Dutch people who often go on winter sports almost always know someone who works in Austria. These are also often winter sports enthusiasts who choose the beautiful mountains with beautiful views and the good quality of life in Austria. When you go to work in Austria, this does not necessarily have to be in the winter sports industry, but you can of course also go to work in one of the large Austrian companies in one of the big cities. Due to the free movement of people within the European Union (EU), this step is not too big for us Dutch people. So will you soon be going emigrate to Austria or are you planning to work in Austria? Then read on.
Why would you want to work in Austria?
The country is of course already very popular among tourists from all over the world. It doesn't matter whether you are walking on the street in the center of Vienna or standing on a mountain in Salzburg. You will encounter tourists. But tourists also leave again. Why are there people who choose to stay in the country a bit longer and do they want to work in Austria?
This question is actually very easy to answer. Austria is a country with very favorable living conditions. For example, the capital Vienna has been named the most liveable city in the world several times. The country has a very good social safety net and their health care system is also very well organized. It is probably precisely for this reason that you can find expats from all over the world in the country.
Vacancies in Austria
When you have decided to work in Austria, you are of course expected to apply for jobs. But where can you find vacancies and are there actually enough jobs available?
Newspapers
First of all, it is good to know that in Austria you can still find many vacancies and advertisements in the newspapers to this day. Reading a newspaper can therefore help you enormously with finding work. A few well-known newspapers are the Standard, Die Presse and Kurier. Don't forget to also check the website of these newspapers, because some have an online job bank!
Job sites
Austria has several job boards where you can search for jobs. Some examples are Monster, Stepstone and Willhaben. Are you not very proficient in German yet, but do you have a good knowledge of English? Then you can of course also apply for vacancies where English is sufficient. You can do this on websites such as Indeed or Virtual Vienna.
There are also various employment agencies such as Manpower and Adecco that have a 'vacancies menu' for people who would like to work in Austria. Here you can also indicate your wishes. For example, you can indicate that you would like to work as a ski instructor, perhaps you want to tap beer in an après ski bar or do you 'just' want to go into the service sector? Then they will find out everything for you.
NB!
In Austria, LinkedIn is not as popular as in the Netherlands. In Austria, 'Xing' is mainly used.
Working in Austria as a holiday
As you may have read earlier, not everyone goes to Austria for the winter sports season. But however you look at it, it remains one of the most popular periods for foreigners to work there. If you stay there for a while, you will also notice that the tourism sector is quite popular and you do not always need work experience for this. However, it is often hard work and you will have to work more than five days a week.
Winter sports areas
Popular winter sports areas are Salzburg, Tyrol and Saalbach. In these areas they are therefore often looking for staff for the winter months.
Practical matters
Austria is a member state of the EU and therefore you do not need a work or residence permit if you want to work there. However, if you stay there for longer than three months and also want to work, you must register for the 'anmeldebescheinigung'. This is your permit to be able to stay there longer and to be able to work there.
Your health insurance
If you are going to work temporarily in Austria, you can simply use your EHIC card. Are you really going to emigrate and live in Austria? Then you will be insured in Austria through your employer. The health insurance system in Austria is very well organised and you really do not have to worry about it when you are going to move. It is even better organised than in the Netherlands.
The language
In Austria, German is spoken and this is also the official language. However, Austrian German has a dialect that can be quite incomprehensible to outsiders. That is why you are often advised to follow a German language course in Austria itself so that you get to know more about Austrian German and not High German.
When applying for a job, pay attention to whether your knowledge of German is required or whether English will suffice.
The work culture in Austria
Of course, the work culture is different in every country. For us Dutch people, this can be quite confusing at first, with our polder culture. If you familiarize yourself with the work culture of Austria in advance, you will be well prepared and will not be faced with big surprises.
Workwear
It is of course more common abroad that employees dress more formally in the workplace. This is also the case in Austria. In large companies, men often wear a suit and the women are generally also dressed business-like.
Dates
Austrians are very punctual and will always be on time. They also do not like surprises and want to have appointments noted well in advance, at least a few weeks. These are always made by phone or email.
The use of titles
Austrians always use titles. So when someone has an academic title, they are always addressed as 'Herr Doktor' or 'Frau Professor'. It is therefore necessary to mention this on business cards. For us Dutch people this can be rather strange, because we as 'down-to-earth' people are less into titles and people in the Netherlands will therefore not use them very quickly.
Hierarchy
Furthermore, Austrians are very much into hierarchy. The boss is the boss and he makes all decisions without having to consult. This is something we Dutch people have to get used to, because we are into poldering. You can prepare yourself by practicing listening and practicing talking less. This will save you a lot of drama on the work floor.
To use informal language
In Austria, they don't like to use the informal 'you'. They always use 'sie' and everyone is addressed with 'herr' and 'frau'. Colleagues will also not address each other differently and it often takes a long time before Austrians loosen up. Therefore, be careful not to make jokes too quickly at work, because this will not be appreciated.
Compliments and gifts
Austrians are not used to giving each other business gifts. So don't buy expensive gifts for your business partner. They will also be surprised if you give too personal compliments.
Finally..
As you have read, working in Austria is a bit different than in the Netherlands. In recent years, it has been the case that people in the larger cities have taken a different approach to business, but you will notice that Austrians are still quite conservative compared to the Dutch.
Take a good look at what suits you
Therefore, always apply for vacancies that suit you well. Think of popular sectors and your own education.
Do you have any questions?
Do you have any questions regarding your emigration to Austria? Do you want to know more about the country, tourists or the snow? Do you want to know what you need to arrange for such an emigration to Austria? Then you can always consult the other articles on our website. We have a huge number of articles that can help you with your emigration, so feel free to look around.
