What You Need to Know When You’re Moving to Graz

Relocating to Graz

About the City

Graz is located on the Mur River in the southeast of Austria. It has a population of 291,890, making it the second largest city in Austria after Vienna. The city has a rich history; because of its central European location, it has had a wide mix of cultural influences over the centuries. Germanic, Slavic and Hungarian influences have played their part in the city’s history and many styles of buildings stand side by side, including Baroque, Gothic, Renaissance and Art Nouveau.

Graz is the capital of the federal state of Styria, the second largest state in Austria, bordering Slovenia and Hungary. Called the ‘green heart’ of Austria, Styria is a beautiful area, home to forests, castles, hills and vineyards. There are good transportation connections from Graz to neighboring countries: Italy, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Moreover, there is a wide choice of accommodation in and around Graz.

The Climate in Graz

Situated southeast of the Alps, Graz is shielded from the weather fronts that come in from the North Atlantic to northwestern and central Europe. This means the weather in Graz is influenced by the Mediterranean, and it has more hours of sunshine per year than Vienna or Salzburg and also less wind and rain. On average, temperatures in July reach 26°C, and dip to -2°C in December.

Visas for Austria

Citizens of European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland can reside in Austria and they have free access to the job market. They can work anywhere in Austria without a residence or job permit.

Expats who are citizens of countries outside the EU require a residence permit and a work permit to legally take up employment in Austria. There are different types of work permits. These include the EU Blue Card, which is for highly skilled non-EU citizens who have a guaranteed job offer in Austria. The Red-White-Red Card is for highly qualified citizens and key workers, and allows holders to live and work in Austria for 12 months. Contact your local Austrian consulate for more information and advice.

For more detailed information, you can also take a look at our guide on Moving to Austria.