Professional Fellowship

The Austrian Labour Market Service supports training in occupations where there is a shortage of skilled workers. Sectors with skills shortages include science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as health, care and social professions. 

The training must last at least 3 months and last 20 hours per week over the entire duration of the training (studies in universities or colleges of applied sciences cannot be funded). Applications must be submitted in person to the Labour Market Service. The support consists of a subsistence grant equal to the amount of the notional unemployment or emergency benefit. 

A skilled worker grant shall be entitled to a professional grant for:

• People who want to be trained in a profession with a shortage of skilled workers
• People currently registered as unemployed
• People who are currently quitted
• Self-employed persons who have declared their business dormant
• People who have been employed for at least 4 years in the last 15 years
• People without academic exclusion

The Skills Fellowship, which was established by law on 1 July 2013, aims to give people the opportunity to improve their skills and thus increase opportunities in the workplace. The purpose of the grant is to ensure subsistence during the course of the training.