Unemployment rises 6.7 percent in Lower Austria

Unemployment in Austria continued to rise in August, with Lower Austria recording the strongest increase among the country’s provinces, ORF reported. The number of unemployed people there rose by 6.7 percent compared with August 2025.

Nationwide, around 375,000 people were registered as unemployed or in training with the Public Employment Service Austria (AMS) at the end of August, an increase of 2.3 percent year on year.

Women’s unemployment rose particularly sharply, increasing by 5.8 percent, while unemployment among men fell by 0.8 percent. The AMS said the increase was partly linked to the higher statutory retirement age for women.

In Lower Austria, almost 56,500 people were registered as unemployed or in training.

Fewer apprenticeships available

The province had around 12,500 vacancies in August, 11.5 percent fewer than a year earlier. The number of available apprenticeships also fell by more than 27 percent to about 800. At the same time, 1,850 young people were looking for an apprenticeship.

For those unable to find a position, the AMS and the Lower Austrian provincial government are providing almost 1,000 places in apprenticeship workshops, according to AMS regional director Sandra Kern and Susanne Rosenkranz, the provincial councillor responsible for the labour market.