According to Minister of Economic Affairs Martin Kocher (ÖVP), the shortage of personnel across Europe will remain a major challenge for a long time to come. To combat it, qualified immigration and functioning childcare are needed, among other things.
“Focusing on the quality of the location, not only in terms of investment and the tax on capital, but also on the tax on labor and how attractive the rules are, that will be the big challenge for the next ten years for the next governments. 15 years,” said Minister of Economic Affairs Martin Kocher (ÖVP) in an interview with the APA. “The right incentives are needed to find work quickly once you have become unemployed.” At the time, however, the minister admitted that the planned unemployment insurance reform had failed. Unemployment benefits would have been envisaged that would gradually decrease. However, when it comes to additional income, you should take a closer look in the future. Kocher can also imagine that the marginal income limit of 485.85 euros per month will be abolished.
keep older people in the labor market
Incentives are currently being sought to keep older people in the labor market longer, says Kocher. On further measures to combat the shortage of personnel, the Minister of Economic Affairs stated: “It is about better qualifications (…), it is about the compatibility of family and work, especially childcare, it is about the elderly and health care , to immigrate from the European Union and beyond, for example with the Red-White-Red Card.”
This year 7442 red-white-red cards have been issued, in October and November applications and approvals increased compared to the previous year (after a reform came into force, note). According to Kocher, qualified immigration is necessary to maintain economic growth and prosperity.
caregivers are missing
The shortage of labor has increased, partly because the baby boomers are retiring and weaker cohorts are on the way. Politicians must respond to this on many levels. Since 70,000 nursing staff will be missing in Austria by the end of the decade, attention will be paid to this in the coming year. “Next year we will create the conditions for a pilot project on nursing education, which will be taken up by several states. That means that you can then follow a three- or four-year training to become a nursing assistant.”
A nursing grant will also take effect on 1 January 2023. “For anyone who retrains from unemployment into care, there is a guaranteed minimum rate of 1,400 euros that you will receive if you are unemployed,” explains Kocher.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
