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Tourism in Austria: Why the quota system needs to be reformed!
Walter Veit from the ÖHV calls for a reform of the seasonal worker quotas to combat the shortage of skilled workers in Austrian tourism.
Tourism in Austria: Why the quota system needs to be reformed!
In Austria, the tourism industry is facing a critical challenge: the planned increase in the seasonal contingent by 490 to a total of 4,985, announced by Economics Minister Dr. Martin Kocher and Tourism State Secretary Mag. Susanne Kraus-Winkler are met with massive criticism. In a statement, Walter Veit, President of the Austrian Hoteliers Association, expressed his strong opposition to the timing of this increase, which is due to come into force on January 1st: “Nobody really understands that!” The industry is facing an urgent shortage of staff, with a current number of 14,602 job vacancies. Veit is calling for a reform of the current quota system, which, in his opinion, is no longer up to date and is damaging Austrian tourism oehv.at reported.
The criticism is not only aimed at the number of quotas, but also at the comprehensive need to reform the labor market. Veit emphasizes that a demand-oriented opening of the labor market is essential. In the context of the stakeholder summit, he explains that the challenges in the tourism sector should not be viewed in isolation. “Everyone is in the same boat, every industry has concerns about young talent,” says Veit. With regard to the economic importance of tourism, he emphasizes that it contributed more than 10 billion euros to Austria's current account in 2019. A targeted approach to improving working conditions could be crucial here.
The need for comprehensive reform
“Quants don’t help, they only hurt,” Veit is quoted as saying. Increasing the seasonal quotas could further tighten the lid on an already problematic system. In January 2024, 15,550 jobs were unfilled in tourism, which means significant economic losses. Veit is therefore clearly in favor of abolishing quota caps, because it is checked on a case-by-case basis whether suitable applicants from Germany or the EU are available before third-country nationals are considered. It is also suggested that a regulation be made for the Western Balkans in order to better integrate the workforce there ots.at explained. A move towards a sustainable labor market strategy could not only revitalize the tourism industry, but also benefit the entire Austrian economy.