430,000 without a job

Unemployment rises again in February

The unemployment rate at the end of February was 8.1 percent (symbolic image).(Bild: Diverse Fotografen honorarfrei)

The weakening economy is causing unemployment to rise. At the end of February, almost 430,000 people were registered as unemployed or in training with the Public Employment Service Austria (AMS). This is an increase compared to the previous year.

According to the Ministry of Labor, the figures have been rising since April 2023. At the end of February, the unemployment rate was 8.1 percent. 347,424 people were registered as unemployed, 82,516 in training. Almost 8,000 of them are looking for an apprenticeship. That is more than the number of apprenticeship vacancies (7616).

Compared to the same month last year, there are more unemployed people in the production of goods and industry, health and social services, trade, catering and accommodation, as well as transport and warehousing. Job vacancies fell by 11.1 percent compared to the previous year.

Unemployment has risen in detail.

Government announces more money for AMS
Insolvencies such as those of KTM, Kika/Leiner and Palmers would lead to massive waves of redundancies, said the Vienna Chamber of Labor in a press release. Looking at different groups, it is mainly women, people with a migration background and under 25-year-olds who are unemployed. 

In a comparison of federal states, Upper Austria, Salzburg and Tyrol saw the biggest increases in February, with the overall unemployment rate highest in Vienna at 12.4 percent.

Unemployment rate by province:

"The new federal government has announced that it will provide the AMS with significantly more budget to combat unemployment. This is an important first step," said AMS boss Johannes Kopf.

Among other things, the social partners called for an "offensive for employment" and a fight against unemployment among women and young people. The ÖVP business association, on the other hand, is in favor of tax-free bonuses, preferential overtime and making it easier to work in old age.