INFOBROSCHÜRE
LABOUR LAW FOR NON-AUSTRIAN STUDENTS
www.jugend.gpa-djp.at
IMPRINT
IMPRINT Herausgeberin: Gewerkschaft der Privatangestellten, Druck, Journalismus, Papier Bundesjugendabteilung Alfred-Dallinger-Platz 1, 1034 Wien in Kooperation mit helping hands Taubstummengasse 7-9, 1040 Wien Redaktion: DI Peter Marhold – helping hands, Barbara Marx – GPA-djp Übersetzung: Lukas Neißl Titelbild: www.istockphoto.com Layout: modularplus.com Kontakt: Tel.: 050301 21 510 Mail: jugend@gpa-djp.at Internet: www.jugend.gpa-djp.at Stand: Juni 2010 2
LABOUR LAW
INTRODUCTION
There are many different reasons for students to work during their studies: from the necessary (additional) income, to the required SURRI RI VXI¿FLHQW PHDQV RI VXEsistence, to the gaining of vocational experience or the aspiration IRU ¿QDQFLDO LQGHSHQGHQFH $SDUW from looking for a suitable job, there are legal obstacles for nonAustrian students. Not everything possible is also allowed! These guidelines are to outline the general conditions for employment. Many detailed questions cannot be answered in a general way. For this purpose there are advice and information organisations listed at the end of the folder. And be careful: ‘Illegal employment’ according to Austria law may lead to residence bans!
GPA-djp-Students 3
VARYING REGULATIONS
The compliance with labour and social law regulations should be a self-evident protection during and after employment. Nonetheless these regulations are not the only framework for legal employment. The social insurance institutions rarely control whether employees comply with the regulations of the Foreign Labour Act (AuslBG). In the best case the residence authority refers to the concerning regulations in the course of the extension of the student residence permit (and does not accept such income for the required proof of VXI¿FLHQW PHDQV RI VXEVLVWHQFH In the worst case the illegal employment is reported to the aut-
horities, i.e. the responsible authorities of the Ministry of Finance conduct an inspection at the place of employment. In the case of self-employment industrial and trade law regulations are to be considered. Although the number of so-called ‘regulated’ trades is being reduced continuously, a trade licence is also required for so-called ‘non-regulated’ trades. Exceptions are only granted for ‘new self-employed’. The differentiation sometimes may UHVXOW GLI¿FXOW 7KH PRVW FRPSUHhensive information is provided by the regional Chamber of Commerce. ,I D FRPSODLQW LV ¿OHG EHFDXVH RI illegal employment, it is absolutely necessary to seek legal advice in the following proceedings before the immigration authorities! The suspicion of the authorities is not DOZD\V FRQ¿UPHG 7HPSRUDU\ KHOS as a ‘favour’ in a particular case can possibly be explained; but repeated work declared to social LQVXUDQFH GH¿QLWHO\ QRW And: Ignorance of the law is no excuse!
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LABOUR LAW
WHO CAN DO WHAT?
AUSTRIANS AND FOREIGN CITIZENS TREATED EQUALLY Citizens of the EU-15 (member states before the 2004 enlargement) may take up every gainful employment, if the employment abides by labour law and industrial and trade law regulations.
CITIZENS OF THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN NEW EU MEMBER STATES Citizens of the new EU member states may take up every selfemployment, but in most cases of dependent employment they are subject to the Foreign Labour Act just as non-EU citizens. Exceptions are only possible for:
Occupations generally not covered by the Foreign Labour Act (most important: artists, journalists, research scientists and teaching staff of certain schools) Nurses Persons who have been entitled to work for a year (with an employment permit) Family members of employees entitled to work
The restrictions for the member states of the 2004 enlargement (so-called transition provisions) will expire in May 2011. These restrictions are not effective for self-employed occupations and the application for trade licences may not be exacerbated by additional fees.
THIRD COUNTRY CITIZENS Students from so-called third countries need an employment permit for all cases of dependent employment subject to the Foreign Labour Act. The application for trade licences may be exacerbated. Generally reciprocity is applied – i.e. the applicant has to provide the VDPH FHUWL¿FDWHV WKDW DUH UHTXLUHG for Austrians in his/her country of origin.
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DEPENDENT EMPLOYMENT
Dependent employment is work in which employees are bounded by instructions of the employer and are obliged to work for the working time agreed upon, irrespective of their success. All persons subject to the Foreign Labour Act require a special permit for such work. This permit can be granted as a/an:
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Employment permit – Beschäftigungsbewilligung (applied for by the employer and only valid in this company), valid up to 1 year
Short-term work permit – Arbeitserlaubnis: after 1 year of employment, only valid in one federal state
Long-term work permit – Befreiungsschein: after 5 years, valid throughout Austria
Since the reform of Austrian immigration laws in 2005 a settlement permit (Niederlassungsbewilligung) is required for the application for a short-term and long-term work permit. Settlement permits are not granted to students. Therefore students can only apply for employments permits.
LABOUR LAW
The employer has to apply for the employment permit at the Public Employment Service (AMS). The employment permit is subject to an overall contingent of non-Austrian employees in Austria. Consequently the application is frequently rejected. If the contingent is exceeded, a committee of social partners attends the application. Advantages are special skills required by the Austrian labour market, e.g. language skills or special skills obtained from the university studies; furthermore the applicant should have references to the aspired occupation. Probably resulting from an incorrect implementation of an EU Directive – which in principle guarantees students access to the labour market for at least 10 hours a week – it has become usual that employ-ment permits are almost only granted for marginal employment (monthly income up to a maximum of € 366.33 in 2010). Often students from the new EU member states do not even get these employment permits because after one year’s employment they are no longer subject to the transitional provisions and would get free access to the labour market. Fre-
quently only so-called ‘seasonal permits’ (Saisonbewilligung) are granted in theses cases. For students seasonal permits (in particular branches of industry like e.g. the hotel and restaurant industry) are granted for a maximum period up to 3 months. Due to the fact that the overall contingent of non-Austrian employees is constantly exceeded it may be the case that permits granted in the past are not being extended. As a result the employment contract has to be terminated in accordance with the notice period; if the employers agree, you may get the one or the other additional week. An appeal against a rejection of an application for a permit is possible WR WKH UHJLRQDO RI¿FH RI WKH 3XEOLF Employment Service. However, the employer has to appeal since employees do not have the status of a party in the proceedings for granting an employment permit.
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SELF-EMPLOYMENT
The fundamental difference is payment for a ‘work’ (achievement) instead of payment for working time. Thereby the contractors bear the ‘risk’: If the work is completed ZLWKLQ D VKRUWHU SHULRG WKH ÂżFWLonal hourly income is higher. If it WDNHV ORQJHU WKH ÂżFWLRQDO KRXUly income is reduced. The use of own equipment, working for more than one principal and the possibility to incorporate further persons without consultation (who possibly need an employment permit) are further characteristics of self-employed work. Persons working as new selfemployed without a trade licence bear the risk that in the case of an eventual inspection the responsible Regional Health Insurance )XQG KDV WKH ÂżQDO VD\ DQG UXOHV that the occupation actually is a freelance service contract (freier Dienstvertrag). This implies back payments to social insurance. Ho-
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wever, employment permits are also required for freelance service contracts – retroactively problems with the immigration authorities may arise! Trade licence holders do not have to worry about this.
DIFFERENTIATION Not every occupation is suited for a contract for work and services (Werkvertrag). Every occupation requiring presence in a company at determined working hours (e.g. telephone service) can never be covered by a contract for work and services. Even if the possibility exists to be substituted by colleagues, it is in the best case an indication for a freelance service contract. It is also a strong sign for an employment contract if needed records or a computer are provided by the company. If on the other hand a computer programme is written on the own computer DQG WKH SULQFLSDOÂśV RIÂżFH LV RQO\ used for meetings, it is a genuine contract for work and services. In case of doubt it is also recommended to seek advice as it may depend on the wording of the contract!
LABOUR LAW
INTERNSHIPS
The Foreign Labour Act distinguishes between traineeships (Volontariat) and internships (Praktikum): Internships are required by curricula and have to constitute an internship according to the ‘economic content’. This is to be evaluated in an overall assessment of working time, nature of the occupation and income. +LJKO\ TXDOL¿HG ZRUN PD\ EH SDLG appropriately. Traineeships are ‘voluntary’ gaining of knowledge and experience and must not be paid. Expense allowances should always be examined in regard to the individual case. 6LQFH VFLHQWL¿F ZRUN LQ UHVHDUFK and teaching as well as development and teaching of the arts are not subject to the Foreign Labour Act it easier for universities as employers. The freedom of science and the arts has constitutional status. Therefore, neither the Public Employment Service nor the immigration authorities can pronounce separate judgements although the regarding declarations are quite XQVSHFL¿F
INFO:
helping hands Taubstummengasse 7-9, Erdgeschoss 1040 Wien Tel.: +43-1-310 88 80 DW 10 Fax.: +43-1-310 88 80 DW 37 e-mail: info@helpinghands.at www.helpinghands.at
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AFTER THE STUDIES
If you are employed for sciHQWL¿F ZRUN DW XQLYHUVLW\ \RX can apply for a ‘residence permit – special cases of gainful employment’ (Aufenthaltungsbewilligung – Sonderfälle unselbstständiger Erwerbstätigkeit) or a ‘residence permit – researchers’ (Aufenthaltsbewilligung – Forscher). The required application at the immiJUDWLRQ RI¿FH LV TXLWH VLPSOH DQG is not subject to the overall contingent of non-Austrian employees in Austria. Since 1st of January 2010 holders of a ‘residence permit – researchers’ for a period of two years have the right to apply for an unlimited settlement permit with free access to the labour market.
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In the past the type of residence permit did not matter. This has now changed! Please inform the university as your employer on this issue! ,I \RX ¿QG DQRWKHU HPSOR\HU after graduating from university in Austria, it is a bit easier to apply for a settlement permit as key personnel as it is for key personnel just moving into Austria. The overall contingent of non-Austrian employees does no longer matter and also the requirements of the Foreign Labour Act are easier. The employer has to pay at least 60% of the maximum assessment basis of the General Social Insurance Act ASVG (€ 2466 in 2010). Furthermore the employer has to explain the special knowledge and skills of the potential employee in the application. The remaining requirements concerning the ‘creation of further jobs or the maintenance of existing jobs’, the ‘transfer of investment capital’ or any other µHFRQRPLF EHQH¿W¶ DUH QR ORQJHU required (although the Public Employment Service likes to ignore these facts).
LABOUR LAW
WHAT’S THE GPA-DJP? The Union of Private Sector Employees, Graphical Workers and Journalists (GPA-djp) is the biggest individual trade union within the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB). In addition to salaried employees we also organise school and university students and apprentices. Being the Students’ Union we provide advice on labour law issues
and support for university students. But we also raise political claims and take a clear stand against cuts in education and social services.
OUR STRENGTH DEPENDS ON YOU! Being a member you get our brochures and information materiDO DQG ZH KHOS \RX ZLWK VSHFL¿F
JA, ICH WERDE NEUES GPA-DJP MITGLIED Familienname: Vorname: m
w
Adresse: Plz., Ort: Schule/Uni: voraussichtliches Ausbildungsende kleingedrucktes:
Email/Tel.: Geburtsdatum:
Datum und Unterschrift Den Mitgliedsbeitrag von Euro 8,40 pro Jahr zahle ich per Einziehungsauftrag Dauerauftrag
Bank
Ort, Datum
Bankleitzahl
Kontonummer
Unterschrift der/des Kontozeichnungsberechtigten
Hiermit ermächtige ich widerruflich, die von mir zu entrichtenden Zahlungen bei Fälligkeit zu Lasten meines Kontos mittels Lastschrift einzuziehen. Damit ist auch meine kontoführende Bank ermächtigt, die Lastschriften einzulösen, wobei für diese keine Verpflichtung besteht, insbesondere dann, wenn mein Konto die erforderliche Deckung nicht aufweist. Ich habe das Recht, innerhalb von 42 Kalendertagen ab Abbuchungstag ohne Angabe von Gründen die Rückbuchung bei meiner Bank zu veranlassen. Ich ermächtige die Gewerkschaft der Privatangestellen, den Mitgliedsbeitrag von Euro 8,40 pro Jahr von meinem unten angeführten Konto einzuziehen.
GPA-djp
problems and questions. Together ZLWK \RX ZH ¿JKW IRU \RXU ULJKWV It goes without saying that we cannot offers all this free of charge. As a trade union we depend on the fees of our members. Since students usually do not have much money, there is an accordingly low yearly membership fee for students amounting to € 8.40.
In addition to the full trade union legal protection we offer you the following services:
Seminars and workshops Brochures and information
PDWHULDO RQ VSHFL¿F WRSLFV
Youth Hostel Pass (free of charge)
Youth Press Card 10% discount on books and CDs
7KH ¿UVW \HDU RI PHPEHUVKLS LV free of charge!
Business cards
ALS GPA-DJP MITGLIED BESTELLE ICH GRATIS ...
Führerschein-CD Visitenkarten Jugendherbergsausweis Taschenkalender Gratis Jugendpresseausweis (für ZeitungsredakteurInnen) Probeabo der Mitgliederzeitschrift "Unity"
folgende Broschüren: Ferienjob, Pflichtpraktikum und Co. Gemeinsam gegen sexuelle Belästigung Wege in den Journalismus
Ich habe eine Frage - bitte kontaktiert mich! Ich will mitarbeiten - bitte kontaktiert mich! 12
Das Porto zahlen wir!
An die: Gewerkschaft der Privatangestellten-DJP Bundesjugendabteilung Alfred Dallinger Platz 1 1034 Wien
GPA-djp – IMMER IN DEINER NÄHE
GPA-djp Bundesjugend Alfred-Dallinger-Platz 1 1034 Wien Tel.: 050301 21 510 Fax: 050301 71 510 www.jugend.gpa-djp.at jugend@gpa-djp.at GPA-djp Wien Alfred-Dallinger-Platz 1 1034 Wien Tel.: 050301 21 298 Fax: 050301 71 298 wien@gpa-djp.at GPA-djp Niederösterreich Gewerkschaftsplatz 1 3100 St. Pölten Tel.: 050301 22 033 Fax: 050301 72 033 niederoesterreich@gpa-djp.at GPA-djp Burgenland Wienerstraße 7 7000 Eisenstadt Tel.: 050301 23 047 Fax: 050301 73 047 burgenland@gpa-djp.at GPA-djp Steiermark Karl-Morre-Straße 32 8020 Graz Tel.: 050301 24 206 Fax: 050301 74 206 steiermark@gpa-djp.at
GPA-djp Kärnten Bahnhofstraße 44/4 9020 Klagenfurt Tel.: 050301 25 000 Fax: 050301 25 999 kaernten@gpa-djp.at GPA-djp Oberösterreich Volksgartenstraße 40 4020 Linz Tel.: 050301 26 114 Fax: 050301 76 114 oberoesterreich@gpa-djp.at GPA-djp Salzburg Markus-Sittikus Straße 10 5020 Salzburg Tel.: 050301 27 025 Fax: 050301 77 025 salzburg@gpa-djp.at GPA-djp Tirol Südtiroler Platz 14-16 6020 Innsbruck Tel.: 050301 28 105 Fax: 050301 78 105 tirol@gpa-djp.at GPA-djp Vorarlberg Reutegasse 11 6901 Bregenz Tel.: 050301 29 015 Fax: 050301 79 015 vorarlberg@gpa-djp.at
NOTES
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