About the AMS

The Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) is Austria’s leading provider of labour-market related services. We match candidates with job openings and assist jobseekers and companies who turn to us by offering advice, information, qualification opportunities and financial assistance.

Within the framework of the Federal Government’s policy of full employment, the AMS renders a major contribution to preventing and eradicating unemployment in Austria. Commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs Health and Consumer protection, the AMS assumes its role as an enterprise under public law in close cooperation with labour and employers’ organisations.

The Public Employment Service AMS is structured into 1 federal and 9 regional organisations as well as 98 local organisations. There are also 6 branch offices and 70 careers information centres. Representatives of employers’ and labour organisations (i.e. of the Economic Chamber, the Federal Chamber of Labour, the Austrian Trade Union Federation and the Federation of Austrian Industry) are involved at all levels and make a considerable contribution to forming labour market policy and organizational controlling in the board of governors, the provincial directorates and regional advisory councils. The body acting at the federal level is the administrative board.

Administrative Board

It comprises a maximum of 12 members.

Board of Directors

Chairman of the Board of Directors
Herbert Buchinger

Member of the Board
Johannes Kopf

Federal head office

The head office staff are responsible for management, controlling, follow-up, evaluation, business environment analysis and strategies.

Regional offices

There are 9 regional offices, one in each province of Austria. Their tasks are elaborating labour market policy aims for respective regions, co-ordinating the AMS with other institutions of the province, labour market monitoring and statistics, research and development, setting framework conditions and supporting regional branch offices.

Regional branch offices

There are employment offices in nearly all municipalities. Local branch offices offer information, counselling and support in case of special needs and continuous assistance (claims and benefits, guidance).

The services of the AMS are not for the unemployed only. Persons who have a job but want a change of occupation can also turn to the Employment Service, which offers recruitment and placement services for employers as well.

Career information centres (BIZ)

These centres offer to all those interested, in particular to unemployed people and gainfully employed jobseekers, first-time workers, people changing job, school-leavers and so forth, detailed information about various professions, employment opportunities as well as training and further training. Information about the labour market and future job prospects is also available.