Qualified Professionals
Recruitment of International Skilled Labour
Having a strong and well-trained skilled labour force is key in ensuring Austria's attractiveness as a business location. The most pressing challenge facing business today is a shortage of skills and labour. The trend is likely to worsen in the coming years due to slow population growth and an ageing population.
To overcome Austria's skills and labour shortages requires a holistic workforce approach – bringing together policy solutions that unlock the potential of the domestic labour market as well as migration. Recruiting international skilled workers plays a crucial role in securing and sustaining Austria's growth as a hub for business and industry, as well as in maintaining positive economic growth and keeping employment gains.
Austria offers much through its innovative companies, high quality of life, favourable working conditions, and excellent education system. The Red-White-Red Card system underwent comprehensive reform in October 2022. In December 2023, the Austrian government established the Skilled Labour Strategy Committee to consolidate and gradually expand activities aimed at continuously increasing the number of Red-White-Red Cards and EU Blue Cards issued. The Skilled Labour Strategy Committee is presided by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy.
The Austrian Business Agency and its WORK in AUSTRIA division are primarily responsible for actively promoting Austria as a labour location and supporting international skilled workers.
WORK in AUSTRIA
WORK in AUSTRIA is Austria's competence centre for international skilled workers and offers the following services free of charge:
- Promoting Austria as a Workplace: Targeted promotion in selected focus countries to specific groups.
- Matching Services: Facilitating connections between employers and skilled workers.
- Immigration Support and Counseling: Assisting companies, skilled workers, and their family members throughout the immigration process.
- Living and Working Assistance: Providing support for skilled workers and their families with questions about life in Austria.
- Bilateral Agreements Support: Assisting in the preparation and implementation of agreements that promote the mobility of international skilled workers.
- Coordination Efforts: Coordinating activities among federal states and other stakeholders.
For further information and interactive support services, please visit the WORK in AUSTRIA information platform, available in both German and English.
Memoranda of Understanding on Qualified Professionals
The Austrian government negotiates skilled labour agreements with selected countries, in the form of Memoranda of Understanding, to specifically attract skilled workers from third countries to the Austrian labour market. These agreements allows for bundling activities to promote Austria as a place to work and to implement specific measures aligned with the respective focus countries. Depending on the country, Austria places emphasis on specific professions and sectors.
The Memoranda of Understanding may cover, in particular, the following areas: exchange of information on labour market supply and demand, information about Austria as a place to work, support in job search through career events and matching formats, improving comparability of qualifications, immigration law advice, information services on living and working in Austria, and regular evaluation and further development.
The Austrian Business Agency and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (IFO), among other initiatives, is supporting the Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy in implementing the Memoranda of Understanding.
Specifics of the Memoranda of Understanding
The MOU "On the Recruitment of Qualified Professionals" is a political declaration of intent between governments of Indonesia and Austria aimed at tackling the skilled labor shortage in Austria. The goal of the MOU with Indonesia is to ensure in-depth cooperation in the migration of skilled professionals to Austria. Additionally, Indonesia is a key partner in vocational training and the Pre-Check Register, which will enable qualified professionals from Indonesia working in shortage occupations to obtain a Red-White-Red Card more rapidly in the future.
With approximately 275 million inhabitants and the fourth largest population worldwide, Indonesia is an important focus country for Austria when it comes to recruiting qualified workers and professionals. At the end of March 2024, the number of Indonesian nationals working in Austria on a non-self-employed basis reached 500. In total, more than 1,200 Indonesian nationals are registered in Austria. Since the introduction of the Red-White-Red Card, the number of applications from Indonesian nationals has risen continuously.
The MOU "On the Recruitment of Qualified Professionals" is a political declaration of intent between the Philippine and Austrian governments. It serves as the foundation for cooperation in the areas of labor mobility and migration between all relevant authorities in the Philippines and Austria, as well as for establishing a recruitment pathway for Filipino professionals. This initiative is a significant contribution to addressing the skilled labor shortage in Austria, particularly in the healthcare sector.
The MOU also forms the basis for regular exchange of information and positions Austria as an attractive place to work for Filipino professionals. In addition, the MOU facilitates building collaboration in vocational training and promotes the access to German language classes. Filipino professionals and interested Austrian employers receive support throughout the placement process and approval procedures.