Majority of immigrants settling in Vienna hail from these European Union nations
In Vienna, the StartWien program is designed to facilitated integration and orientation for skilled immigrant workers and their families. Providing services such as German language courses, assistance in finding housing, and health-related information, the program is available in over 20 languages.
Approximately 47% of working hours in Vienna are carried out by individuals with a migration background, with the most common country of origin being Germany. In 2024, Vienna anticipates the top sources of new arrivals to be Germany, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Italy.
Of Vienna's nearly two million residents, around 300,000 are non-Austrian EU citizens, many of whom are highly skilled professionals.
According to Deputy Mayor and Integration Councilor Bettina Emmerling, Vienna's society and economy would be unimaginable without the contributions of immigrants and their offspring.
Vienna's Welcome Center responds to family reunification with the "SmartWien Hub." This hub offers various services, including learning German, free lectures, and support in finding housing or navigating the healthcare system. These services cater to immigrants seeking to integrate into the city's social and economic life.
Violeta Radic, head of the StartWien program at the Department of Integration and Diversity, explains that StartWien is not only designed to promote the professional integration of newcomers but also to connect them to social life in Vienna. The platform features certified German course providers and detailed information on residence rights.
The StartWien program also provides resources for cultural and social integration, career development, and education support through collaborations with initiatives like the WAFF (Wiener Arbeitnehmer*innen Förderungsfonds). These collaborations offer information and guidance on job opportunities, vocational training, and further education, including multilingual career guidance for professionals seeking roles in emerging sectors such as Green Jobs, IT, and healthcare.
- Immigrants and their families in Vienna might find useful information on health-related matters through the StartWien program, which also caters to lifestyles, fashion, and beauty, food and drink, home and garden, relationships, pets, travel, cars, and shopping.
- For immigrants seeking to integrate into Vienna's social life, the SmartWien Hub at the Welcome Center offers resources not only for learning German but also for navigating the city's healthcare system, which falls under the category of health.
- In her statement, Deputy Mayor and Integration Councilor Bettina Emmerling emphasized that the contributions of immigrants and their offspring are vital to Vienna's society and economy, especially in sectors like health, which is one of the services provided by the StartWien program.
- Immigrants who are pursuing roles in emerging sectors such as Green Jobs, IT, and healthcare might find relevant information and guidance on job opportunities and further education through collaborations between the StartWien program and initiatives like the WAFF.
- A successful integration of skilled immigrant workers in Vienna involves not only professional integration but also social integration, as emphasized by Violeta Radic, head of the StartWien program at the Department of Integration and Diversity, which extends to aspects such as travel, cars, shopping, and home-and-garden, in addition to health and lifestyle.
