There has been war in Ukraine for two years, and more than six million people have found refuge abroad. There are currently around 48,000 Ukrainians in Austria, including children and older people as well as those of working age. “At the end of December, 17,235 Ukrainians were employed in Austria; before the outbreak of the war there were 5,363,” said Minister Kocher. In the past two years, around 12,000 Ukrainian refugees have not only found refuge but also work in Upper Austria.
Integration worked particularly well in Upper Austria. This is proven by figures presented by the responsible state councilor Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (VP) on Monday at the AMS Linz. Accordingly, three out of four Ukrainians are either employed in an Upper Austrian company or institution, or they are registered with the AMS. With the exception of those who are registered with the AMS, the employment rate is 61.3 percent (for comparison: the overall rate in Upper Austria is 77.2 percent). This rate is also “far above the Austrian average”, only the rate in Austria is higher Tyrol with 64.9 percent.
This is due to winter tourism, said Hattmannsdorfer. Structurally, the domestic labor market can be compared better with that in Lower Austria or Styria: “But these countries only have an employment rate of less than 30 percent for Ukrainians.”
Success thanks to “rapid measures”
In Upper Austria, most Ukrainians (608) work in the production of goods, followed by the tourism (533) and trade sectors (almost 400). Some would also work as teachers, social workers, software developers or doctors in Austria. 68 percent of all employed people are women.
The number of working Ukrainians in Austria is particularly impressive compared to other nationalities. After the outbreak of war, “measures were taken quickly to allow them to participate in the Austrian labor market,” said Labor Minister Martin Kocher. First, an “employment permit” was launched. As a result, the procedures only lasted a few days – not the usual several weeks. In addition, the refugees were advised by the AMS in their native language and in English and offered German courses. Ukrainians now have full access to the labor market. This is “crucial for the high employment rate,” said Markus Litzlbauer, deputy. State manager of the AMS Upper Austria.
The State Government’s “consistent course of commitment” also contributed to the success, emphasized the State Integration Council. Upper Austria is a model example because of the “combination of comprehensive offers and the mandatory AMS registration or participation in job exchanges”.
Verena Gabriel
