The path to independence

Business with professional ethics
 

Independent caregiving is about free trade. The legal basis for this can be found in the Home Care Act and the Industrial Code, amongst other places. Which nursing and medical services the independent caregiver may perform in individual cases is also regulated by the Health and Nursing Act and the Medical Act.

5 Steps to personal caregiving

In order to work in Austria as an independent caregiver, you need to take the following five steps:

 

Vermittlungsagentur Personenbetreuung

 

Independent caregivers must register their business. If the relevant conditions are met, most placement companies support independent caregivers as necessary and upon request in registering their business. 
 

The requirements for business registration of independent caregivers are:
 

1.
Legal capacity. This means people who are over 18 as long as they are fully independent.
 

2.
Have Austrian nationality or the nationality of an EU or EEA member state or Switzerland or - for nationals of third countries - have an official residence permit with the right to work in this profession. Nationals of an EU or EEA Member State and Switzerland enjoy freedom of establishment and freedom from visas and may register and carry out their profession in the same way as Austrians. However, they must register with the district administrative authority at the latest four months after entering Austria if they want to stay in Austria for more than three months continuously. 


3.
Lack of grounds for exclusion.  Exclusion grounds include criminal records due to certain offences and with a certain sentence as well as lack of assets for legally not opened or repealed insolvency proceedings, providing they appear in the bankruptcy file.  Grounds for exclusion that exist beyond the Austrian borders will also be considered.

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BUSINESS REGISTRATION
 

Upon registering your business, you become a member of the Chamber of Commerce. To register for the trade of caregiving, you must meet the following requirements: Be over 18
Nationality of an EU Member State or Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, or Switzerland, or a residence permit  
No grounds for exclusion (e.g. conviction for fraudulent bankruptcy)

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REGISTRATING WITH SOCIAL SECURITY


A business registration requires compulsory insurance in health, pension, and accident insurance. This also includes the right to a company pension. Although the trade authority notifies the business registration of the Social Insurance Authority for Business (SVA), independent caregivers are obliged as professionals to report to the SVA within one month.

sva

BUSINESS OPENING


Opening business must be announced by sending the form "Verf24" to the competent tax office within one month after business registration. 

BMF - Formulare Steuern & Zoll

 

TIP:


In the case of (intended) prolonged non-exercise of the business, the competent trade group "Counselling and Caregiving" must be notified of the suspension of exercising the business. Your trade licence is no longer valid if you intend no further commercial exercise or you no longer have a commercial location in Austria.

 

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CONTRACT NEGOTIATION & ADVERTISING


As a prospective caregiver, you have several options to gain customers. You can advertise your services (e.g. flyers, brochures), contact a placement company, or inform prospective customers by invitation to talk to them directly. 
 

Advertising:


As a caregiver, you may only visit potential customers if you are specifically invited to advertise your services.

 

Vermittlungsagentur Personenbetreuung

Conclusion of a caregiving contract


The caregiving contract is the basis of each caregiving relationship
and must at least contain the following points: name and address of the contractual parties • the start and duration of the contract • the service content (scope of activity) • guidelines for everyday and emergency use • provisions for the termination of the contract

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