Carinthia plans no care savings as vacancies fall nationally

Carinthia says it plans no savings in the care sector and will continue investing, even as open care jobs fall across Austria, ORF reported Tuesday.

The number of unfilled care positions nationwide is down by a quarter from a year ago. Johannes Kopf, head of Austria’s Public Employment Service, said on Monday that public-sector savings could be one reason for the decline.

But Peter Wedenig, head of the Carinthian branch of the Public Employment Service, said the drop in the state was much smaller: just 18 vacancies. He said the figures suggested the local market was stable and that many care workers were still wanted.

Unemployment in the care sector has also shown no unusual change in Carinthia. A further 38 people recently became unemployed, an increase of 5.6 percent. Wedenig said this was a smaller rise than in other federal states.

Wedenig said care and health jobs are physically and mentally demanding, making good working conditions important. Some improvements have already been made, he said, but the work remains demanding. The state said it would continue investing in care.