Austria has introduced new rules for unemployed people from July 1st 2025, changing how to report to the Public Employment Service (AMS) after a break in receiving unemployment benefits and making the online system more valuable.
Here’s what these changes mean for you if you lose your job or are receiving unemployment benefits in Austria.
READ ALSO: Should I register with Austria's unemployment agency AMS if I'm out of work?
Faster re-registration after interruptions
If your unemployment period is interrupted, for example due to illness or travel abroad, you must now re-register with the AMS no later than the next working day after the end of the interruption. Before July 2025, you had up to one week to re-register.
Even if you have already informed the AMS when your break will end, you still need to actively re-register. Otherwise, you may no longer receive any benefits. Re-registration is possible by telephone, via the eAMS account, or in person at an AMS office. It is not allowed by letter or email.
The AMS will only send you a notification about the end of your benefit payments if you expressly want this or if the reason for the interruption was reported by someone else, such as the health insurance company.
Reporting after sick leave
Regardless of whether you received sick pay during your illness or not, you must report back to the AMS the day after your sick leave ends. You must also submit a medical certificate within a deadline specified by the AMS.
READ ALSO: Can I get unemployment benefits in Austria if I'm self-employed?
Using the eAMS account is now mandatory
If you have an eAMS account, you must use it, Austria's Chamber of Labour explained.
That means you need to check it at least on two different working days per week for new messages such as job suggestions, appointments, or other information. Your eAMS account may have an appointment scheduled for the next day, so it is advisable to check it regularly. There is no rule about when you should check your account during the day.
How to register as unemployed
Since July 1st 2025, there are only two ways to register as unemployed. You can do so online via your eAMS account or in person at the AMS, though the AMS recommends using the online services.
If you register as unemployed via the eAMS account, you only have to go to the AMS in person if you are applying for unemployment benefits for the first time or if you have not received unemployment benefits for more than two years.
READ ALSO: 'Go west': Vienna sees unemployment rise as job seekers encouraged to look elsewhere
In both cases, the AMS requires a personal appointment within two weeks of the first registration. This in-person appointment is mandatory, and if you miss it without good reason, you will not receive any unemployment payment. The appointment can also take place before the unemployment benefit is approved.
If you are asked to submit documents for your application and do not do so within the deadline set by the AMS, the payment of the money will begin later, AK warns.
Comments (1)