Job opportunities in Austria await Pinoys

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Wednesday announced employment opportunities in Austria, particularly for professionals and skilled workers in the healthcare, information technology, tourism and hospitality sectors.

DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac, together with State Secretary Susanne Kraus-Winkler of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Labor and Economy (BMAW), signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will provide employment opportunities for Filipinos while addressing Austria's shortage of skilled workers.

«Through this agreement, we aim to facilitate the deployment of Filipino professionals and skilled workers to Austria in a manner that is safe, ethical, sustainable, and mutually beneficial. Our workers, in return, will contribute to addressing labor shortage and to sharing their expertise and commitment to the economic development of [the host country],» Cacdac said.

Under the agreement, some 500 Filipino workers will be deployed annually to meet Austria's demand of around 75,000 to 200,000 job openings across all industries, including sectors in healthcare, construction and engineering, information technology, tourism and hospitality.

«Austria is focusing on attracting skilled workers abroad. The Philippines is the first country with which Austria has a memorandum of understanding that covers all areas of mutual cooperation on recruitment and vocational training. Austria has many decades of excellent experience with qualified workers from the Philippines, and we are truly grateful for the reliable support,» Kraus-Winkler said.

Cacdac said the partnership reaffirms the long-standing friendship, cooperation and mutual respect between the Philippines and Austria, particularly in the field of labor and employment.

Also, the partnership ensures strengthened protection of the rights and welfare of Filipino migrant workers, while they undergo skills assessment, education, and equivalence training and licensing in Austria.

The DMW and BMAW also agreed to develop a work-based vocational training framework and other technical capacity-building initiatives to upgrade the skills and expertise of Filipino workers.

The two countries also vowed to