Austria’s weak economic performance continues to weigh on the labor market, with the unemployment rate rising to 7.1 percent, according to figures released Monday by the Social Affairs Ministry.
At the end of May, approximately 378,000 people in Austria were registered with the Public Employment Service (AMS) as unemployed or participating in training programs. That represents an increase of 0.8 percent compared with the same month last year. The unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage points year-over-year to 7.1 percent.
Fewer Immediately Available Job Openings
The number of immediately available vacancies registered with the AMS declined compared with the previous year. According to the ministry, the figure fell by 5.4 percent to around 79,000 openings at the end of May. However, the Job Monitor of the ÖVP Economic Association, which tracks online job portals, recorded approximately 167,000 open positions across Austria.
Labor and Social Affairs Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) called on businesses to give greater consideration to older workers. In a statement, Schumann said older job seekers should be given opportunities to re-enter the workforce, particularly during economically challenging times.
