Qualification funding for employees
- Name of the instrument - Local language
- Qualifizierungsförderung für Beschäftigte
- Name of the instrument - English translation
- Qualification funding for employees
- Scheme ID
- 5
- Country
- Austria
- Reporting year
- 2020
- Type of instrument
- Grant for companies
- Sub-type of instrument
- Support for direct costs and wage costs
- Type of entry
- Single instrument
- Short description
Companies with employees who have only completed compulsory education, an apprenticeship, or a vocational school or are 45 years or older are entitled to apply for the grant to co-fund training activities (for each group there are specific conditions in relation to the training funded). Generally, public co-funding is 50% of the eligible costs up to EUR 10 000 per individual employee. Beyond training costs, a contribution to the wage costs during participation in training is available. For employed (men and women) with only compulsory education, wage subsidies during training are more generous (50% of eligible wages starting with the first hour of training instead of starting after 24 hours of training). Funding is provided by the local branches of the Austrian Pubic Employment Service (AMS), following national rules; however, local differences in cost-sharing formulas are possible. There is no limitation to re-use the grant.
- Short description of the related instruments
- Not applicable
- Level of operation
- National
- Name of a part of the country
- Not applicable
- Name of the region (for regional instruments)
- Not applicable
- Name of the sector (for sectoral instruments)
- Not applicable
- Relevance
- Key instrument
- Legal basis
- § 34 (2) Arbeitsmarktservicegesetz (Act on Public Employment Service).
- Objective(s) and target(s)
- The objective of promoting qualifications as an object of preventive labor market policy is: - the increase in company training participation - increasing employability and job security - the improvement of the professional career and the income situation of the target groups eligible for funding.
- Year of implementation
- 2000
- Operation/management
- Public Employment Service, AMS (local branch)
- Eligible group(s)
- Companies employees whose training costs are eligible - men who have acquired only compulsory education, women with an intermediate qualifcation (ISCED3; no higher education entrance perrmission Matura) , men and women 45 years or older.
- Group(s) with preferential treatment
- For employed (men and women) with only compulsory education, wage subsidies during training is more generous (50% of eligible wages starting with the first hour of training instead of starting after 24 hours of training)
- Education and training eligible
- Training courses that are labour market relevant, corporately relevant.
- Source of financing and collection mechanism
- State (Federal budget allocated to the Public Employment Service (AMS))
- Financing formula and allocation mechanisms
- 50% of eligible course fees; 50% wage subsidy during participaiton in courses, starting with the 25th course hour. (For adults with compulsory educaiton only: starting with the first course hour) up to 10 000 for each individual participant supported. Actual funding amounts can differ between the nine Bundesländer. Allocation: First come - first served pinciple; money is transferred to employer as advance payment.
- Eligible costs
- Training fees; wage subsidy for the time during training (50% of eligible wage costs, starting with the 25th hour of a course; for adults with only compulsory educaiton: starting with the first hour of the course).
- Volumes of funding
- EUR 8 290 000 in 2019 EUR 7 626 000 in 2018 EUR 7307000 in 2017
- Beneficiaries/take up
- 18 018 in 2019 15 536 in 201813 659 in 2017Only 8% are below 25 years, 62% above 45 years.
- Organisation responsible for monitoring/evaluation
- Public Employment Service Austria (AMS).
- Most relevant webpage - in English
- Not available
- Most relevant webpage - local language
- http://www.ams.at/service-unternehmen/qualifizierung/qualifizierungsfoe…
- Recent changes
Minor amendments in the past years. After an evaluation, the measure has been included in the permanent set of instruments.
Recent changes in response to COVID-19
For employes during Covid-19 crisis related short time work, a dedicated support scheme (60% of course costs) is available during 1.10.2020 and 31.3.2020 - this measure will complement the existing measure, thereby exapnding the overall co-funding avaialbe for training measrues of companies. https://www.ams.at/unternehmen/personal--und-organisationsentwicklung/s…
- Sources
- https://www.ams.at/unternehmen/personal--und-organisationsentwicklung/q…
- https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/arbeit_und_pension/aeltere_arbeitn…
- https://www.arbeiterkammer.at/beratung/bildung/bildungsfoerderungen/AMS…
- Bundesministerium für Arbeit, Familie und Jugend (2020) Aktive Arbeitsmarktpolitik in Österreich 2014 bis 2020 - Dokumentation
- https://www.ams.at/content/dam/download/ams-richtlinien/001_qbn_bundesr…
- Short description
- Short description of the related instruments
- Level of operation
- Name of a part of the country
- Name of the region (for regional instruments)
- Name of the sector (for sectoral instruments)
- Relevance
- Legal basis
- Objective(s) and target(s)
- Year of implementation
- Operation/management
- Eligible group(s)
- Group(s) with preferential treatment
- Education and training eligible
- Source of financing and collection mechanism
- Financing formula and allocation mechanisms
- Eligible costs
- Volumes of funding
- Beneficiaries/take up
- Organisation responsible for monitoring/evaluation
- Most relevant webpage - in English
- Most relevant webpage - local language
- Recent changes
- Sources