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HEALTH

More pay and longer holidays: How Austria hopes to attract 75,000 new nurses

The Federal Government unveiled a package looking to attract more than 75,000 new workers to the nursing and care professions - including people from abroad.

Austria is experiencing a shortage of nurses. Photo by Luis Melendez on Unsplash
Austria is experiencing a shortage of nurses and doctors. Photo by Luis Melendez on Unsplash

Austria has unveiled a €1 billion reform package to improve working conditions for health sector professionals.

In a press release this Thursday, Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) said that the package would include higher salaries for nurses.

“There will be massive measures to make the nursing profession more attractive”, the minister said.

For 2022 and 2023, the government will offer a total of €520 million as a monthly salary bonus for the professionals, Rauch said. This should last initially for at least two years until other measures start taking effect.

Training for the career will also receive investments, according to the minister. There will be a federal training subsidy of at least €600 per month.

In addition, a nursing scholarship for those switching (or switching back) to the nursing profession of up to €1,400 will be funded by the Austrian Employment Agency AMS.

READ ALSO: Everything foreigners need to know about the Austrian healthcare system

As a measure to protect workers and keep them from turning to other professions, the government explained that all those older than 43 years old will receive an extra week of paid holidays. Additionally, all employees in inpatient long-term care will receive two hours of time credit per night shift.

​​Among the more than 20 measures that the Ministry will detail in the coming days are steps to increase help for those in need of care and of relatives that care for their families, according to the statements given in the press release.

Caring relatives will receive a family bonus of €1,500 per year if they provide most of the care at home and are themselves insured or co-insured. The employment in 24-hour care is also to be “made more attractive” – but details are still pending.

Bringing in international help

The government is also turning outside of Austria and the European Union to attract more professionals.

In the future, nurses who complete vocational training will receive “significantly more” points in the process to access the so-called Rot Weiss Rot (RWR) residence permit. They will also increase the points given for older professionals, facilitating the entry of nurses from 40 to 50 years old.

RWR applicants need to reach a certain threshold of points based on criteria including age and education to get the permit.

READ ALSO: How Austria is making it easier for non-EU workers to get residence permits

The recognition of training acquired abroad will be significantly simplified, accelerated and debureaucratised, the government promises. And nurses will be able to work as nursing assistants until the formal recognition of their foreign qualifications is completed.

Long-needed reform

“People in care work have long deserved these improvements”, Rauch said.

The government expects the package to create more than 75,000 new workers to fill the thousands of open positions in the sector by 2030.

Green Party leader Sigrid Maurer stated that the measures will be an essential step towards gender equality. “After all, it is mainly women who work in the care professions, especially taking care of relatives at home”.

READ ALSO: Austria’s former health minister becomes best-selling author

The government announcement comes as several protests are scheduled to take place throughout Austria this Thursday, which is also Tag der Pflege (Day of Care).

Health and care sector professionals are taking to the streets to demand better hours and pay and protest against staff shortage, overload, and burn-out.

“We have been calling for better conditions and better pay for years. Thousands of beds are now empty because we don’t have enough staff. In Styria, about 3,000 of a total of 13,000 beds in the nursing sector are currently closed,” Beatrix Eiletz, head of the works council of Styrian Volkshilfe told the daily Der Standard.

READ ALSO: How Covid absences are disrupting Austrian hospitals, schools and transport

It is not uncommon that nurses will quit their jobs and move to completely different professions, thereby increasing the gap, the report added.

The problem is an old one in Austria – but it has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

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VISAS

How easy is it to retire to Austria?

Although Spain or Italy might have beaches and sun, Austria has plenty to offer someone looking for a place to spend their Golden Years. And while it's not the easiest place to retire to, it's still well within reach for many.

How easy is it to retire to Austria?

For EU nationals, retiring in Austria is fairly straightforward. You just need to register as a resident and complete some other paperwork, but you won’t need a visa or residence permit.

The process is even relatively simple for non-EU nationals – as there is a type of retirement visa. You will need to renew it relatively frequently though.

The reasons are also relatively clear – with plenty of opportunities to enjoy an active lifestyle with easy access to skiiing, hiking and fresh mountain air, while at the same time partaking in the high culture of the country’s opera houses, coffee houses, and more – Austria is a natural choice for many potential retirees.

it also boasts excellent services – from health care to public transport, and its central location in Europe can also make it a great place to explore from.

READ ALSO: Five reasons to retire to Austria

What visa and residence permit do I need?

If you’re from a non-EU country such as the UK, USA, or Canada you can travel to Austria for up to three months without a visa and apply for your residence permit within three months of arriving in Austria. If you are from a country that doesn’t have visa-free travel with the EU, you will need to apply for a visa first and then your residence permit when you get to Austria.

The visa and residence permit you need to apply for is a “Settlement permit – gainful employment excluded”. This particular permit is popular with retirees as it allows people to live in Austria, but not to work.

There are some downsides, however. For one, Austria has a quote that limits the number of these permits that are given out each year. Second, the permit lasts for only a year and thus has to be renewed regularly. After five years of continuous residence in Austria, you can apply for permanent residence.

EXPLAINED: Do your pension contributions abroad count in Austria?

Self-employment – even if working for a company that’s based abroad – is not allowed under this permit. All your income must come from passive sources. These can include foreign pensions, rental income, or investment income. Singles must make at least €2,220.52 and couples a combined €3,503.12 per month from these passive income sources to qualify for this permit.

If you have dependent children – for example, perhaps grandchildren you may be taking care of full-time – you’ll need to have an additional €342.62 per child.

You’ll also need to prove that you have German skills at the A1 level. Luckily, this is the most basic level.

COMPARED: How to get a visa to settle in either Germany or Austria for retirement 

What healthcare arrangements will I need to have in place?

When applying for a settlement permit for Austria, you’ll need to show that you have health insurance that covers you for at least €30,000 in costs. This is typically done through a private plan.

Once your residency is confirmed, you’re eligible then to enrol with Austrian public health insurance, typically through the ÖGK fund. You can, of course, retain additional private health insurance on top of this. But all residents of Austria mush have public insurance – with your payments calculated as a proportion of your income.

READ ALSO: What kind of insurance do I need to have in Austria?

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