The Austrian Labour Market on Course for Recovery Since Spring 2021

From spring 2021, the Austrian labour market gradually recovered from the major dislocations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to contain it in the previous year. Employment returned to its pre-pandemic level in May, and unemployment fell below its pre-crisis level starting in the fall. Even the fourth lockdown in winter 2021 barely slowed the recovery. In spring 2022, the upward trend on the labour market continued despite the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Declining but still high long-term joblessness remains a key challenge.