O C C A S I O N A L P A P E R S E R I E S I S S U E N O . 12, November 2002 CHRISTOPH WERITSCH, GERLINDE TAFERL, FLORIAN REININGER, VERENA LAHOUSEN RREFUGEES CCONTRIBUTION TO EEUROPE A F E A S I B I L T Y S T U D Y O N T H E E S T A B L I S H M E N T O F A F U N D F O R R E F U G E E E D U C A T I O N A N D E M P L O Y M E N T I N T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N Schubertstrasse 29 8010 Graz Austria Tel +43 316 322 888 1 Fax +43 316 322 888 4 e-mail: office@etc - graz.at web: http://www.etc - graz.at Refugees Contribution to Europe A feasibility study on the establishment of a Fund for Refugee Employment and Education (FREE) in the European Union Austria November 2002 The Austrian country report is written by: Christoph Weritsch, Gerlinde Taferl, Florian Reininger and Verena Lahousen European Training Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (ETC) Schubertstraβe 29 T: 0043 (316) 380 3410 F: 0043 (316) 322 8884 2 ABBREVIATIONS................................................................................................................................. 5 1. OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION OF REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS IN AUSTRIA .. 6 1.1 KEY PLAYERS AND ACTIVITIES..................................................................................................................... 6 1.1.1 NGOs, Refugee Organisations.............................................................................................................. 6 1.1.2 Governments and Governmental Authorities (local, regional, central) ............................................... 7 1.1.2.1 Asylum ........................................................................................................................................................... 7 1.1.2.2 Migration........................................................................................................................................................ 8 1.1.2.3 Employment ................................................................................................................................................... 9 1.1.2.4 Social Security................................................................................................................................................ 9 1.1.2.5 Social Welfare ................................................................................................................................................ 9 1.1.2.6 Other issues of integration............................................................................................................................ 10 1.1.3 Businesses and Business Communities............................................................................................... 10 1.1.4 Charitable Foundations, Trusts.......................................................................................................... 11 1.1.5 Educational Institutions...................................................................................................................... 12 1.1.6 Other................................................................................................................................................... 12 1.2 ASYLUM...................................................................................................................................................... 13 1.2.1 Asylum Procedure and Legal Status for Refugees.............................................................................. 13 1.2.2 The Reception Process and Facilities................................................................................................. 14 1.2.3 Statistics, Figures about Refugee Status Granted and Asylum Claims............................................... 15 1.3 EDUCATION................................................................................................................................................. 17 1.3.1 Education System................................................................................................................................ 18 1.3.2 Refugees’ and Asylum Seekers’ Entitlements to Education and Training .......................................... 19 1.3.3 Information on Language Training Provisions .................................................................................. 20 1.3.4 Possibilities for Refugees to Follow Vocational Training..................................................................20 1.3.5 Government Funded Training Schemes.............................................................................................. 21 1.3.6 Access to Higher Education................................................................................................................ 21 1.3.7 Recognition of Qualifications for Education...................................................................................... 21 1.3.8 Tuition Fees and College Fees ........................................................................................................... 22 1.3.9 Student Maintenance (Scholarships, Grants, Loans) .........................................................................22 1.3.10 Accommodation and Basic Living Costs .......................................................................................... 23 1.3.11 Private Sponsorships ........................................................................................................................ 23 1.3.12 Studying on Benefit........................................................................................................................... 23 1.3.13 Other Financial Assistance .............................................................................................................. 23 1.4 LABOUR MARKET ....................................................................................................................................... 23 1.4.1 Labour Market Needs and Skills Shortages Per Sector...................................................................... 24 1.4.2 Refugees’ and Asylum Seekers’ Entitlements to Work........................................................................27 1.4.3 Unemployment and Underemployment Rates among Refugees.......................................................... 27 1.4.4 Recognition of Qualifications for Employment................................................................................... 29 1.4.5 Information on Change of Careers and the Transferring of Skills ..................................................... 30 1.4.6 The Recruitment Process, Including Job Search and Labour Market Orientation............................. 30 1.4.7 Regulations and Funding (Loans) for Setting Up Businesses............................................................. 31 3 1.4.8 Job Schemes, Relevant Government Schemes for Unemployed.......................................................... 34 1.4.9 Social Benefit System.......................................................................................................................... 35 1.4.10 Integrationsvertrag........................................................................................................................... 36 2. MATRIX: REFUGEE BARRIERS AND NEEDS ........................................................................... 37 2.1 RECOGNISED REFUGEES.............................................................................................................................. 37 2.2 ASYLUM SEEKERS....................................................................................................................................... 40 3. METHODOLOGICAL REMARKS ON THE RESEARCH FOR “FREE”..................................... 42 4. DISCUSSION OF RESEARCH RESULTS ..................................................................................... 44 4.1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 44 4.2 BUSINESSES ................................................................................................................................................ 45 4.3 BUSINESS COMMUNITIES ............................................................................................................................ 46 4.4 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS...................................................................................................................... 47 4.5 AUTHORITIES / GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS.............................................................................................. 48 4.6 NGOS / OTHERS ......................................................................................................................................... 50 4.7 COMPANY CASE STUDY 1: HOLZ-MOSER / MASCHINENBAU RITZER.......................................................... 52 4.8 COMPANY CASE STUDY 2: “ZUR BRIEFTAUBE” /HANDELSGESMBH........................................................... 53 4.9 COMPANY CASE STUDY 3: MAGNA INT. ..................................................................................................... 54 4.10 CASE STUDY 4: MAGISTRATSABTEILUNG 48 –MA 48 WIEN– MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT 48 OF THE CITY OF VIENNA ........................................................................................................................................................ 55 4.11 CONCLUSIONS ON THE FEASIBILITY OF FREE........................................................................................... 57 5. BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................