This is how Western European countries lure Hungarian workers abroad

The meat industry is a segment that Hungary has a labour shortage in, unfortunately. However, Western European countries like Germany, Austria and Switzerland offer salaries up to 700-800,000 Forints (2100 – 2500 Euros) monthly with free accommodation in meat production vacancies.

A lot of employees in the meat industry are needed, not only in Hungary but also in Western Europe. Although butchers can earn a fair salary in Hungary, too, Hungarian prices cannot compete with the Western European wages. Pénzcentrum found an advertisement which offers almost 800 thousand Forints (2470 EUR) per month plus free accommodation. Pénzcentrum.hu wrote about the brutal labour shortage nowadays.

In the third quarter of 2018, there was a shortage of more than 8 thousand employees in Hungarian retail, according to the Central Statistical Office (KSH). There is a huge shortage of shop assistants, serving staff and butchers in the market.

JOB SITES SAY:

By typing “butcher” to a major Hungarian job-seeker site, there are 911 offers, which would be considered a big amount in any kind of profession. Among these jobs, there are ones from abroad and domestic ones.

Hungarian jobs offer wages around 250-300.000 Forint (780 – 940 Euros) net income for candidates with the proper qualifications.

Foreign wages are almost three times bigger than the Hungarian ones. Some of the employers offer exceptionally high prices compared to Hungary’s. A Dutch meat factory is looking for members who have experience in unboning pork and beef. An average working month at this workplace with 160 work hours could mean 1760 or 2240 Euros in a month (current price 557,920 or 710,080 Forints).

There was an even better job offer found on Proffession.hu. The position is located in Offenburg, Germany, and the company is looking for Hungarians doing pork boning and cutting. Requirements are professional qualifications, experience and basic speaking skills in German. This offer gives 2400-2500 Euros per month, which is 760,800 or 792,500 Forints.

In both vacancies, there is one thing in common: free accommodation for employees. 

Is it even possible to compete?

Editors of penzcentrum.hu became really interested whether the Hungarian meat companies perceive labour shortage in the Hungarian market, and they said:

“Yes, we are struggling with a Hungarian labour shortage in our meat factories: utility workers, skilled workers and technicians are needed the most. We feel that the rivals that suck in our workers the most are Austria, Germany and Switzerland. We are not competitive enough with Western European wages right now.”

Of course, wages are not everything; there are several other things that employees have to think about when deciding to leave their country and live as foreigners in another place.

Source: penzcentrum.hu