General information.

When you register your business in Austria, you are automatically registered with the SVS and pay the corresponding contributions on a quarterly basis, i.e. four times a week per year.

Although the competent authorities notify the Social and Health Insurance Institution (‘SVS’) of the registration of your activity with a business licence, you are also obliged to notify the Self-employed Social and Health Insurance Institution (‘SVS’) within one month.

The contact details of the Self-employed Health and Social Insurance Institution (‘SVS’) are as follows:

Work programme:

Monday - Thursday: 07:30 - 16:00

Friday: 07:30 - 14:30

SVS-Tel.:

+43 (0) 50 808 808

Website:

www.svs.at

E-mail:

For questions about health insurance: vs@svs.at

For service in the event of health problems: gs@svs.at

For accident insurance: dlz.uv@svs.at

For queries about pensions: pps@svs.at

Please note!

The health and social insurance obligation for self-employed persons (‘SVS’) begins on the day on which the competent trade authority grants you a trade licence and ends on the last day of the calendar month in which you cease your commercial activity (‘trade’) in Austria.

As soon as your registration with the SVS is complete, you will be assigned a national insurance number (SVNR). This is your identification number in Austria! Make a note of your SVNR number so that you always have it to hand when contacting institutions in Austria.

The Austrian health card, also known as an ‘e-card’, will then be sent to you by post to the address you have given to the insurance company (‘SVS’). This ‘e-card’ is your personal key to the Austrian healthcare system. From 1 January 2020, the new ‘e-cards’ will only be issued with a photo. You can find more information here: www.chipkarte.at

svsGO

By installing the ‘„svsGO“ ’ application on your smartphone, tablet or computer, you can also manage your contributions and the services of the Insurance and Health Centre for Independent Employees efficiently and quickly.

Further recommendations and precautionary measures:

• Document your professional activity with letters, receipts of social security contributions and payments to SVS, service contracts and payment slips, fee notes, bank statements of payments made, etc.
• Look out for contracts that state that ‘the placement agency/employer pays the social security contributions’! Check regularly that all payments have been received!
• Do not ignore any SVS letters!
• Contact the SVS to inform them of your address in your country of origin.

Attention!

Many carers have been confronted with unpleasant situations because they have not received letters from the SVS for various reasons. As a self-employed carer who frequently moves location, you should establish a fixed and secure correspondence address with the SVS. The SVS must be notified immediately of any changes in the circumstances listed below:

• Changes in personal details: Change of name, relocation of business or residence
• Income data
• Commencement/suspension of further activities
• Notification of retirement/resumption of self-employment
• Commencement/termination of a ‘pension’
• Commencement/termination of other insurance benefits: Support benefit in the event of illness or maternity benefit from statutory health insurance