Which nationalities receive the most unemployment benefits?
Data from the Arbeitsmarktservice (AMS) indicates that a large number of foreigners registered as unemployed in Austria receive high unemployment benefits compared to others. The figures show that certain nationalities benefit significantly from the social support system.
In June, the number of unemployed people in Austria reached 364,419, of whom 158,064 do not hold Austrian citizenship. Although the percentage of unemployed foreigners varies between states, the largest concentration of these individuals is found in Vienna, where their number is about 88,200, which accounts for 56.5% of the total unemployed in the state.
According to AMS data, Syrians top the list with 24,560 people. They are followed by Turks (13,617), Romanians (12,559), Serbs (11,412), Afghans (9,741), and Ukrainians who have seen a significant increase to reach 8,901 people, which is an increase of 53.5% compared to last year.
Those registered as unemployed receive Arbeitslosengeld benefits, and the level of support depends on the duration of previous employment and the amount of contributions to the insurance system. Statistics indicate that some of these nationalities, due to their concentration in major cities and the duration of their stay, receive relatively high amounts compared to others.
It has been shown that most unemployed foreigners reside in Vienna, with rates reaching 79.3% for Syrians, 77% for Poles, and 73.9% for Serbs, while the percentage of unemployed Austrians residing in Vienna does not exceed 32.9%. The large concentration of unemployed foreigners in the capital raises questions about the fair distribution of resources and the effectiveness of integrating these groups into the Austrian labor market.