The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has announced a significant development in the labor sector, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Philippines and Austria. The MOU was inked by DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac and State Secretary Susanne Kraus-Winkler of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Labor and Economy (BMAW).
This collaboration aims to provide employment opportunities for Filipino professionals and skilled workers in Austria’s sectors, including healthcare, information technology, tourism, and hospitality. It also addresses Austria’s ongoing shortage of skilled labor.
Cacdac expressed his hopes for this agreement, emphasizing that it will enable the safe, ethical, sustainable, and mutually beneficial deployment of Filipino professionals and skilled workers to Austria. In return, these Filipino workers will contribute to filling the labor gap in Austria and sharing their expertise and commitment to Austria’s economic development.
Under this MOU, approximately 500 Filipino workers will be deployed annually to help meet Austria’s demand, which ranges from 75,000 to 200,000 job openings across various industries, including healthcare, construction, information technology, tourism, and hospitality.
The BMAW State Secretary, Susanne Kraus-Winkler, highlighted Austria’s focus on attracting skilled workers from abroad. She mentioned that this MOU is the first of its kind for Austria, covering all areas of mutual cooperation on recruitment and vocational training. She also expressed Austria’s gratitude for the Philippines’ reliable support and cited their long-standing experience with qualified workers from the Philippines.
Cacdac added that this partnership reaffirms the strong friendship, cooperation, and mutual respect between the two countries, particularly in the labor and employment sector.
The MOU ensures strengthened protection of the rights and welfare of Filipino migrant workers. It provides support as they undergo skills assessment, education, and equivalence training and licensing in Austria. Moreover, the DMW and BMAW have agreed to develop a work-based vocational training framework and other technical capacity-building initiatives to upgrade the skills and expertise of Filipino workers.
Both the Philippines and Austria have also vowed to work closely together in combating illegal recruitment and human trafficking. They will ensure adequate access to legal assistance and social protection for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
As of data from CY 2022, there are around 5,824 OFWs in Austria. This includes approximately 1,220 workers in the hospitality and food service category and 749 in the health and social work service sector.
