In March, the number of unemployed men decreased for the first time since the beginning of 2023. However, there was an increase in unemployment among women. "Overall, the rise in unemployment has slowed and is currently increasing by 0.9 percent, but the announced trend reversal was halted by the war in the Middle East," said AMS board member Petra Draxl. Unemployment numbers decreased in construction, as well as in the hotel and catering industries.

400,561 registered as unemployed or in training with AMS

At the end of March, 400,561 people were registered as unemployed or in training with the Public Employment Service (AMS), which corresponds to an increase of 3,488 people compared to the same month last year, the AMS announced in a press release on Wednesday. The unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 7.5 percent. The number of unemployed and training participants decreased in the hotel and catering sector (-3.2 percent), construction (-2.7 percent), and temporary employment (-1.6 percent). There was an increase in unemployment in the health and social sector (+10.6 percent), trade (+4.6 percent), and manufacturing (+0.9 percent).

A decline in unemployed and training participants was recorded at the end of March in Carinthia (-4 percent), as well as in Vienna and Upper Austria (each -0.6 percent). The highest increase was recorded in Lower Austria (+5 percent), followed by Vorarlberg (+4.3 percent) and Styria and Burgenland (each +3 percent). The increase in unemployed and training participants was significantly lower in Tyrol (+0.6 percent) and Salzburg (+0.5 percent).

"Given the tense global political situation, rising oil prices, and revised economic forecasts, it is probably no wonder that no clear trend is emerging in the labor market at the moment," commented AMS board member Draxl on the current labor market data. Labor Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) pointed to the positive development in the employment of older people from her perspective. "We need to create the framework conditions so that working longer remains attractive and possible," Schumann explained in a press release. At the same time, "companies must be held accountable to hire and retain older people in the workforce."

Job Monitor: More than 163,000 open positions

The weak economic development is also reflected in job advertisements. The immediately available open positions reported by companies to the AMS decreased by 8.8 percent compared to the same month last year, to 74,500. However, there are more available jobs overall. The ÖVP Economic Association records all job portals in its job monitor and noted over 163,000 open positions.

(APA/Red)

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