BRATISLAVA, April 30, (WEBNOVINY)- Slovak citizens will be able to work in Austria and Germany under equal conditions as local laborers as of Sunday, May 1. Both countries are opening their labor markets to eight newcomers from the post-Communist bloc including Slovakia. Austria and Germany are the last two EU members to open their doors to workers from Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Slovakia, having waited the maximum seven years from when the former Communist states joined the EU in 2004.
The move finally establishes a single EU labor market, allowing labor resources to transfer more smoothly among member states.
According to statistical data presented by President of Slovak Association of Small Businesses Vladimir Sirotka a month ago, sixty percent of firms on the Austrian side are interested in hiring employees from these countries, half are interested in Slovaks. He believes that the opening of these markets will help boost employment in Slovakia. Austria, facing an aging population, is hoping the new market will provide it with a fresh source of labor and will try to attract highly qualified experts, as well as legalize illegal workers in such industries as building and catering.
Germany estimates an influx of 150,000 new employees from abroad, while Austria counts on 13,000 to 25,000, in particular from the area of construction and mechanical engineering and services, says the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for European Affairs Ivan Stefanec. Before opening its market, Austria issued a list of professions where it lacked staff, which featured construction, mechanical engineering, IT, restaurant and social services.
Stefanec commented that he considers the opening of labor markets in Germany and Austria the culmination of the EU integration that started in 2004. However, he admits that the situations in the two countries differ. Germany is reporting the lowest joblessness rate over the last eighteen years, while a new work force can help boost competition. Austria however has adopted the law on social and wage dumping on April 14, which has been hampering the positive development in the area of free work force movement. Stefanec considers the new restrictions discriminatory and has asked the Austrian Ambassador for help in removing barriers for foreign employers operating on the Austrian market after May 1.
After Slovakia entered the EU in 2004, old member states could open their labor markets immediately or wait up to seven years, which is up on May 1 of this year.
SITA