Over the past few years, more than half of immigrants who have arrived in the Austrian capital are from the EU. Among the newcomers are many qualified professionals, with more than 60% having a higher education.

According to the Deputy Mayor Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS), these individuals bring valuable skills to the local job market. Therefore, it is highly important to help new expats to integrate into the community. As a result, immigrants will contribute to the economy and save the city from a shortage of employees in the future.

In line with this target, the Department of Integration and Diversity in Vienna has launched the StartWien programme, which provides an array of support services. These include private consultations and free information sessions called Info-Module.

On top of that, the programme grants EUR 150 Vienna language vouchers (Wiener Sprachgutschein), which can be used at certified language providers. The voucher is valid only if you attend the Info-Module. Previously, the funding was available exclusively to individuals from third world countries and EU citizens with select immigration titles. Now, all EU expats can take advantage of the initiative.

The website of StartWien has a lot of detailed information and schedules for various services within the programme, including videos about education and residency, among other significant topics. More videos will be available soon, with information on health and employment issues.