“Without the manpower of our foreign colleagues, a lot of the wheels would come to a standstill. Our prosperity would be significantly lower, ”explains Mitter. At the same time, he emphasizes that these people are often dying in precarious employment. “Countless studies and our experience show that foreign workers are among the most severely discriminated groups on the labor market. Be it with the filling of vacancies by companies, with the classification in the KV-wages or with the operational advancement “, so Mitter.

Numerous hurdles

Another aggravating factor is the uncertainty caused by the domestic right of residence and settlement. For Milica Tomić-Schwingenschlögl from the counseling center for migrants, this is sometimes an explanation as to why around a third of those employed in Austria who have been trained abroad are overqualified for their job. “Nostrification is a luxury. You have to have already completed your residence permit or learned the language, ”says the expert. The distinction between EU and non-EU qualifications is also an important disadvantage.

“If we take the example of a nurse: this is a regulated profession. Someone with all the necessary documents from Croatia will get recognition within a few hours. For someone from Bosnia with the same profession and similar work experience, it can take up to two years, ”explains the expert. This is counterproductive for all parties, especially in the medical field, or also in care, in professions where there is a lack of care. In any case, one thing is certain: In the future, Austria will not be able to work without workers from abroad.