International settlement: second best result ever

237 international companies set up locations in Vienna - Despite the intensification of global crises, interest in Vienna as a business location continues unabated.

Despite the intensification of global crises, interest in Vienna as a business location continues unabated.  The city enjoyed a good record again in 2022: some 237 international companies settled here. This represents a 5% increase on the previous year and the second-best figures on record. In times of global crisis, the advantages of Vienna’s location, such as security, a stable economic environment and a supply of well-trained specialists, have proven especially attractive for companies from abroad.

“We're delighted to see Vienna continuing to grow in international economic appeal,” says Peter Hanke, Vienna City Councillor for Economic Affairs. “The figures for international companies setting up new locations here in 2022 once again shows that Vienna isn’t just the most important business hub in Austria, but one of the leading business locations in Central and Eastern Europe.” This peak level of new arrivals will also serve as an important catalyst, creating value and jobs. In 2022, new businesses in Vienna triggered around €110 million in investment and created well over 1,100 jobs.

Vienna: crossroads between East and West

A clear trend is evident in the top 10 countries of origin for companies that set up locations in Vienna in 2022: countries east of Austria are increasingly drawn to the city. Companies from Czechia (11 companies), Slovakia (10), Bulgaria (4), Hungary (10), Romania (3), Iran (7) and Ukraine (12) have all settled in Vienna. Germany remains the frontrunner with 54 companies originating there, followed by Switzerland (18), Italy (10) and the USA (16). Eight companies from China have set up locations in the city.

“The company settlement figures for 2022 show that Vienna is not simply one competitor among many, especially when it comes to countries from Eastern Europe, but rather their first choice, as a stable and future-oriented business location,” says Gerhard Hirczi, Managing Director of the Vienna Business Agency. “For many, Vienna acts as a springboard for companies making the leap into the Western European market, or indeed internationally.”
Foreign companies are also able to settle successfully in Vienna thanks to the fruitful ongoing collaboration between the Vienna Business Agency and the Austrian Business Agency. The good levels of international companies setting up locations here, which date back many years, can also be attributed to the unstinting groundwork carried out by the Vienna Business Agency’s international team, including B2B discussions, presence at trade fairs, delegation trips and negotiations.

To the press release "International settlemement 2022 (PDF)"

Vienna, in may 2023