"Waiting dilemma"?

Calls for better integration of Ukrainians

The federal government's refugee coordinator, Andreas Achrainer, and AMS boss Johannes Kopf are putting pressure on the better integration of displaced Ukrainians in Austria. Many have not arrived on the labor market, the "inactivity trap" and the "classic waiting dilemma" are looming, they said on Monday.

According to Achrainer, around 110,000 people have come to Austria since the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine two years ago, with around 70,000 currently still in the country, 40,000 of whom are receiving basic services from the federal government or the provinces. Since then, the state has created many laws and regulations to make life easier for the people, but integration is still a problem.

I openly say that I am not really satisfied.

AMS-Chef Johannes Kopf

Kopf also saw it that way: "I openly say that I am not really satisfied," said the head of the labor market service. At present, 17,400 Ukrainians are fully insured, 3600 others are marginally employed. If you add children, the elderly, the disabled and the self-employed, that still leaves 15,000 to 20,000 people who are probably eligible for the labor market but don't appear there: "That's quite a lot."

Fear of losing basic services
In addition to the problems of language skills, childcare and the virulent recognition of training, particularly in the health and care sector, Kopf and Achrainer cited the displaced persons' fear of losing basic services as a problem. Although the possibility of flexible additional income had been created, one of the main problems, according to Achrainer, was federalism: Carinthia, Lower Austria and Salzburg had not yet implemented this, while others lacked the information or an online calculation tool.

Permanent residence permit required
Achrainer cited the status of displaced persons as a further obstacle, which is only extended for one year at a time from March to March. A permanent residence permit is therefore needed. Kopf saw positive signals from the federal government for this prospect of staying as soon as the labor market has been established for a certain period of time. He was less confident about his well-known demand to transfer people to the social welfare system, where there would then also be an obligation to cooperate. The head of the AMS regretted that there was no parliamentary majority for this.