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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.

Published: 12 May 2022 10:34 CEST
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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HEALTH INSURANCE

How can I get an appointment with a physiotherapist in Austria?

If you are recovering from an injury, experiencing pain, or simply aiming to improve your physical function, visiting a physiotherapist is a good idea. Here is what you need to know about physiotherapy in Austria.

Published: 23 April 2024 11:02 CEST
How can I get an appointment with a physiotherapist in Austria?

Physiotherapy can be the key to improving mobility, managing pain, recovering from injuries, and optimising overall physical function. Many people will need such services at some point in their lives.

If you need a physiotherapist in Austria, you can choose between going to one who is contracted with your insurance company (Therapeut mit Kassenvertrag) or to a so-called elective therapist (Wahltherapeut). For both options, you will need a referral from a general practitioner, such as your family doctor (Hausarzt), if you want to access the service for free (with your e-card) or get a reimbursement for your treatment.

Physiotherapy through your health insurance company

If you want to go to a physiotherapist without having to pay for it, you can try to find a suitable physiotherapist who is contracted with your insurance company. 

Physiotherapy is free of charge if your therapist is contracted with large public insurance companies such as the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK), Insurance Institution for Public Employees, Railways and Mines (BVAEB) or Social Insurance Institution for the Self-Employed (SVS).

These insurance companies settle directly with their contracted therapists and you do not need to pay anything out of pocket. However, accessing this kind of free treatment can sometimes be hard, as those with the most urgent needs are prioritised, which can result in long waiting times for appointments. 

Here you can find a list of physiotherapists who work privately but still have a contract with ÖGK, sorted by regions within Austria.

Physiotherapist of your choice

If you want to go to a therapist that is not contracted with your insurance company, you initially have to pay for the treatment yourself.

Once your treatment is completed and the treatment costs have been paid in full, you can apply to your health insurance company for reimbursement by submitting your confirmation of payment. Here you can find information on which other documents you may need to submit.

However, you will not be reimbursed the full amount. For example, with ÖGK, you usually receive about 80% of what contracted physiotherapists would get from ÖGK. If you are insured with SVS and BVAEB, the percentage is similar.

If you have another type of insurance, such as a private one, it is a good idea to check with them what their specific insurance covers.

Going to a physiotherapist can improve your quality of life. Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Where do I find a suitable therapist?

There are plenty of ways to find the right physiotherapist that fits your needs. Sometimes your family doctor may have a recommendation, or perhaps a friend can suggest one. If you prefer to explore on your own and consider more options, you can search for a therapist online.

Websites such as physioaustria offer useful search functions where you can find therapists based on specific criteria, such as specialisation or insurance contracts. You might also find physiotherapie.at helpful for your search.

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

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