In demand in Austria: healthcare and nursing professions

Austria has both an excellent healthcare system as well as equally outstanding provision for long-term care. The pandemic years since 2020, in particular, have brought to the forefront just how important the work of nursing staff is in our society; at the same time, however, it has also become clear that there is an acute shortage of staff to provide for, nurse and care for people in need of care and the elderly. This demand for qualified staff will continue to rise in future. It is for this reason that the healthcare and nursing professions, alongside many other skilled workers, are on the nationwide lists of understaffed professions (link: nationwide understaffed professions (migration.gv.at)). Among the healthcare and nursing professions, a distinction is made between: 1. upper-level service for healthcare and nursing, 2. specialised nursing assistance and 3. nursing assistance. In addition, careers in social care such as at-home helpers are also in high demand.

The training, professional profile and scope of activities of these professions are regulated by laws. (More details on this are available here. (Link: Brochure Ministry: Medicine and Healthcare Professions (sozialministerium.at)) What this means is that proof of statutory training is required in order to practise the profession. 

Have you completed corresponding training abroad? Then it is possible for you to practise professionally after validation of your training. This means that your certificates of training are verified by the competent authority. For successful validation, any deviations must be compensated for by completing training courses or exams.

The validation guide (linked) helps you to find the right application or consultation centres as well as more detailed information regarding your personal matter. What is more, you can also make use of the nationwide advisory services; the contact details are available here. (linked subpage)