Unforeseen: Hungarian guest workers are leaving Austria – here is why
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Austria has always been one of the most beloved destinations of Hungarian workers, but in the last month, there has been a significant change. Statistics show that many of them left Austria in March, which raises important questions about the potential return of work labour to Hungary.
Hungarian guest workers leave Austria
According to Világgazdaság, more than 2000 Hungarian guest workers left Austria in March. The numbers of the Österreichische Sozialverschierung show that in February, more than 126 thousand Hungarians were working in the country, but by the end of March, their number decreased by more than 2000. However, this change is not shocking considering that last year, approximately 8000 Hungarians left Austria between August and November.
Austria has two main sources of labour: Germany and Hungary. Approximately, they both provide the same number of workers, even though Germany has a population of 83 million, as opposed to the 10 million people of Hungary. In March, there were 127 thousand German guest workers in Austria, surpassing the Hungarians by only 3000.
Their number also fluctuates from year to year: in 2023, there were 122 thousand Germans, and a year later, this number increased to 127 thousand. In March, there were approximately 997 thousand guest workers altogether in Austria, 3000 more than in February. This means that in Austria with a population of 9,1 million, every 9th person is not an Austrian citizen.
Are they going back to Hungary from Austria?
These statistics raise several questions. First of all, are these people going back to Hungary? The answer is not as simple as we may think. Most of the work in Austria is seasonal, meaning that guest workers go back and forth between the two countries regularly.
The grass is always greener, etc. Yes, salaries in Austria are much higher but so are the living costs. When you’re hit with a $150 electric bill for the same consumption that costs you $15 in Hungary, the higher salary is put into perspective. Add to that the higher crime, courtesy of the “New Europeans,” and returning to Hungary becomes very attractive. I’m glad many expats are realizing that.
Aldi same prices in Wien as Bp., but median salary is 3X higher.
Anonymous, and what about taxes?