Settlement permit
The settlement permit is one of the two types of residence permit introduced by the Immigration Act. Unlike the residence permit, the settlement permit is an unlimited residence title. It authorises the holder to take up employment or self-employment, it does not carry any geographical restrictions and, apart from cases provided for under the Residence Act, it may not be made contingent on any ancillary provisions.
Section 9 of the Residence Act defines the general prerequisites for issuing settlement permits. There are special regulations, e. g. for highly-skilled workers, for granting a settlement permit on the basis of an order by the supreme state authority pursuant to section 23 para. 2 of the Residence Act and for foreigners who are granted a residence permit on humanitarian grounds.