421,207 looking for a job

Unemployment rises slightly again

The Public Employment Service also recorded more training participants.(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Unemployment in Austria rose slightly again in January. At the end of the month, 421,207 people were looking for a job. The unemployment rate currently stands at 8.1%.

At the end of the previous year, it was still 7.8 percent. Specifically, 343,828 people were unemployed in January and 77,379 were taking part in AMS training measures.

"Unemployment has therefore risen slightly compared to the previous year, by 31,148 people. This is due to the weaker economic momentum than in the previous year. At the same time, the number of training participants increased by 4,451 people," commented Minister of Labor and Economic Affairs Martin Kocher (ÖVP) on the figures presented on Thursday.

There was a particularly strong increase in unemployment and training participants year-on-year in Upper Austria (+12.8 percent), Styria (+9.9 percent) and Vorarlberg (+9.2 percent). However, unemployment increased in all federal states. 

Particularly strong increase among academics
The highest increase in unemployed persons and AMS training participants by sector was recorded in the health and social services sector at 16.2 percent, followed by goods production (+13.8 percent), accommodation and food services (+8.3 percent), transportation and warehousing (+8 percent) and trade (+7.8 percent). The comparatively lowest increases were recorded in temporary employment (+6.9 percent) and construction (+6.6 percent).

There was a particularly sharp rise in unemployment among people with academic qualifications (+17 percent), foreign nationals (+14.7 percent) and young people under 25 (+11.5 percent).

Kocher underlines positive trend among long-term unemployed
Kocher noted the positive trend in long-term unemployment (jobseekers for longer than one year). This had peaked in April 2021 at 148,436 people and has almost halved since then.