355,000 without a job

Unemployment rises again in September

(Bild: Nitschmann, Hans-Joachim - stock.adobe.com)

Due to the economic recession, there is no improvement in unemployment in sight: at the end of September, 354,665 people were registered as unemployed or in training with the Public Employment Service Austria (AMS). Compared to the same month last year, this represents an increase of more than ten percent. 

At the end of September, 279,730 people were unemployed and 74,935 were taking part in AMS training measures. This is 33,905 more people than in September of the previous year. The unemployment rate increased by 0.6 percentage points to 6.6 percent.

No end to the negative trend in sight
"Unfortunately, neither the economic forecast nor the rise in unemployment figures or job vacancies indicate an imminent upturn," said AMS Director Petra Draxl in a statement.

Largest increase in the goods production/industry sector 
At the end of September, the largest year-on-year increase in the number of unemployed people and people undergoing AMS training was recorded in the manufacturing/industry sector (+17 percent), transportation and warehousing (+12.3 percent), construction (+12 percent), trade (+11.9 percent) and catering and accommodation (+11.2 percent). The increase in unemployment was slightly lower in temporary employment (+7.4 percent) and health and social work (+7.2 percent).

Fewer vacancies
The shrinking economy in Austria is also making itself felt on the job market. At the end of September, just under 91,568 vacancies were registered as immediately available at the Public Employment Service, a drop of around 14% compared to the same month last year. The ÖVP-Wirtschaftsbund records all job portals in its job monitor and recorded over 161,400 vacancies. The number of employees in this country fell slightly by 0.2% or 8,000 people to 3.977 million.