Just over half of the entire Austrian population is economically active. Of the 8.77 million Austrian men and women living in private households in 2020 approx. 4.30 million were employed and 244,000 unemployed, as measured by international definitions. Due to the Corona Pandemic, fewer people were employed and more were unemployed than in the previous year. 3.77 million or almost nine out of ten employed persons (88%) are wage or salary earners, the 525,000 self-employed workers 225,000 pursue no career because they are housewives or – much less frequently – house husbands dedicated exclusively to the household.

In the 55 to 64 age group, only about 55% of the population are employed; many people of this age are already retired. Just over half of all men and women are economically active

410.000 people 15 years or older are in education. There are 22 000 conscripts or men in civilian service as a substitute for military service. 1.27 million children under 15 are living in Austria in 2020. With a 72% employment rate in the 15 to 64 year age range, Austria is considerably higher than the EU average (68%) and in eighth place among the 27 EU member states (2020). At 84%, the employment rate among 25 to 54 year olds is the highest. It is lower (50%) among youth and young adults (15 to 24 years), many of whom are still pursuing their educations.

More and more women in professions

The percentage of working women in the age group of 25 to 54 years old is 81%, which is gaining on that of men (87%). The employment rate of persons aged 55 to 64 years old declines more sharply for women than for men. This is due to the lower retirement age for women and the fact that fewer of them were employed in the past. Even with employment growing, labour participation in the 55 to 64 year age group in Austria (55%) is still below EU average (60%). Austria is a service society The unemployment rate (= the proportion of jobless to the labour force) in the Corona year 2020 was higher than in the previous year at 5.4%. Women are a little less often unemployed (5.2%) than men (5.5%), and 15 to 24 year olds almost twice as much as the overall average (10.5%). With an unemployment rate of 5.4% (EU average 2020: 7.1%), Austria is the EU member state with the tenth-lowest unemployment rate.

In Austria part-time work is very important. In 2020, 1.20 million or 28% of Austrian – and especially female – workers were not full-time employed. Eight out of ten part-time workers (80%) are women. 47% of all working women work part-time. In men, this percentage is only 11%.

The average number of hours worked per week totals 36.6, even with part-time work included. Self-employed persons usually work considerably more than wage and salary earners, and therefore the corresponding value for wage and salary earners of only 35.6 hours falls somewhat below the overall average. Due to frequent part-time employment, the normal work week for women averages 32.0 hours, which is also considerably less than for men (40.4 hours). However, because of vacations, holidays, illnesses, slack work etc., the average number of hours actually worked per week is 29.1 hours, which is 21% below the number of hours normally worked per week (36.6 hours). Because the self-employed and family members employed in family businesses have more hours than the average, the number of hours actually worked per week for wage and salary earners is 28.1 hours, which falls below the overall average. With a 28% part-time worker contingent, Austria is third behind the Netherlands, which is far out in front with 52%, and Germany (30%).

Austria is a service society

More than every other man (59%) is employed in the service sector, and almost nine out of ten women (85%). Overall, this sector provides 71% of the jobs. 4% of the jobs are provided by agriculture and forestry, which were formerly of major significance, and roughly 25% of the employed work in the production sector.

Women dominate in part-time work

37% of the men, but only 12% of the women, work in this sector. When one considers the individual branches of industry, manufacturing proves to be the branch that employs the most, followed by trade. Men clearly dominate in the manufacturing sector whereas women dominate in the health sector and the trade, though less dramatically.