Austria’s healthcare system for Ukrainian refugees remains unchanged, despite rising health insurance premiums for pensioners. A new regulation, adopted by the National Council’s main committee today, ensures that Ukrainian citizens and other temporary residents in Austria will continue to have comprehensive and unrestricted access to healthcare.
Social Minister Korinna Schumann described the decision as an “act of solidarity” and thanked the members of the SPÖ, ÖVP, NEOS and the Greens for their approval of the regulation. For these parties, the health insurance of refugees from Ukraine remains a top priority.
The regulation provides for unrestricted access to the entire healthcare system, with no reduction of services, such as a basic level of care only, being planned.
According to the Statista global database, there are currently 86,015 registered Ukrainian refugees in Austria. Despite the extensive support for Ukrainian refugees in Austria, unemployment remains a challenge. Around 30,000 Ukrainians are currently registered as unemployed, with many facing difficulties in integrating into the labor market. Language barriers, the recognition of qualifications and uncertainty about their residence status all complicate the transition to the labor market.
The biggest hurdle remains the German language. Although many Ukrainians speak English, good German skills are often required for many jobs. The Labor Market Service (AMS) offers language courses, but access is not always easy, particularly for women who often need to care for children.
Another problem is the recognition of foreign qualifications. Many Ukrainians, who held high-qualified professions in their homeland, are forced to work in underqualified positions, as their degrees are not automatically recognized. Programs for qualification adaptation can help, but the bureaucratic effort remains high.
Despite these challenges, there are numerous initiatives to facilitate access to the labor market.