Future investment: 157 young people start ferial internships in Lower Austria!

Future investment: 157 young people start ferial internships in Lower Austria!

Niederösterreich, Österreich - On July 8, 2025, the Governor of Lower Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, emphasizes the importance of ferial internships for schoolchildren, students and students. This year, 157 young people complete ferial internships in the Lower Austrian state service. These internships offer a valuable opportunity for professional orientation and enable interns to gain initial practical experience in the state administration. According to Mikl-Leitner, the participants can discover their strengths and get to know the processes of the administration, which not only benefits them, but also to the entire institution.

The ferial internships represent an important form of promoting young talent and are considered an investment in the future. Formers often choose a career in the state service. They bring fresh perspectives and relieve the employees in the facilities, creating a positive working atmosphere. Mikl-Leitner sees the summer internship program as a statement for responsibility and youth promotion, which is again underlined by awards at the Austrian Administrative Prize 2025, including the special prize of the student jury. In addition, the country was classified among the best employers in Austria, which illustrates the importance of such programs.

legal framework for ferial internships

In many federal states, students take advantage of ferial jobs or internships during the summer months. Employers are obliged to observe the legal framework for ferial work, internships and volunteers. A ferial internship is usually free of charge and is considered part of a school or university training that the intended training is pursued and does not count as an employment relationship. This means that no social security contributions are due, unless a remuneration is paid in which a registration with the ÖGK is required, as the [Federal Employment Agency] (https://www.usp.gv.at/aktuelles/ferialpraktika-und--und--und--und--und

Ferial work, on the other hand, represents a classic, limited employment relationship during the holiday season. This is subject to labor law and is subject to payment, which is why it is also necessary to register with the ÖGK. In contrast, a traineeship is defined as a voluntary, free activity for training purposes.

Special protective measures for young people

For young people under the age of 18, special regulations apply according to the Child and Young Department of Administration (KJBG). For example, you are not allowed to work between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. and are entitled to certain breaks. The legal regulations emphasize that under 15-year-olds are allowed to work for a maximum of 7 hours a day and 35 hours a week, while for young people from 15 years the limit is 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week.

Young interns are not entitled to payment or vacation, except for voluntary internships, where adequate remuneration can be required. In addition, the interns should be protected by statutory accident insurance during their time during their time. This also applies to the way to work, which strengthens the safety of young workers.