Austria is delaying school laptops and bringing back more pen-and-paper teaching
Austria’s Education Ministry is changing its Digitales Lernen device programme so that pupils receive personal laptops or tablets later in their school careers. Under the new model, devices will be distributed in the second semester of the sixth school year rather than when pupils enter the fifth school year, according to VIENNA.AT.
The first cohort under the new timetable is due to receive devices in February 2029. The ministry is also putting more emphasis on handwriting, books and daily reading practice, particularly in primary schools and the fifth school year.
The new timetable applies from the 2027/28 school year. Pupils entering the fifth Schulstufe in 2026/27 are still due to receive devices under the existing model in winter 2026.
READ ALSO: What Austria's latest PISA results say about schools, screen time and migrant pupils
Why qualified refugees in Austria often end up in jobs below their skills
Refugees who arrive in Austria with qualifications from abroad often struggle to find work matching their training, according to research highlighted by ORF Wien. Obstacles identified include German-language requirements, recognition of foreign qualifications, lengthy procedures, job-placement priorities and discrimination.
Research by the FORBA institute found that women are particularly affected by employment below their qualification level. The study focuses specifically on refugees, although several barriers concern systems used more broadly to recognise foreign qualifications.
The Vienna Chamber of Labour is calling for closer links between language courses and occupational training, as well as faster recognition procedures for qualifications obtained abroad.
READ ALSO: How can I validate my foreign diploma in Austria?
Austria faces fresh EU complaint over refugee family reunification rules
A coalition of organisations has submitted a complaint to the European Commission over Austria’s new refugee family reunification rules, arguing that the quota system breaches EU law, according to Der Standard. The Austrian Interior Ministry disputes that interpretation.
Since August, Austria’s system has provided for an annual maximum number of family members who may join recognised refugees. The quota for 2026 has not yet been finalised.
Asylkoordination, Diakonie, the International Refugee Assistance Project Europe and legal expert Anuscheh Farahat submitted the complaint. They want the Commission to consider infringement proceedings, but no EU court has ruled Austria’s system unlawful.
READ ALSO: The immigration changes that await foreigners in Austria in 2026 and beyond
How proposed EU rules could make working and using foreign qualifications in Austria easier
The European Commission has proposed a Fair Labour Mobility Package covering social-security documents, recognition of professional qualifications, and the powers of the European Labour Authority. The measures are proposals and are not yet in force.
For people working across borders, the package would eventually allow documents including the European Health Insurance Card and A1 social-security certificate to be stored in the EU Digital Identity Wallet. It also proposes faster procedures for regulated professions and common standards for recognising some qualifications obtained outside the EU.
The package still needs adoption by the European Parliament and Council before the changes can take effect. The exact dates depend on when the legislation is adopted. The Commission proposes phased implementation, with different measures taking effect one, two or three years after adoption or entry into force.
READ ALSO: Do I need to pay taxes in Austria as a cross-border worker?
Worth reading
Moving to Austria before finding a job can leave newcomers unsure how they will be covered for healthcare. Our guide to getting health insurance in Austria before you have a job looks at options including statutory self-insurance, family co-insurance, private cover and arrangements for pensioners, EU citizens and third-country nationals.
Members can read the full guide, along with The Local Austria’s other in-depth explainers and practical stories on moving, residence and everyday bureaucracy.
READ ALSO: Everything foreigners need to know about the Austrian healthcare system
What’s happening in Austria today
Statistics Austria is due to publish preliminary August inflation figures on Thursday. The figures will provide the latest indication of cost-of-living developments in Austria.
In Vienna, the Night Run starts on the Ringstraße at 8pm. Tram lines D, 1, 2, 31 and 71 have event-related changes, so evening passengers should allow extra time.
Major rail disruption also continues. Vienna’s S-Bahn Stammstrecke between Hauptbahnhof/St. Marx and Praterstern remains closed, with ongoing works affecting some international rail journeys towards Italy, Germany and Switzerland.
Thursday will be much cooler and wetter than Wednesday across much of Austria. Rain is expected in many areas, with city highs generally in the mid-teens to low 20s.
Parliament’s Interior Affairs Committee meets at 9am with several migration and citizenship motions on its agenda. These are proposals under discussion and do not represent changes to the current rules.
READ ALSO: Which train tickets can you use on Vienna public transport during the S-Bahn closure?
Coming up later on The Local
Later today, we’ll look at how much it costs to live in Salzburg.
READ ALSO: IN NUMBERS: What is considered a good salary in Salzburg?
Vocabulary
das Digitale Lernen – digital learning
die Schulstufe – school year or grade level
die Dequalifizierung – employment below a person’s qualification level
der Familiennachzug – family reunification
die Stammstrecke – main or trunk railway line
If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles, or news tips for The Local, you can contact us at news@thelocal.at or leave a comment below.
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