Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, millions of Ukrainians have been forced to seek refuge abroad. One of the countries that accepted a significant number of refugees was Austria. However, integration in the labor market remains a difficult task for many of them. Only 30% of Ukrainians living in Austria have official employment, which causes concern among local authorities.
According to a study commissioned by the Austrian Employment Service (AMS), only 30% of Ukrainians living in the country have official employment. The general director of the service, Johannes Kopf, expressed concern about the low level of employment of Ukrainians and called for more people to register as job seekers.
“It is good that the employment rates of Ukrainians in Austria have recently increased again, but we still cannot be satisfied with the employment rate of only about 30%. And still too few displaced persons have registered with the AMS as job seekers.” – said the general director of the service, Johannes Kopf.
According to official data, in 2024, about 81,000 citizens of Ukraine were registered in Austria, most of whom are women. However, only about 6,000 Ukrainians with the status of displaced persons are registered with the Employment Service, and 21,000 have official employment.
Ukrainians mainly work in the field of accommodation and catering, as well as in trade, mainly in Vienna. This suggests that many of them are forced to work in industries that do not always match their qualifications or experience. Problems faced by Ukrainians in finding employment include the language barrier, lack of recognition of Ukrainian diplomas and certificates, and lack of understanding of the Austrian labor market.
Improving the situation requires not only efforts from the Ukrainians themselves, but also support from the Austrian government and civil society. The number of integration programs should be increased, including language courses, vocational training and job search assistance. This will contribute not only to economic integration, but also to social adaptation of Ukrainians in Austria.
Ensuring decent employment conditions for Ukrainians in Austria is not only a matter of economic stability, but also of integration and adaptation in the new society. With the right approach, these difficulties can become an opportunity to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between the Ukrainian diaspora and Austrian society.
