Housing Subsidy Contribution (Wohnbauförderungsbeitrag): Employer Side

WBF in the payroll add-on stack, employer share by Bundesland, Vienna 2026 as the cost outlier.

Definition

The Wohnbauförderungsbeitrag is a Land-level levy under § 1 Abs. 2 Wohnbauförderungsbeitragsgesetz 2018 that the employer carries as part of payroll add-on costs (Lohnnebenkosten), at the same rate as the employee share. Standard amount: 0,50 % of the ongoing PAYE base; Vienna per LGBl. Wien Nr. 73/2025 raised to 0,75 % effective 1.1.2026. WBF sits alongside KommSt (3,00 %), DB (3,70 %), DZ (Bundesland- specific) and MVK (1,53 %) in the employer's payroll add-on stack. Like SV, WBF does not apply to Sonderzahlungen (13th / 14th).

WBF in the employer-cost stack 2026

Add-on item
Rate 2026
Base
Municipal tax (KommSt)
3,00 %
gross + special pay, uncapped
Family Burden Fund (DB / FLAF)
3,70 %
gross + special pay, uncapped
Severance fund (MVK)
1,53 %
gross + special pay, uncapped
DB surcharge / Chamber levy 2 (Bundesland-specific)
0.00 – 0.38 %
gross + special pay, uncapped
Housing fund (WBF, employer share)
0.50 – 0.75 %
ongoing gross only, HBG-capped

WBF is by far the smallest of the five payroll add-on items, but it has the most prominent Bundesland variation.

Employer share by Bundesland and year

Employer share per Bundesland (additional payroll cost). Determined by place of work. Current-year values read live from the calc engine; historic years fixed, future years not yet set (»—«).

Bundesland
2024
2025
2026
2027
Vienna
0,50 %
0,50 %
0,75 %
Niederösterreich
0,50 %
0,50 %
0,50 %
Oberösterreich
0,50 %
0,50 %
0,50 %
Styria
0,50 %
0,50 %
0,50 %
Carinthia
0,50 %
0,50 %
0,50 %
Salzburg
0,50 %
0,50 %
0,50 %
Tyrol
0,50 %
0,50 %
0,50 %
Vorarlberg
0,50 %
0,50 %
0,50 %
Burgenland
0,50 %
0,50 %
0,50 %

Through end-2025 all nine Länder (Vienna included) sat symmetrically at 0.50 % employer share. LGBl. Wien 73/2025 raised Vienna alone to 0.75 % effective 1.1.2026, a direct cost increase for every Vienna employer per employee.

Example: Gross €4,000/month, employer side

At €4,000/month gross the employer pays WBF: in Vienna €4,000 × 0,75 % = € 30,00/month = € 360,00/yr; in every other Bundesland €4,000 × 0,50 % = € 20,00/month = € 240,00/yr. Vienna's higher WBF therefore adds +€ 120,00/year per employee versus every other Bundesland, relevant for location cost comparisons and Vienna 2026 budget planning.

See also

Try it in the gross-to-net calculator Try it in the employer-cost calculator

Sources: § 1 Wohnbauförderungsbeitragsgesetz 2018 (RIS), LGBl. Wien Nr. 73/2025, BGBl. II Nr. 263/2025 (SV-Werte 2026).