28.06.2021

Employment Above Pre-crisis Level Again for the First Time in May 2021

WIFO Research Brief Reflecting Repeal of Restrictions

A recent WIFO Research Brief by Julia Bock-Schappelwein, Ulrike Huemer and Walter Hyll shows that at the end of May 2021, employment also exceeded the pre-crisis level for the first time. However, this finding should be taken with caution since the situation on the labour market remains tense.

On the one hand, there are economic sectors that have not yet reached the pre-crisis level, and on the other hand, unemployment is still noticeably higher than in the pre-crisis year. The sectors that have not yet been able to catch up with the pre-crisis year include the contact-intensive sectors of accommodation and catering, sports, entertainment and recreation services, land, air and sea transport, and personal services.

On 19 May 2021, after more than half a year, food service activities (indoor and outdoor), sports, leisure and cultural enterprises, hotels as well as baths were allowed to reopen under special safety conditions throughout Austria. This means that for the first time since November 2020, there were no more significant pandemic-related restrictions on employment.