Within seven days of starting a new job, both employees and independent contractors must be enrolled in one or more insurance programmes within the social insurance system. The employee then receives a green Social Insurance Card ( Sozialversicherungskarte), which shows your social insurance number and date of birth. It is recommended you always carry this card with you.
There are basically two ways to enroll:
- If you are an employee, this is straightforward because your employer is required to process your enrolment at the district health insurance fund ( Gebietskrankenkasse).
- If you are working as an independent contractor, you have to register yourself with the Social Insurance for the Industrial Economy - Sozialversicherung der gewerblichen Wirtschaft’.
Dependants:
All family dependants of an employed person (e.g. wife/husband and children) are covered by their social security insurance. If you are self-employed, you need to get additional insurance to cover members of your family!
For more information on health insurance in Austria, visit Expat Health Tips: https://expathealth.tips/