Chamber of Labor Sees Disadvantage for Refugees
Refugees are significantly less often invited to job interviews compared to applicants of Austrian origin, even with the same qualifications. This discrimination in job searching is legally prohibited, criticized the Chamber of Labor (AK) Vienna on Thursday during a press conference. The AK demands, among other things, simpler ways to combat discrimination and that subsidies from the AMS for companies be tied to correct behavior.
Over 900 Fake Applications
For the study, the consulting firm prospect, commissioned by the AK, sent more than 900 fake applications to companies in Vienna and the surrounding area from March to June 2025. For the so-called correspondence test, according to documents, two applications from fictional individuals with the same formal qualifications were created, differing only in the attributed origin: one person of Austrian origin and one person who fled from Afghanistan. The work experiences and German language skills listed in the documents were kept comparable and only minimally varied "to avoid suspicion from the companies." Positions in retail with low formal requirements and office jobs with a medium qualification level (apprenticeship completion) were examined.
The responses from the companies - invitations, rejections, or no responses - demonstrated systematic disadvantage, it is said. In both occupational fields, "from about twice as many companies," only the Austrian applicants were invited. The picture becomes even clearer in cases where only one person was invited: In retail, the likelihood that only the Austrian applicant was invited was ten times higher than the other way around. In the office, the ratio was about five to one in favor of the Austrian applicant.
"Results Are Alarming"
"The results are alarming," criticized AK department head Silvia Hofbauer. "In many cases, only those individuals with the supposedly 'better' surname, age, or gender are invited to the job interview. Yet, discrimination in job searching is legally prohibited." The AK demands, among other things, more controls to prevent wage and social dumping as well as undeclared work. For this, a massive increase in personnel for the responsible authorities (especially the financial police) is necessary. From the AK's perspective, it must be punished more severely if companies sabotage controls, for example, by withholding documents from the authorities.
(APA/Red)
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