Job Search Difficulties – Where immigrants face difficulties in the labor market

On average, it takes a year and a half for migrants to find a job. Figures have been analyzed for people mainly from third countries, in particular from Bosnia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, Afghanistan, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Russia, Syria and Romania. and the similar Ukraine, which came to Austria a maximum of fifteen years ago. Ukrainians have the highest level of education: more than 50 percent are academics. One in three people from Northwest Africa also has a university degree. Afghans and Turks, on the other hand, are rather poorly qualified here; more than half have only a maximum of compulsory education, and more than 40 percent of Syrians.

But this is not necessarily reflected in the job search. At 85 percent, Ukrainians are most likely to say it is difficult or impossible to find a job; Romanians and Turks find this easiest. Overall, Serbs and Bosnians are the most likely to find a job (see graph), and they also come to Austria mainly as labor migrants with the clear aim of a better-paid job. Syrians, on the other hand, are largely refugees and only look for work later. In some cases, they are de facto denied access to the labor market due to ongoing asylum procedures.

After six years, only one in two immigrants still has work
However, often the problem is not even getting your first job, but rather anchoring yourself in the workplace. After six years, about half of migrants are unemployed, although many have worked up to this point, sometimes for a short period. Alarmingly, three-quarters of Syrians in the federal capital Vienna live on a minimum income.

But what are the reasons why many migrants do not find it so easy to find work? Knowledge of German is often mentioned. But the Integration Fund’s research shows that knowledge of German does not seem to be the biggest obstacle: two-thirds with little knowledge of German have already been able to gain professional experience in Austria. Nevertheless, a better knowledge of German clearly increases your chances on the labor market.

According to ÖIF expert Keri Hartmann, the following factors are more important than language skills:

• Childcare: When foreign families live in Austria, there is sometimes a lack of suitable childcare, resulting in at least one parent staying at home.
• Gender: Women are less likely to be active in the labor market. This also has to do with history. Less than 40 percent of Afghan women were employed before moving to Austria. One reason for this is also the social roles in Islamic countries.
• Education level: This can have an impact in both directions. While many asylum seekers who have no more than a mandatory school diploma are only suitable for low-wage sectors, some immigrants, for example from Ukraine, are even overqualified.
• Place of residence: Most refugees move to Vienna, but the career opportunities there are often not optimal because the requirements do not match the immigrants’ education. Refugees living in Vienna are almost 15 percentage points less likely to live in Austria than in the rest of Austria.
• Lack of social contacts: Refugees or migrant workers from third countries often lack the social network to quickly integrate into society. The labor market would actually be the most important lever here; accession is crucial in this case.

Ukrainians are well qualified, but often not for the long term in Austria
There are special features regarding the Ukrainian displaced persons. The numbers here must sometimes be viewed with caution, as many of them have only recently come to Austria. In addition to the exceptionally good qualifications, many Ukrainians also plan to return to their home country as soon as possible, which sometimes makes them less likely to look for work. Syrians, Afghans and Turks, on the other hand, often want to stay longer.