Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Monday
School enrollment in Vienna starts earlier this year, the Austrian Air Force to test supersonic planes, Austria extends border controls with Slovakia and more news from Austria on Monday.
School enrollment in Vienna begins earlier this year
The enrollment process for the first year of elementary school in Vienna starts earlier this year and will be divided into two parts for the first time. From November 13th to 24th, the administrative phase will occur at the school selected by the child and their parents.
The school readiness evaluation will then be conducted at the assigned school beginning in February 2024.
Registration is only possible at one school, but there is no guarantee of securing a place there. Parents will be informed of the school their children have been admitted to by mid-February. They will then need to schedule an appointment for the admission interview, during which a school readiness test and language assessment will be conducted. Children must be present at this appointment.
Previously, the administrative component and the school readiness evaluation, as well as the language proficiency assessment, were typically conducted together in January at the selected school.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What you need to know about parental leave in Austria
10 of the best events in Austria in November 2023
The days may be getting darker, but there are plenty of fun events to look forward to in Austria this November.
Austrian Air Force to test supersonic planes
From November 6th to November 17th, the Austrian Air Force is scheduled to conduct its second supersonic training of the year. This training involves two supersonic flights daily, occurring between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., covering nearly the entire country. The Ministry of Defense stated that the training will take place at high altitudes to minimise noise levels.
According to Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner, this training is crucial for Austria's air force. "The security policy developments in Europe, but also Israel, show us every day how fragile peace can be. This makes it all the more important to be in a position to protect our homeland. Maintaining air sovereignty is of central importance for a sovereign state. This must be practised on an ongoing basis, including in the supersonic range", she said.
Supersonic speeds typically start at around 1,200 km/h, and when a Eurofighter reaches such speeds, it generates shockwaves, manifesting as a sonic boom heard on the ground. The intensity of the sound depends on factors such as flight altitude, terrain, and weather conditions.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Why isn’t Austria in NATO?
Increase in students starting degrees in teaching
The number of first-year students pursuing careers in teaching has seen an increase, reversing a previous decline, as reported by the newspaper Der Standard.
This year, there has been a 16.5 percent increase in students embarking on teacher training at universities and teacher training colleges compared to the previous year. According to Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP), this growth is attributed to his "Klasse Job" initiative, which encompasses efforts to recruit professionals in similar fields and includes information campaigns for teacher training.
The most significant increase has been in elementary school teacher training, which saw a 35 percent growth, while AHS/MS/BMHS teacher training increased by eleven percent.
The Austrian education system is the country's largest employer, with more than 120,000 teachers currently in service. Over the next five years, around 20,000 full-time teaching positions will need to be filled.
READ ALSO: What you need to know about teaching English in Austria
Austrian government to hike family benefits from 2024
Next year’s Family Ministry budget will be its highest ever – at €8.7 billion, with significant increases to tax allowances for families to start up in the 2024 tax year.
Although the precise numbers still have to be worked out, Family Minister Susanne Raab says funds for family allowances will increase to about €433 million, with child benefit budgets rising by €118 million.
Raab announced that parents will likely receive another €212 per child under three years of age per year.
One of the biggest new changes, though, will be the family bonus for fathers who take parental leave. The family bonus given out during months when both parents are home from work with their children will double – from €740 to €1,480.
READ MORE: Austrian government to hike family benefits from 2024
Austria extends border controls with Slovakia
Austria has decided to extend border controls with Slovakia for an additional twenty days, according to an announcement from the Ministry of the Interior.
Before this decision, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, and Slovenia had already extended the border controls that were initially introduced at the beginning of October. The primary objective of these measures is to combat human trafficking and smuggling, the government said.
Since the checks began on October 4th, the police have apprehended 19 people smugglers at the Slovakian border and prevented approximately 180 illegal immigrants from crossing, the Ministry of the Interior stated. The border controls with the Czech Republic were also extended for twenty days on October 28th.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) stated that "the police must be quicker than the smugglers," explaining that this is why border point controls began before smugglers could change their routes.
READ ALSO: Austria, Poland, Czechs start Slovak border checks to curb migration
If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
Comments
See Also
School enrollment in Vienna begins earlier this year
The enrollment process for the first year of elementary school in Vienna starts earlier this year and will be divided into two parts for the first time. From November 13th to 24th, the administrative phase will occur at the school selected by the child and their parents.
The school readiness evaluation will then be conducted at the assigned school beginning in February 2024.
Registration is only possible at one school, but there is no guarantee of securing a place there. Parents will be informed of the school their children have been admitted to by mid-February. They will then need to schedule an appointment for the admission interview, during which a school readiness test and language assessment will be conducted. Children must be present at this appointment.
Previously, the administrative component and the school readiness evaluation, as well as the language proficiency assessment, were typically conducted together in January at the selected school.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What you need to know about parental leave in Austria
10 of the best events in Austria in November 2023
The days may be getting darker, but there are plenty of fun events to look forward to in Austria this November.
Austrian Air Force to test supersonic planes
From November 6th to November 17th, the Austrian Air Force is scheduled to conduct its second supersonic training of the year. This training involves two supersonic flights daily, occurring between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., covering nearly the entire country. The Ministry of Defense stated that the training will take place at high altitudes to minimise noise levels.
According to Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner, this training is crucial for Austria's air force. "The security policy developments in Europe, but also Israel, show us every day how fragile peace can be. This makes it all the more important to be in a position to protect our homeland. Maintaining air sovereignty is of central importance for a sovereign state. This must be practised on an ongoing basis, including in the supersonic range", she said.
Supersonic speeds typically start at around 1,200 km/h, and when a Eurofighter reaches such speeds, it generates shockwaves, manifesting as a sonic boom heard on the ground. The intensity of the sound depends on factors such as flight altitude, terrain, and weather conditions.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Why isn’t Austria in NATO?
Increase in students starting degrees in teaching
The number of first-year students pursuing careers in teaching has seen an increase, reversing a previous decline, as reported by the newspaper Der Standard.
This year, there has been a 16.5 percent increase in students embarking on teacher training at universities and teacher training colleges compared to the previous year. According to Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP), this growth is attributed to his "Klasse Job" initiative, which encompasses efforts to recruit professionals in similar fields and includes information campaigns for teacher training.
The most significant increase has been in elementary school teacher training, which saw a 35 percent growth, while AHS/MS/BMHS teacher training increased by eleven percent.
The Austrian education system is the country's largest employer, with more than 120,000 teachers currently in service. Over the next five years, around 20,000 full-time teaching positions will need to be filled.
READ ALSO: What you need to know about teaching English in Austria
Austrian government to hike family benefits from 2024
Next year’s Family Ministry budget will be its highest ever – at €8.7 billion, with significant increases to tax allowances for families to start up in the 2024 tax year.
Although the precise numbers still have to be worked out, Family Minister Susanne Raab says funds for family allowances will increase to about €433 million, with child benefit budgets rising by €118 million.
Raab announced that parents will likely receive another €212 per child under three years of age per year.
One of the biggest new changes, though, will be the family bonus for fathers who take parental leave. The family bonus given out during months when both parents are home from work with their children will double – from €740 to €1,480.
READ MORE: Austrian government to hike family benefits from 2024
Austria extends border controls with Slovakia
Austria has decided to extend border controls with Slovakia for an additional twenty days, according to an announcement from the Ministry of the Interior.
Before this decision, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, and Slovenia had already extended the border controls that were initially introduced at the beginning of October. The primary objective of these measures is to combat human trafficking and smuggling, the government said.
Since the checks began on October 4th, the police have apprehended 19 people smugglers at the Slovakian border and prevented approximately 180 illegal immigrants from crossing, the Ministry of the Interior stated. The border controls with the Czech Republic were also extended for twenty days on October 28th.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) stated that "the police must be quicker than the smugglers," explaining that this is why border point controls began before smugglers could change their routes.
READ ALSO: Austria, Poland, Czechs start Slovak border checks to curb migration
If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.