Austria : Job market

What are my chances of getting a job?

Despite the recession of 2008/9, Austria is faring reasonably well as compared to other European countries. As a result, there are still areas of growth and job opportunities. The sectors employing the most people are manufacturing, the wholesale and retail trade, healthcare, social work and construction. More detailed information about the labour market is available from EURES - European Job Mobility Portal .

• Typical problems encountered: Austrian graduates are generally older than their UK counterparts - more than half are over 25 when they graduate - so they may be seen by employers as being more mature. Austrian employers usually look for graduates with relevant degrees. Arts and social science graduates may find it more difficult than others to find graduate employment.
• How to improve your chances: a relevant specialist qualification or work experience before you apply for a job will make you more attractive to employers. A good grounding in German is vital. Knowledge of an East European language is an asset.
• Language requirements: the vast majority of the Austrian population are German-speaking. Although English is widely used in business, a sound knowledge of German is virtually essential for any type of employment in Austria, except perhaps for teaching English or for au pair positions. If you have only spoken ‘high German’ before, it may take a while to adjust to the Austrian dialect and accent. Some words are different from those you may have learnt, but this is not a major obstacle. In some provinces Slovenian, Croatian and Hungarian are also spoken. Slovenian is an official language in the province of Carinthia, while Croatian and Hungarian are official languages in the province of Burgenland. Visit Campus Austria for an overview of accredited language schools in Austria.

Where can I work?

• Major industries: manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and domestic appliances, real estate, commerce and service industries, construction, health, social work, tourism (especially winter sports), communications.
• Recent growth areas: electronics and electrical engineering; fields dealing with operating systems and IT.
• Industries in decline: telecommunications.
• Shortage occupations: people skilled in the interface between business and technology are in demand and there is also a shortage of skilled manual workers in all fields.
• Major companies: Spar Österreich Group, Rewe Austria, Trenkwalder International AG , Austrian Federal Railways, Voest Alpine AG, Wienerberger, OMV, Red Bull, Swarovski, Doppelmayr. The majority of companies in Austria are small or medium sized.
• Search for more companies: Kompass is a worldwide business directory searchable by country and product/service. Herold (Austrian Yellow Pages)  has a searchable database of companies in Austria. The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber has an A-Z of companies. Advice is also available from the Austro-British Chamber .
• Major cities: Vienna (capital), Klagenfurt, Graz and Innsbruck.

What’s it like working in Austria?

• Average working hours: usually eight hours a day with a legal maximum of 40 hours a week.
• Holidays: employees are entitled to 25 days' leave per calendar year.
• Average graduate starting salary: €24,000-€30,000 a year.
• Tax rates: individual income tax is currently (2008) set at 21%-50%, depending on your income.
• Working practices and customs: the business culture is relatively formal. A smart but unostentatious appearance is expected, formal titles are used and punctuality is very important. For more detailed information, see Kwintessential Etiquette Guides .