In 2024, there was an increase of 1.8 percent in assignments to civil service compared to the previous year. Higher values were only recorded in 2016 and 2017. The annual balance shows a demand coverage of 90.7 percent (plus one) for this year. "In 2025, our civil servants will be a supporting pillar and helping hand for the professionals in the nursing and social sector," said the responsible State Secretary Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP) in a press release.

Rescue Services Most Popular Area of Deployment

According to Plakolm, civil servants also do good work in the rescue service, at the fire department, as "listeners and storytellers and much more". The most popular area of deployment was again the rescue service (29.3 percent), followed by social and disability aid (26.25) and elderly care (11.72). Vienna has the most assignments with 3,400 (22.8 percent). This is followed by Upper Austria with 3,031 (20.4 percent) and Lower Austria with 2,377 (16.0). Burgenland has the fewest assignments with 453 or 3 percent.

50 Years of Civil Service: 344 Men Started in 1975

On January 1, the civil service is meanwhile celebrating a round birthday. In 1975, 50 years ago, the Civil Service Act came into force. Back then, the rush was still manageable. "The civil service is a goosebump story that started in 1975 with 344 brave young men," Plakolm recalled. The total number of assignments now stands at 439,805. "50 years ago, we made the right decision to establish the military replacement service," the State Secretary rejoiced on the anniversary.

The Civil Service Study 2024 shows a "positive effect" of 1.8 billion euros. Subtracting the costs, there are still 1.5 billion in economic effects. The abolition of the civil service would mean additional costs of 500 million euros for volunteering, calculated the Federal Chancellery.

(APA/Red)

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