Skilled Workers' Grant
- Name of the instrument - Local language
- Fachkräftestipendium
- Name of the instrument - English translation
- Skilled Workers' Grant
- Scheme ID
- 328
- Country
- Austria
- Reporting year
- 2020
- Type of instrument
- Grant for individuals
- Sub-type of instrument
- Lump-sum support
- Type of entry
- Single instrument
- Short description
The scheme provides a wage-replacement payment for workers who have no higher education qualifications during participation in educational programmes selected by the dedicated body (published in a yearly list) for up to three years. Eligible programmes cover a broad range of secondary and post-secondary (mainly vocational) programmes. Support for fees can be also provided, however, coming under different other lines of support provided by the Public Employment Service. The scheme had been implemented as an alternative to the paid educational leave scheme, as the latter had been rarely used by adults starting from a low-skilled position/aiming at an intermediate level of qualification. 100% of eligible costs can be covered. The scheme offers a lump-sum grant as a wage replacement of EUR 30.60 (2020) per day.
- Level of operation
- National
- Name of a part of the country
- Not applicable
- Name of the region (for regional instruments)
- Not applicable
- Name of the sector (for sectoral instruments)
- Not applicable
- Relevance
- Key instrument
- Legal basis
- Bundesrichtlinie des AMS, BGS/AMF/0722/9943/2013 §§ 34b Arbeitsmarktservicegesetz (AMSG), § 80 AMSG, §§ 1 Abs. 3 and 13 Arbeitsmarktpolitik-Finanzierungsgesetz (AMPFG), § 12 Abs. 5 i. V. m. § 18 Abs. 4 AIVG
- Objective(s) and target(s)
- To cover the specific need for skilled workers in Austrian companies through higher qualifications. By upgrading their qualifications or changing and improving their careers, the increased risk of unemployment for employees and the unemployed with qualifications below the technical college level is to be counteracted. As a result, the career opportunities and income opportunities of women can be positively influenced in the long term, both in traditional and non-traditional occupational areas, in the interests of gender equality
- Year of implementation
- 2014
- Year of latest amendment
- 2019
- Operation/management
- The grant is administered by the PES
- Eligible group(s)
- Unemployed, persons on leave for educational reasons and former self-employed persons who suspended their business activity without a tertiary degree.
- Group(s) with preferential treatment
- no
- Education and training eligible
- Secondary and post-secondary programmes in shortage occupations as defined by an annually updated list.
- Source of financing and collection mechanism
- PES
- Financing formula and allocation mechanisms
- The scheme offers a lump-sum grant as a wage replacement of EUR 30,60 per day.
- Volumes of funding
- EUR 5 560 000 in 2017 EUR 3 812 000 in 2018 EUR 3 679 000 in 2019
- Beneficiaries/take up
- 5 307 in 2019, of which 59% women, 28% under 25 years, 62% between 25 and 45; 10% older than 45 years, 4 278 in 2018, 4 835 in 2017
- Organisation responsible for monitoring/evaluation
- Public Employment Service Austria (AMS)
- Monitoring/evaluation reports available
- Danzer, L., Lechner, F., Riesenfelder, A. (2020), Evaluierung des Fachkräftestipendiums, Endbericht zum Projekt; L & R Sozialforschung, Studie im Auftrag des AMS https://www.ams-forschungsnetzwerk.at/downloadpub/2020_AMS_FKS_LundR%20…
- Most relevant webpage - in English
- Not available
- Most relevant webpage - local language
- https://www.ams.at/arbeitsuchende/aus-und-weiterbildung/so-foerdern-wir…
- Recent changes
2019. Extension of the grant until the end of 2022
Recent changes in response to COVID-19
No changes
- Sources
- https://www.ams.at/arbeitsuchende/aus-und-weiterbildung/so-foerdern-wir…
- https://www.ams.at/content/dam/download/ams-richtlinien/001_fks_RILI.pdf
- https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/arbeit_und_pension/fachkraeftestip…
- Bundesminsterium für Arbeit, Familie und Jugend (2020), Aktive Arbeitsmarktpolitik in Österreich 2014 bis 2020 - Dokumentation
- https://www.ams-forschungsnetzwerk.at/downloadpub/2020_AMS_FKS_LundR%20…
- Short description
- Level of operation
- Name of a part of the country
- Name of the region (for regional instruments)
- Name of the sector (for sectoral instruments)
- Relevance
- Legal basis
- Objective(s) and target(s)
- Year of implementation
- Year of latest amendment
- Operation/management
- Eligible group(s)
- Group(s) with preferential treatment
- Education and training eligible
- Source of financing and collection mechanism
- Financing formula and allocation mechanisms
- Volumes of funding
- Beneficiaries/take up
- Organisation responsible for monitoring/evaluation
- Monitoring/evaluation reports available
- Most relevant webpage - in English
- Most relevant webpage - local language
- Recent changes
- Sources