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Today in Austria: A round up of the latest news on Thursday

Find out what's going on today in Austria with The Local's short roundup of the news.

Alps in Tyrol
JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

No ‘large wave’ of layoffs expected, says Labor Minister

ÖVP’s Labor Minister Martin Kocher does not expect a “large wave of layoffs” after the end of the current short-time working phase on June 30th, broadcaster ORF reports.

Companies also use short-time working beyond the current phase 4, said Kocher in an APA interview after his first 100 days in office.

By autumn, he expects 100,000 people to be on short-time work, compared to the most recent figure of 487,000 people.

The Ministry of Labor and Finance as well as the union and the Chamber of Commerce will soon have to agree on a new short-time working model.

Talks with the top representatives of the social partners are planned for next week, and the new model will be revealed in  May. 

Long waiting times for vaccination registration in Lower Austria

There have been complaints about long waiting times for vaccination registration in Lower Austria, broadcaster ORF reports.

Many complained about being on hold for hours with thousands of people on the online platform.

Death count nears grim milestone of 10,000

Almost 10,000 people have died since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in Austria as a result of a coronavirus infection.

The Ministry of the Interior and Health Ministry reported 9,997 deaths on Wednesday, Wiener Zeitung newspaper reports. 

In addition, 600,089 infections have already been registered, meaning 6.7 percent of Austrians have been infected with the virus.

There are still over 2,000 Covid 19 patients in hospital treatment.  The seven-day incidence is 178.5 cases per 100,000 population. 

Council to meet to extend unemployment benefit and support artists

Austria’s National Council will meet today to increase  the temporary increase in emergency aid to the level of unemployment benefit by the end of June and release a further €20 million from the Covid-19 bridging fund for self-employed artists.

The National Council is expected to enable Vienna magistrates to prosecute FPÖ club chairman Herbert Kickl after he took part in a coronavirus demonstration. According to the magistrate, Kickl violated distance and mask rules, which could attract a fine of up to €500, broadcaster ORF reports. 

Long time unemployment rise 

The number of long-term unemployed people has quadrupled in Austria in the past decade, with 146,471 people currently out of a job for more than a year, Wiener Zietung newspaper reports.

The outlet says half of the people who have not found a job for a long time only have a compulsory school certificate, according to  an evaluation by the AMS and 42 percent are over 50 years old.

A study by Vienna University of Economics points to a rise in automation as a possible cause. 

Interest rates ‘looming’ according to media reports

Interest rates rises are looming in Austria according to Die Presse newspaper.

The newspaper says comparison portal Durchblicker says it is seeing early indicators of the rise in fixed interest rates and quotes managing director Reinhold Baudisch saying the phase of low interest rates is “slowly but surely over”. 

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WORKING IN AUSTRIA

First steps: What to do when searching for a new job in Austria

Whether you have just arrived in Austria or have worked here before but are now unemployed, this is how you should start your job search.

First steps: What to do when searching for a new job in Austria

Austria is known for its welfare or social system, and even people who do not have a job can receive assistance – but the full entitlement depends on factors such as previous work in the country, for example. 

If you are moving to Austria or have lost your job, there are tools you can use to help you get into the labour market again – especially with the help of the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS). Here’s what you need to know.

Registering as unemployed

The first step is registering as an unemployed job seeker with the AMS. It’s not a mandatory step, but the AMS can give you professional counselling from a personal advisor. You can also be recommended courses and get job adverts that fit your profile. 

A person can register as an unemployed job seeker with the AMS regardless of any entitlement to a benefit from the unemployment insurance scheme, so even if you have just arrived in Austria. Here’s a list of the regional offices of the AMS.

READ ALSO: Unemployment benefits in Austria: Who is eligible and how much can you get?

If you are entitled to unemployment benefits (for that, you need to have contributed to the social system in Austria), then you must register with the AMS by the first day of unemployment. If you register online before the start of unemployment, you have ten days after the start of unemployment to confirm the registration at an AMS office in person. 

Even if you are not at first entitled to benefits from the unemployment insurance scheme, some circumstances may entitle you to several forms of help from the agency. 

This is why it is recommended that you reach out to the AMS regardless of your situation.

AMS’s chatbot

Austria’s AMS also recently launched a new AI bot that usesChatGPT technology – and information from AMS – to help people looking for jobs and training in Austria, as The Local reported.

The bot uses ChatGTP knowledge and AMS’s sources to help users. It can also ask further questions to get specifics on each case, creating a dialogue and exchange of information.

The bot can give answers on training, salary, careers, visas, and more to anyone asking questions. It also provides links to the pages with the source information – all in whichever language you choose to interact with it. 

READ ALSO: How useful is Austria’s new AI tool for foreign job-seekers?

Looking for jobs

Besides the assistance of your advisor at the AMS, you can also use the agency’s job search tool to find employment. Several positions are advertised there, especially for service and trade jobs. It’s possible to narrow down the search based on work hours, place of work and state, among others.

READ ALSO: Six official websites to know if you’re planning to work in Austria

Besides the official site, people in Austria also use other ways of finding jobs online, including websites like LinkedIn and even posts on FB Groups (though be careful with false advertisements if you are in doubt when it comes to employment and work contracts, you can always reach out to your local Chamber of Labour).

In Austria, two sites are also popular among job seekers: Karriere.at and Xing.com. You can also use sites with classified ads such as Der Standard or Willhaben, for example. The Local has a page with English-language jobs in Austria as well.

It’s often common to find jobs through personal contacts in Austria, where the “friendship culture” is prevalent. 

READ ALSO: What is the ‘friendship economy’ in Austria and how does it work?

Even the official government website says, “Personal contacts should also not be ignored when it comes to successful job placement. It can be very helpful to ask around among family, friends and acquaintances for vacancies.

“The more people who know about the job search, the greater the chance of success”, it added.

You will also need to prepare a CV and, depending on the job, even a motivational letter – your AMS advisor can typically help adapt and write both documents. 

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