Open a Subsidiary in Austria

Foreign companies seeking to establish a presence on the Austrian market have several choices when it comes to the business form. Among these structures are the branch office, the representative office, and the subsidiary.

An Austrian subsidiary company falls under the scope of the Company Law and is subject an easy incorporation procedure. Our company formation agents in Austria can explain the requirements related to opening a subsidiary.

The minimum share capital for opening a subsidiary in Austria

Foreign companies opening subsidiaries in Austria must open corporate bank accounts and deposit a minimum share capital of 35,000 euros.

Requirements for opening an Austrian subsidiary

The representatives of foreign companies can open subsidiaries in Austria under the form of limited liability companies which can be public or private. However, the most employed form is the private limited liability company.

Compared to the branch office, the subsidiary is an independent entity which requires the following documents for registration:

• -          a copy after the parent company’s certificate of registration issued by the Trade Register in its home country;
• -          the parent company’s resolution indicating the opening of the subsidiary in Austria;
• -          information about the representative of the company in Austria;
• -          the incorporation documents of the subsidiary which must be drafted in German.

All documents must be translated into German and certified by a local public notary.

Our local agents can help with the preparation of the incorporation documents when setting up a subsidiary in Austria.

Why set up a subsidiary in Austria?

The subsidiary company is an independent company which can complete a wide range of activities which are not limited to those of the parent company. Also, from a taxation point of view, the subsidiary is considered a tax resident company, therefore will benefit from the same tax treatment as local companies.

Another interesting fact about opening a subsidiary in Austria is that it falls under the New Companies Promotion Law which provides for lower incorporation costs.

If you want to open a subsidiary of your foreign company and need help, please contact our Austrian company formation advisors.