Unemployment in Austria: Alarming figures in May 2025!

Unemployment in Austria: Alarming figures in May 2025!

The current labor market situation in Austria is proving to be challenging at the end of May 2025. Loud OTS Unemployment rose by 23,100 people or 8.5% compared to the previous year. This results in a registered unemployment rate of 6.9%, an increase of 0.5 percentage points compared to May 2024. The total number of unemployed people and AMS training participants is also around 375,347, which represents an increase of 24,196 people or 6.9%.

The increase in unemployment is particularly noticeable among women, who are affected above average at 10.5%. Men recorded an increase of 6.9%. Youth unemployment is also rising disproportionately by 10.9%. At the same time, there is an increase in immediately available apprenticeship seekers at the AMS of 17.8%, which corresponds to 1,089 additional people. This could indicate a growing challenge in the training landscape.

Long-term unemployed and shortage of skilled workers

The number of long-term unemployed people who have been registered with the AMS for at least a year has increased to around 91,000, which corresponds to an increase of 9,500 or 12%. This group is particularly affected by the current economic conditions. At the same time, there was an increase in unemployment among people with foreign citizenship of 9.8% and among nationals of 7.6%.

The employment forecast for employed people shows stability at 3,965,000 people, which is 2,000 more than in May 2024. The proportion of active employed people is 3,904,000, which means a slight increase of 4,000 people or 0.1%. In particular, there was an increase of 1.1% in the 50+ employment group, highlighting the need to make better use of the potential of older workers. Labor and Social Affairs Minister Korinna Schumann emphasizes the importance of projects such as “Aktion 55Plus”, which is intended to integrate older, long-term unemployed people into the labor market from 2026.

Access to vacancies and future developments

The job placements through the AMS represent an important part of the labor market. Reports of vacancies come from companies to the regional offices of the AMS, whereby the regional allocation is based on the place of work. The shortage of skilled workers poses a challenge, as 62% of companies report a significant shortage, particularly in skilled trades. This could endanger the stability of the labor market in the future.

Predictions for future developments are also worrying. The unemployment rate is expected to rise to 6.5 to 6.7% in 2025. Historically, the average unemployment rate in 2023 was 6.4% according to national definition, with a national total of around 271,000 unemployed people. These developments point to the need to initiate appropriate measures to stabilize and promote employment. Statista provides a detailed analysis of the labor market in Austria and also sheds light on questions relating to job hunting and employment.