Emigrating to Austria: 6 Downsides I Wish I’d Known Before Moving

Last year I emigrated from the Netherlands to Austria. Even though my new hometown was ‘only’ 1,000 km away, sometimes during the emigrating process it felt like I landed on a whole new planet.  If you are thinking about emigrating to Austria or moving abroad in general, these 6 downsides are worth considering first.

Me walking through thick snow in Steinach am Brenner.

Learning the language through a course is not enough 

Do they speak a different language in your dream country? A logical step is to start learning that language a few years before moving. Still, you will soon find out that no one speaks that perfect Spanish, Italian or - in my case German - like your teacher does in the course. I learned German in school for 6 years, picked up a university language course, and did Duolingo with a 500-day streak. I should be ready, right? Little did I know they have about a million different accents here in Tyrol and they all sound so… incomprehensible. Like, do they even speak German or what? 🙂

The lesson I learned is: yes, you need to prepare beforehand, but you will feel like you have to start all over again once you actually start living there. I have heard this exact story from many expats all over the world, so I think it is a normal part of immigrating.

Administrative processes are very different abroad

You will never know your country until you leave it. Suddenly you find out that you were used to a different standard, whether that means better or worse.

In the Netherlands, I was used to fast administration. I would do everything online, receive a confirmation email and that was it. No need to go anywhere or call anyone. On the contrary, going to a counter or calling a number is seen as undesirable and a waste of time.

Here in Austria, whenever I need to make an appointment, this usually cannot be done online (or the online form does not function). I need to either call or go to a counter. It took me a long time to adjust to this way of living. It seemed ridiculous to me at first, living in 2025 and not being able to do things online. Now I see the benefits of it. At the counter or on the phone they can usually help you better than through an online chat. And you get to know the city faster and have a chance to practice your German. Lots of positives!

Moving abroad shows that your “normal” standard of living isn’t universal.

You have to work harder as a foreigner living in Austria

Talking about processes, I learned that being a foreigner in a new country makes administrative processes even slower and more difficult. I knew that, of course, in a general way, but I experienced it this year in my own life. There are so many things Austrians can do online, or by filling out a short form. In many cases, we as non-Austrians had to go to the police to register, for example our E-card and AustriaID. Once you have done these things, you are good for the next 5 years. But it takes a lot of time.

I am very lucky that most Austrians think positively about Dutch people. They think we are kind and funny (and sometimes loud). When people hear I have a Dutch accent, they spontaneously start talking about the one time they went to Amsterdam or when they hung out with a group of drunk Dutch skiers. So a big thanks to the Dutch people who went before me and left a positive impression. Life here would be very hard if the locals disliked people from my country.

Loneliness is a real part of expat life

The Austrians have been super friendly and patient. I feel so grateful that my partner and I have been accepted by this community for who we are. I know that is not always the case when you emigrate. Still, because of the language barrier, it is sometimes difficult to express myself, especially in groups. The one-on-one-conversations are fine, but when there are multiple people in the room, I lose track. Suddenly I have no idea where the joke began and where it ended, and I just sit there smiling, feeling completely left out. I always think of Madagascar’s penguins saying ‘smile and wave, boys’. I hope this will improve with my ability to speak German and that I can build long-lasting friendships.

Finding a job abroad may mean starting a new career path

In the Netherlands I worked in digital and social media marketing and recruitment marketing for over 10 years. I also have experience in event management, both in the office and on location. In Dutch terms, I have a pretty good CV and I would be considered a good candidate for a marketing or event job. Here… not so much. It is not that my CV is bad, I think they just could not see my CV as it was lying under thick piles of other CVs. Innsbruck is a small town, with apparently lots of marketing specialists who are looking for the same job as me. After months of searching for a marketing job, I came to the conclusion that it might not be as easy as I expected.

I now have a different job, one I did not expect I would have and wouldn’t have if I was still in the Netherlands. Even though it is different, I am very happy with it and it is definitely a positive addition to my CV.

Living abroad means missing out on life back home

Whether it is a wedding, a child’s birthday or a dinner with friends, something fun or important always happens in the country you are not in. Somehow the world seems to work that way. Since I moved, I have never experienced so much FOMO. And I am not just missing the fun activities. I also want to help my friends with babysitting, renovating or buying groceries whenever they are sick. I feel guilty that I was not there when they needed me this year, and I think this guilt will be here as long as I live 1,000 km away. Missing family and friends is a very hard and very real part of emigrating. It is like a coin with two sides: it is beautiful that you have strong relationships, but it also hurts to be away from them.

On the flipside, there are also some positives. When you emigrate, you have the perfect excuse to miss the obligatory family day or the birthday of the ‘friend’ you haven’t seen since 2016. And you now have the opportunity to make new friends in your new town.

Emigrating (to Austria) is a very personal experience

These 6 stories are, in my experience, the disadvantages of moving from the Netherlands to Austria and starting a new life abroad. Of course, that does not mean you will have the same experience. You might find my disadvantages positive, or find other things worse. I want to help you look realistically at your move. Because it is not going to be easy, leaving one life behind and starting a new one. If you are able to look at it both realistically and romantically, I think that is the best way to prepare for this life-changing journey.