Austria to expand work permit to Ukrainians

The Austrian government has announced its decision to extend the eligibility of the Red-White-Red Card Plus to displaced persons from Ukraine, providing them and their employers with a longer-term perspective. ÖVP Labor Minister Martin Kocher and Social Affairs Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) revealed the agreement after the Council of Ministers.

Practically, this agreement ensures continued access to the labour market beyond the expiration of the current EU regulation in 2025. However, only Ukrainians who have worked for at least twelve months in the past two years can apply for the Red-White-Red Card Plus. 

Government data indicates that over 12,600 individuals from Ukraine have already integrated into the Austrian labour market since the onset of the war. Additionally, as of the end of February, 3,393 Ukrainians were registered with the AMS throughout Austria, with an additional 2,390 participating in AMS-sponsored training and further education programs. It’s estimated that 49,000 displaced persons of working age reside in Austria.

With these statistics in mind, the government anticipates that over 7,000 displaced Ukrainians in Austria will benefit from expanding the Red-White-Red Card Plus program, based on current projections.

READ ALSO: How entrepreneurs can get Austria‘s ‘Red-White-Red’ card for skilled non-EU workers

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New details emerge on Austria’s spy case

The case surrounding the arrest of former constitution protector Egisto Ott continues to reveal new information, ORF reported. Recent house searches conducted at Ott’s residences in Carinthia and Vienna have uncovered significant evidence, particularly concerning two SINA laptops—specially secured devices used by the Secret Service, potentially containing highly sensitive data.

At Ott’s primary residence in Paternion, Carinthia, a SINA laptop was discovered on a shelf in a workroom. At the same time, another device was found concealed in a kitchen baseboard at his apartment in Vienna-Leopoldstadt. Remarkably, one of the laptops was still in its original packaging, as detailed in an investigation report by AG Fama obtained by the APA.

The intentions behind Ott’s possession of these devices remain unclear, prompting forensic examination. Ott purportedly admitted awareness of five SINA laptops, with one allegedly located “abroad, but not in Russia.” Notably, one device belonged to “one of his employees,” while another was in possession of “a journalist in Austria.”

Previous suspicions suggested Ott’s involvement in selling a SINA laptop to the Russian secret service. Allegedly, the device was handed over in Vienna to individuals believed to be associated with the Russian domestic intelligence service FSB. These individuals reportedly transported the laptop to FSB headquarters in Moscow via Istanbul. The laptop likely contained confidential data from an EU country.

READ ALSO: Austria’s spy arrest puts Cold War spotlight back on Vienna

Record high company insolvencies in Austria

The General Creditors’ Association (AKV) has reported a significant increase in company insolvencies, reaching the highest figure in 15 years, ORF  reported. In the first quarter of this year alone, 1,091 company insolvencies were registered, marking a 35.01 percent rise compared to the same period last year.

According to the creditor protection organisation, the impact on larger, established companies with several hundred employees is of particular concern. These companies are increasingly affected by insolvency. The number of employees affected by insolvency surged by 63.95 percent to 5,294 individuals.

The liabilities incurred also saw a substantial increase, more than quadrupling to almost EUR 2.2 billion in the first quarter. This escalation is primarily attributed to further insolvencies within the Signa group.

Despite these challenges, approximately a quarter of the suspended proceedings saw restructuring plans agreed upon with creditors. The average restructuring plan ratio stood at 42.30 percent. In half of the cases, creditors received over 25 percent of their claims, while the remaining cases resulted in lower payments.

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