In Austria, registering your self-employment is obligatory, even if you earn very little. The first step is identifying your self-employment category, which depends on the activity you plan to carry out.
Main categories include Neue Selbständigkeit (for example artists or content creators), trade licences (Gewerbe): "free" trades such as photographers, designers, or developers, or regulated trades that require qualifications, Freie Berufe like doctors or architects, and the special category Freier Dienstnehmer, which sits between employment and self-employment.
After choosing your category, you must register for social security with SVS, covering health, pension, and accident insurance. You will also receive a tax number from the Finanzamt and submit an annual tax return.
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