Carinthia starts second skilled workers offensive: IT professionals wanted!

Carinthia starts second skilled workers offensive: IT professionals wanted!

On May 16, 2025, Carinthia will start the second round of its international skilled workers offensive, a program that addresses the chronic shortage of skilled workers. Loud Click Carinthia The current call not only includes traditionally affected professional fields such as nursing, metal and electrical engineering, but now also urgently needed IT professions. This expansion came about due to the great need in the IT sector, which is crucial for economic development.

Applicants are recruited by the Trenkwalder Group, while onboarding is supervised by the Carinthian International Center (CIC). Jürgen Mandl, President of the Carinthian Chamber of Commerce, encourages companies to take part in this initiative, which aims to ensure long-term location security in Carinthia. Registrations are now possible via the platform www.carinthia.com/fachkraefte, with the submission deadline ending on June 27, 2025.

Financial framework conditions

The state of Carinthia covers a large part of the costs for the recruitment measures. Companies only have to contribute a personal contribution of 3,500 euros. This financial support is intended to create incentives and make it easier for companies to recruit sufficiently qualified personnel.

However, the problem of a shortage of skilled workers is not limited to Carinthia. According to the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ), 82% of Austrian companies report a shortage of skilled workers and workers. A strategic framework has been developed to address the challenges through targeted actions both domestically and internationally. This includes fields of action, focus countries and occupations in shortage, which will increase steadily over the period up to 2040.

Long-term perspectives

The WKÖ predicts a decline of 262,000 people of working age by 2040. 81 shortage occupations have already been defined for 2025, which increases the pressure on companies to effectively recruit new skilled workers. The International Skilled Workers Offensive (IFO) is an initiative specifically aimed at attracting qualified specialists from third countries. Particular attention is paid to the Western Balkans and selected countries in America and Asia.

The challenges arising from demographic change not only require the recruitment of suitable specialists from abroad, but also measures such as capacity building to support the countries from which these specialists come. This sustainable and ethical recruitment is intended to help avoid the problem of brain drain and support regional markets.

The progress in the international skilled workers offensive is intended not only to address the immediate shortage of skilled workers, but also to lay a sustainable basis for the future of the labor market in Carinthia. Companies have the chance to actively participate in this development and benefit from the country's support.