Apprentices: levy required for companies that are lazy about training

Binder refers to the WKO apprenticeship statistics for 2025, according to which the number of training companies in Austria has increased compared to the previous year 3.8 percent has declined. “We have more than 1,000 training companies lost. This is alarming in times of increasing demand for skilled workers. Anyone who doesn’t train today will have to call even louder for skilled workers tomorrow,” says Binder.

14 percent fewer apprentices in industry

Alone There was a decline in the “Industry” division last year apprentices in the first year of training by 14 percent. “Every seventh apprenticeship position in Austria’s industrial companies was eliminated in 2025. With this behavior, the economy is sawing off the branch on which it actually sits,” emphasizes Binder and criticizes the short-sightedness of many companies: “Every football club, every brass band or every other organization knows why they work with young talent. Without youth, no future. Without apprenticeships, no skilled workers!”

Chamber of Commerce clearly rejects “penalty tax”.

Secretary General of the Chamber of Commerce Jochen Danninger gave a clear rejection of the idea of ​​a “punitive tax” for companies and sharply rejected the accusations that companies were avoiding training.

There are companies that are not allowed to train apprentices at all due to their industry affiliation or limited trade licenses. Many people are unable to find young people willing to train and therefore have to temporarily suspend apprenticeship training. “It would be absurd to punish them for this.”

The domestic companies would be involved in the training of young skilled workers 3 billion euros per year spend. The apprentice income paid by companies has risen significantly above the (high) KV qualifications in order to make apprenticeships more attractive. The Company funding for apprenticeshipswhich is intended to cushion the training costs for companies, is on the other hand 280 million euros capped.

Demographic reasons for decline

The massive decline in Apprentices Since 1980, the WKO has been explaining demographics. According to Statistics Austria, there are currently 220,000 fewer young people aged 15 to 19 in Austria than there were 45 years ago. These young people would be missing from apprenticeship training. According to AMS, there were 17,564 open apprenticeships reported across Austria at the end of January 2026. There were 13,507 young apprenticeship seekers. So there are more open apprenticeship positions in companies than there are people looking for them.