Ex-minister helps

New company wants to bring Filipinos into the country

The Filipinos would be of particular help to Austria in the catering and care sectors.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com, Krone KREATIV)

Does Austria need more foreign workers? Urgently, says not least WKO President Harald Mahrer. A new company from Klosterneuburg (Lower Austria) has now set itself the task of bringing Filipinos to Austria and training them in the care and catering sectors. A former minister is also on board.

The concept of the company "Bisonders" aims to bring skilled workers from the Philippines to Austria. The aim is to relieve the pressure on the crisis areas of care and catering in particular. The motivation behind it: "Creating a win-win situation. It's simply a great thing for both sides."

They are all super eager to learn, full of drive and motivated.

Unternehmer Gerhard Schaller zur „Krone“

The idea is no coincidence. From 1973 to 1985, around 400 Filipino nurses came to Austria as part of a program. In the fall of 2023, Austria paved the way for a new agreement. The federal government agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government in Manila. The Philippines is the first country with which Austria is launching such an agreement. It is intended to counteract the shortage of skilled workers.

"Bisonder" name

The partner agency for "Bisonders" is the company "BISON" in the Philippines, which has already placed 48,000 skilled workers worldwide (many in Germany).

Bachelor's degree and English
This is one of the reasons why entrepreneur and company founder Gerhard Schaller chose Filipino workers of all people. They are also "all super eager to learn, full of drive and motivated", as Schaller emphasizes to the "Krone" newspaper. "The applicants all have a great education and speak English as a second mother tongue."

Helps her husband in the company: Former minister Sophie Karmasin (ÖVP)

(Bild: APA/Roland Schlager)

A new start for Sophie Karmasin
According to the "Krone" newspaper, former ÖVP minister Sophie Karmasin - the wife of the company founder - is also on board. For Karmasin, who hit the headlines in the course of the investigations against former ÖVP Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and even spent almost a month in pre-trial detention, this is probably a new start to her career. She is working as an employee in the company, reports an industry insider. Karmasin's appeal hearing is scheduled for March 6. The former family minister considers herself innocent.

Especially in the catering and care sectors, Austria would be helped by the Filipinos.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com, Krone KREATIV)

Flight and German course are paid for
The company has already submitted several Red-White-Red cards for approval. One customer has been given the green light so far. So the first Filipino will soon be starting work - as a chef in the "am roan" restaurant in the Vienna Woods. The employer will cover the costs of the flight and the German course - "Bisonders" is to receive around 25 percent of the annual gross salary of the skilled worker placed, according to insiders. This is not officially confirmed.

Responsibility lies with the company
However, the company also has a great deal of responsibility, as Schaller explains: "If anything goes wrong, we are the ones who will solve the problems." The Philippine authorities have high requirements and quality standards. This may be why Austria has signed an agreement with the Philippines of all countries. It remains to be seen how many will come this time ...