Austrian unemployment reaches record-high 9.1 pct

The Austrian unemployment rate hit a record-high 9.1 percent at the end of April, the 419,875 unemployed representing a 7.6 percent year-on-year increase, new figures released Monday showed.

The Public Employment Service Austria (AMS) figures also include about 68,000 people who are currently undergoing some form of further training to improve employment prospects.

It was also shown that nationwide the national capital of Vienna fared the worst with a 24.2 percent increase to 122,347 jobless persons.

Foreign nationals were once again significantly impacted with a 24.9 percent unemployment increase, along with the disabled with a 17.4 percent increase, and persons aged 50 and above with a 17.2 percent increase.

Sectors most affected were subcontracted labor with a 16 percent increase, health and social services with a 13.6 percent increase, and construction with a 12.4 percent increase.

AMS said the length of time needed for unemployed persons to find new work has also increased, the average of 116 days being eight days longer than a year ago.

In the context of the European Union Austria still has the second-lowest unemployment rate however, the 5.6 percent rate calculated by Eurostat's different calculation method at the end of March second only to Germany with a 4.7 percent unemployment rate. Endit