Immigration Increases Unemployment in Vienna

With an unemployment rate of 11.1 percent, Vienna currently records the highest rate of all Austrian states. According to AMS head Winfried Göschl, the population growth in the federal capital exceeds the number of available jobs, which poses a challenge especially for low-skilled workers, as reported by ORF.

Demographic Change as the Main Cause of Unemployment

In July, the number of people registered as unemployed with AMS Vienna increased by 4.6 percent compared to the previous year, reaching around 118,000. This is contrasted by only about 13,800 job vacancies, which represents a decrease of 19.5 percent compared to the previous year. According to Göschl, this problem mainly results from demographic development: The rapid population growth is not accompanied by corresponding economic development. "The economy in Vienna is not growing nearly as fast as the population," explained Göschl.

Insufficient Qualification and Lack of German Skills as Challenges

A central reason for the high unemployment is the insufficient qualification of many job seekers. Around half of the unemployed people in Vienna have no further school or vocational education. Placement attempts often fail due to a lack of basic education or insufficient German skills. "Most often, it fails at the basic education level," said Göschl. In sectors such as public service, high qualifications are often required, which excludes many applicants.

Additionally, the service sector dominates the Viennese labor market, while industry is hardly represented. Particularly in gastronomy and tourism, staff turnover is high, as irregular working hours deter many potential employees. In the cleaning sector, split shifts often pose a challenge, even with good childcare.

Educational Initiatives of AMS Vienna

To improve the qualifications of job seekers, AMS Vienna increasingly focuses on education and training measures. In particular, young people should receive better chances in the labor market through educational initiatives and investments in apprenticeship training. "If you are particularly motivated, there are always opportunities," emphasized Göschl. However, the competitive situation with other low-skilled or immigrant workers remains a major challenge, which the AMS addresses with targeted educational programs.

(Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.