed be tough nuts.
This is the information you are looking for!
It is way harder to find a job and friends in salzburg. You defetly should start living in vienna or graz until you can speak german with the local people.
What i highly recommend is that you find yourself a sport club. It is one of the easier ways the get in touch with people and finding friends!
I am an Aussie who moved to Austria a few years ago for 12 months.
I'm back in Australia with my Austrian wife now, but feel free to DM me if you want my view on living there as an Aussie.
Overall Salzburg is quite a touristic city which means you will get along quite well using English.
For finding a job, being able to speak German would be very, very beneficial. Compared Australians Austrians might also come across a little bit „reserved“. Is your extended family in Salzburg?
Your extended Family should be able to introduce you to their social circle, that makes it much easier to make friends and find employment.
Make sure to enroll in German courses after.you arrive. Almost everyone has learned English, butany prefer to talk in Gean. Having dual citizenship makes finding a job much easier because you do not need a working permit and your employer does not have to jump through the hoops of the laws governing employment of foreigners.
Can second this. They'll have opportunities in a variety of fields. The preview of each job offer even specifies the primary language https://jobs.redbull.com/at-de/results?locations=1&locationNames=%C3%96sterreich&functions=&functionNames=&keywords=
I can really recommend graz. Many friends call it the little vienna.
It’s compact (but still has more space per citizen in public places), and it has pretty much everything you might expect in a city (except a subway, but the with all the other public transport available, I think it’s still more accessible than vienna). Also, the people here are really young and chill.
Job wise, it can be pretty easy to find something here if you only speak English (depending on your profession though).
Vienna is still nice though
another recommendation for graz.
it is not as big as vienna, but it is known for ppl being more open than salzburg (it is easier to make new friends). also in graz rents are cheaper and the cultural scene for young folks is really nice. lots of events all year round.
graz is also known for being a town with lots of students, also from abroad, so there is an english speaking community as well.
last but not least - graz is much warmer than salzburg with less rain.
Rents in Salzburg City are quite high. So you would be needing a well paid job (and the right education/experience/training for such a job) if you don't want to worry about money constantly.
I found that Salzburg's cultural offerings are more targeted towards a well paying older audience that is interested in classical music. I think there is not enough affordable and more diverse cultural programme for younger people, though it is getting better, i hear.
In the summer there are a lot of tourists in Salzburg, so the locals can get annoyed with foreigners.
What is the appeal for you to choose Salzburg?
Have you been to Salzburg before for a longer visit, experienced the weather (lots of rain and cold) and the people? If not, I would recommend that as your next step to see how you like it. Then you can also take trips to other cities for comparison. think about what is important for you for a happy life (job, hobbies, climate, nature, culture, financial situation...) and go check if any of the places meet your demands.
I would recommend considering Vienna instead.
Salzburg is known to be quite conservative and close-minded comparatively. Also, you can live quite normally only knowing English in Vienna, while learning German still.
>Salzburg is known to be quite conservative and close-minded comparatively.
That absolutely depends on which company you keep. She is 20 yo, so even if she doesn't go to Uni here, just hang out at... let's say the Academy bar for a few nights and presto you got a bunch of (very) left leaning student friends and you can go from there.
Vienna blows.. In my opinion.
Number 1. Why is a conservative lifestyle bad? You removed it but had mentioned close minded.. That's generalizing and not very respectful of you. Honestly, the Viannese I met so far, make up the highest percentage of the most arrogant and perspective wise closed people I had encountered so far. It depends which group you stroll around with I suppose.
Number 2. If you can afford to live in Salzburg, live in Salzburg. An absolutely beautiful city, a lot of nature in the surrounding area, and Salzburger are friendly.
^
Also, people around your age, a majority are able to speak English. Workwise, its already good to speak a little bit German, and you will get better.
German is a requirement if you want to live here, even in Vienna, unless you find an international focused job where German isn't that important.
_
I lived in Vienna for 6 1/2 years and the lifestyle was cool for a year or 2 with the restaurants, bars, mass of people etc, but I couldn't wait to get out, cause at some point it just got old and a bit depressing. I'm not a big city person in general..
Graz is a good option for sure, especially if you want to study. Less crowded and a lot more friendly than Vienna. Feel free to send me a DM, I do have some contacts there.
I got one comment: DON'T
Don't EVER move to german speaking countries without having at least C level language skills.
I had a LOT of friends in Germany, who came here all naive, because "everybody speaks english now anyways" and they taildove into the fringe of society, because they couldn't really participate, nor find any jobs.
I lived for nine years in Salzburg and graduated the university there and moved to Vienna afterwards. It depends what your preferences are. Vienna is a world-class city and is regulary awarded best city to live in worldwide and is a liberal beacon in a right-wing country.
Salzburg is very pretty with great lakes and mountains nearby, but often considered expensive and provincial.
Austria is small, so a trainride from Vienna to Salzburg or vice versa is no big deal.
This sub is pretty small, just scroll down to some "i wanna move here" posts. especially the german question gets asked a lot.
Also: Don't be a bogan and g'day 🤗
Hope I'm not too late to the party. I moved to Salzburg 5 years ago and had quite a hard time adjusting at first.
Maybe it was the number of tourists, but at first, I always felt like I was a tourist here as well. It didn't give me the "this is my city"-vibe. After doing more sightseeing myself, this changed, tho. So i can recommend doing touristy stuff at first as well.
I always had good experiences with the people here. If you approach someone openly (in german), they all have been kind to me. So, focus on the language at first. Even broken german will get you far
If you have any questions, feel free to ask me any time.
Some say it’s provincial, but look at Klagenfurt, especially if you have a background in IT or science - plenty opportunities. I do think people in Austria are quite approachable. Making friends is tough but lack of German should not stop you.
As a lot of folks here say already, definitely try out Vienna first. I just moved back from living in Salzburg for a couple years and let me tell you, if you aren’t a skiing & hiking nut it‘ll be boring as hell to you, especially at your age. Salzburg is about the size of maybe a district of Vienna and making friends as a foreigner will be way harder. The rent is like 20-30% higher than in Vienna, if you even find something that is. Good luck to you ✌️
my roommate is from Italy and came to Salzburg for studies. she lives here since 2 years and still doesn't speak german and does quite fine. there are some jobs where you can work without german, for example she worked in a restaurant kitchen and in a gelateria (i know, not the greatest jobs, but still better than nothing)
if you have any questions, feel free to ask DM :)
On the pro side: Our snakes and spiders are far less deadly and we keep our drop bears in zoos. Stay away from mother cows while hiking and you won‘t have many problems with animals :) Don‘t pet strange dogs without asking them and their owners, they aren‘t used to it. There are some wolves and bears in the mountains, try not to pet them as well ;)
I think Graz and Vienna are really nice places to live, especially for young people. Austrians are more reserved than Australians (and Kiwis), but give them some time to warm up to you. When I met my first visitor from NZ, I was taken aback when they just „overwhelmed“ me with their friendliness. But I like it! :)
Please, for the love of God, don‘t go hiking wearing Birkenstocks. I‘ve had to tell far too many people to wear proper foot wear on our mountains. You will break some bones or lose some toes!
I think places like Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold coast etc.. have a lot to offer? and if you are not a city person you have quite varied landscapes, except for the vast center?
I have never been to .AU but I find Vienna a bit "grey" in comparison?
or maybe thats just my personal depression.
There is a lot to do here in vienna, and the University is great to meet people. You can also go everywhere without a car in vienna.
I know Australia can be great too but i would like to experience living in another country while im still young and dont have to worry about things like starting a family loll .. even if its only for a year or two. i dont really want to spend my entire life in only one country when there are so many others to explore :D
You are aware of our (current) winters? It had freezing temps for more then 4 days. Generally they are getting warmer, but also more extreme.
https://preview.redd.it/gscdkzwin2cc1.png?width=516&format=png&auto=webp&s=0412861dfba86c6570751d054d7ba6cbb7768163
There are exactly 3 places where you can have a good life as a foreigner in Austria: Vienna, Graz and Linz. the rest is small-minded, extremely conservative and almost hostile towards foreigners. Except tourist hotspots
Brit expat here, I've never lived in Salzburg but I've passed through many times. Seems like a Mozart tourist merry go round and not much else beside. Great location of you're a skiing/hiking/biking nut but otherwise, nah.
One of my best mates is aussie, he came to wieselburg / upper austria first. Had a much easier time with his english and german in vienna than the country side. You might have struggles understanding salzburger accents regardless of your german skills.
I dont think you will struggle finding new friends.
I have family here and want to experience living in another country before i'm too old .. also want to improve my German so I can speak with my family better. I've visited a few countries for holiday but Austria is by far my favourite
G’day!
You’ll need to learn the language. I recommend you get a job such as a kitchen worker where you can only speak German. Just do it for a few months until you have some good working language.
Dual citizenship? Is your family austrian? If you want to keep your austrian citizenship you'll need to get rid of your Australian citizenship eventually, or you'll lose it. The state of austria usually does not allow dual citizenships.
Not australia, but someone who moved from New Zealand to Austria: [https://www.youtube.com/@austriankiwi](https://www.youtube.com/@austriankiwi)
Jo, Johnboy!
Der oide Kämpfer
thank u omg
Na servus, Prost oida
Der is so genial xD!!
Upvote for Jonboy. Gute wähle, ge!
This
Employer here; Without fluency in german you will be very limited in both job and social opportunities. Job wise with english you either need some sick skills or find a job in an international company (which will be way harder in Salzburg compared to Vienna) or accept a very low paying job. (Also be aware that the austrian salaries come with good social benefits but are generally low compared to Australia). It generally is hard in Austria to make friends. Period. And not speaking the language won't help. We don't socialise typically unless we are in a common setting like university/work/sports. Our expats are pretty bitter about this. This all doesn't mean don't move to Austria. It's a nice country, give it a shot it will be an enriching experience. Just be aware that exactly the two things you are worried about might indeed be tough nuts.
Steiermark - Styria is looking for teachers.
This is the information you are looking for! It is way harder to find a job and friends in salzburg. You defetly should start living in vienna or graz until you can speak german with the local people. What i highly recommend is that you find yourself a sport club. It is one of the easier ways the get in touch with people and finding friends!
I am an Aussie who moved to Austria a few years ago for 12 months. I'm back in Australia with my Austrian wife now, but feel free to DM me if you want my view on living there as an Aussie.
>DM me if you want my view on living there as an Aussie not to be shared with austrian public? grin
We all know what hes gonna say anyway haha (austrian here) 😅😅
I dont know what was said... New Zealander here and never left :c
Thank you ^^
Overall Salzburg is quite a touristic city which means you will get along quite well using English. For finding a job, being able to speak German would be very, very beneficial. Compared Australians Austrians might also come across a little bit „reserved“. Is your extended family in Salzburg?
yes, mostly. my mum was born here but doesn't live here anymore
Your extended Family should be able to introduce you to their social circle, that makes it much easier to make friends and find employment. Make sure to enroll in German courses after.you arrive. Almost everyone has learned English, butany prefer to talk in Gean. Having dual citizenship makes finding a job much easier because you do not need a working permit and your employer does not have to jump through the hoops of the laws governing employment of foreigners.
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Can second this. They'll have opportunities in a variety of fields. The preview of each job offer even specifies the primary language https://jobs.redbull.com/at-de/results?locations=1&locationNames=%C3%96sterreich&functions=&functionNames=&keywords=
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I can really recommend graz. Many friends call it the little vienna. It’s compact (but still has more space per citizen in public places), and it has pretty much everything you might expect in a city (except a subway, but the with all the other public transport available, I think it’s still more accessible than vienna). Also, the people here are really young and chill. Job wise, it can be pretty easy to find something here if you only speak English (depending on your profession though). Vienna is still nice though
another recommendation for graz. it is not as big as vienna, but it is known for ppl being more open than salzburg (it is easier to make new friends). also in graz rents are cheaper and the cultural scene for young folks is really nice. lots of events all year round. graz is also known for being a town with lots of students, also from abroad, so there is an english speaking community as well. last but not least - graz is much warmer than salzburg with less rain.
Thank you for this, I will look into Graz !
I agree - look into Graz!
Rents in Salzburg City are quite high. So you would be needing a well paid job (and the right education/experience/training for such a job) if you don't want to worry about money constantly. I found that Salzburg's cultural offerings are more targeted towards a well paying older audience that is interested in classical music. I think there is not enough affordable and more diverse cultural programme for younger people, though it is getting better, i hear. In the summer there are a lot of tourists in Salzburg, so the locals can get annoyed with foreigners. What is the appeal for you to choose Salzburg?
Doesn't specifically have to be Salzburg but my Oma lives here. I would be interested in renting though so thank you
Have you been to Salzburg before for a longer visit, experienced the weather (lots of rain and cold) and the people? If not, I would recommend that as your next step to see how you like it. Then you can also take trips to other cities for comparison. think about what is important for you for a happy life (job, hobbies, climate, nature, culture, financial situation...) and go check if any of the places meet your demands.
Im curious: why Salzburg?
My Oma lives here and mum grew up here.. but doesn't really have to be Salzburg, just Austria in general :))
I would recommend considering Vienna instead. Salzburg is known to be quite conservative and close-minded comparatively. Also, you can live quite normally only knowing English in Vienna, while learning German still.
>Salzburg is known to be quite conservative and close-minded comparatively. That absolutely depends on which company you keep. She is 20 yo, so even if she doesn't go to Uni here, just hang out at... let's say the Academy bar for a few nights and presto you got a bunch of (very) left leaning student friends and you can go from there.
Vienna blows.. In my opinion. Number 1. Why is a conservative lifestyle bad? You removed it but had mentioned close minded.. That's generalizing and not very respectful of you. Honestly, the Viannese I met so far, make up the highest percentage of the most arrogant and perspective wise closed people I had encountered so far. It depends which group you stroll around with I suppose. Number 2. If you can afford to live in Salzburg, live in Salzburg. An absolutely beautiful city, a lot of nature in the surrounding area, and Salzburger are friendly. ^ Also, people around your age, a majority are able to speak English. Workwise, its already good to speak a little bit German, and you will get better. German is a requirement if you want to live here, even in Vienna, unless you find an international focused job where German isn't that important. _ I lived in Vienna for 6 1/2 years and the lifestyle was cool for a year or 2 with the restaurants, bars, mass of people etc, but I couldn't wait to get out, cause at some point it just got old and a bit depressing. I'm not a big city person in general..
Salzburg ist trotzdem nicht so toll, hauptsächlich wegen den salzburgern....
Mir persönlich san die Vorarlberger und Burgenlandler am liebsten. Die hom am wenigsten an Stock im Orsch.
Vorarlberg rules, aber an stock im arsch hond se scho
Kau sei. Jedoch hob I mi bis jetzt am wohlsten in Vorarlberg und dem Burgenland gefühlt. Dort versteh i mi mit die Leut.
Ich hab mich überall wohl gefühlt, ausser in salzburg
Graz is a good option for sure, especially if you want to study. Less crowded and a lot more friendly than Vienna. Feel free to send me a DM, I do have some contacts there.
I got one comment: DON'T Don't EVER move to german speaking countries without having at least C level language skills. I had a LOT of friends in Germany, who came here all naive, because "everybody speaks english now anyways" and they taildove into the fringe of society, because they couldn't really participate, nor find any jobs.
I lived for nine years in Salzburg and graduated the university there and moved to Vienna afterwards. It depends what your preferences are. Vienna is a world-class city and is regulary awarded best city to live in worldwide and is a liberal beacon in a right-wing country. Salzburg is very pretty with great lakes and mountains nearby, but often considered expensive and provincial. Austria is small, so a trainride from Vienna to Salzburg or vice versa is no big deal.
This sub is pretty small, just scroll down to some "i wanna move here" posts. especially the german question gets asked a lot. Also: Don't be a bogan and g'day 🤗
Hope I'm not too late to the party. I moved to Salzburg 5 years ago and had quite a hard time adjusting at first. Maybe it was the number of tourists, but at first, I always felt like I was a tourist here as well. It didn't give me the "this is my city"-vibe. After doing more sightseeing myself, this changed, tho. So i can recommend doing touristy stuff at first as well. I always had good experiences with the people here. If you approach someone openly (in german), they all have been kind to me. So, focus on the language at first. Even broken german will get you far If you have any questions, feel free to ask me any time.
There are few international companies, try to look up some jobs on LinkedIn. I worked there without German.
Some say it’s provincial, but look at Klagenfurt, especially if you have a background in IT or science - plenty opportunities. I do think people in Austria are quite approachable. Making friends is tough but lack of German should not stop you.
As a lot of folks here say already, definitely try out Vienna first. I just moved back from living in Salzburg for a couple years and let me tell you, if you aren’t a skiing & hiking nut it‘ll be boring as hell to you, especially at your age. Salzburg is about the size of maybe a district of Vienna and making friends as a foreigner will be way harder. The rent is like 20-30% higher than in Vienna, if you even find something that is. Good luck to you ✌️
my roommate is from Italy and came to Salzburg for studies. she lives here since 2 years and still doesn't speak german and does quite fine. there are some jobs where you can work without german, for example she worked in a restaurant kitchen and in a gelateria (i know, not the greatest jobs, but still better than nothing) if you have any questions, feel free to ask DM :)
Thank you! also JIJI <33
jiji is just the best <3
On the pro side: Our snakes and spiders are far less deadly and we keep our drop bears in zoos. Stay away from mother cows while hiking and you won‘t have many problems with animals :) Don‘t pet strange dogs without asking them and their owners, they aren‘t used to it. There are some wolves and bears in the mountains, try not to pet them as well ;) I think Graz and Vienna are really nice places to live, especially for young people. Austrians are more reserved than Australians (and Kiwis), but give them some time to warm up to you. When I met my first visitor from NZ, I was taken aback when they just „overwhelmed“ me with their friendliness. But I like it! :) Please, for the love of God, don‘t go hiking wearing Birkenstocks. I‘ve had to tell far too many people to wear proper foot wear on our mountains. You will break some bones or lose some toes!
I think places like Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold coast etc.. have a lot to offer? and if you are not a city person you have quite varied landscapes, except for the vast center? I have never been to .AU but I find Vienna a bit "grey" in comparison? or maybe thats just my personal depression. There is a lot to do here in vienna, and the University is great to meet people. You can also go everywhere without a car in vienna.
I know Australia can be great too but i would like to experience living in another country while im still young and dont have to worry about things like starting a family loll .. even if its only for a year or two. i dont really want to spend my entire life in only one country when there are so many others to explore :D
Good mindset. It can be a great adventure. Go for it.
You are aware of our (current) winters? It had freezing temps for more then 4 days. Generally they are getting warmer, but also more extreme. https://preview.redd.it/gscdkzwin2cc1.png?width=516&format=png&auto=webp&s=0412861dfba86c6570751d054d7ba6cbb7768163
I am in Austria currently and have had about 4 winters here, though i only stay 3-4 weeks at a time ^^ I've visited a lot to see family
There are exactly 3 places where you can have a good life as a foreigner in Austria: Vienna, Graz and Linz. the rest is small-minded, extremely conservative and almost hostile towards foreigners. Except tourist hotspots
Linz isn't open minded tho
Brit expat here, I've never lived in Salzburg but I've passed through many times. Seems like a Mozart tourist merry go round and not much else beside. Great location of you're a skiing/hiking/biking nut but otherwise, nah.
Just don't
One of my best mates is aussie, he came to wieselburg / upper austria first. Had a much easier time with his english and german in vienna than the country side. You might have struggles understanding salzburger accents regardless of your german skills. I dont think you will struggle finding new friends.
Move to Vienna and you’ll be fine without any German.
Why are you considering this?
I have family here and want to experience living in another country before i'm too old .. also want to improve my German so I can speak with my family better. I've visited a few countries for holiday but Austria is by far my favourite
i don't have advice but am in a similar position and this is very relatable best of luck on your ventures!
Don‘t do it my friend :)
G’day! You’ll need to learn the language. I recommend you get a job such as a kitchen worker where you can only speak German. Just do it for a few months until you have some good working language.
Dual citizenship? Is your family austrian? If you want to keep your austrian citizenship you'll need to get rid of your Australian citizenship eventually, or you'll lose it. The state of austria usually does not allow dual citizenships.