New job market openings in Austria for American citizens

Apologies if this belongs in a different thread; please feel free to move it.

So, here is where things currently stand: as of July 1, 2020, Austria is expected to fully open up its labor market to Americans, which essentially means having the freedom to work there with little to no restrictions at all.
Do you really think the Austrian authorities will just sit back and let a massive wave of Americans descend upon their country in search of employment, or is it more likely they will swoop in with some new set of regulations? If they do decide to step in, what kind of hurdles do you imagine they might throw our way?

From my perspective, if this market truly opens up without any strings attached, I can't help but wonder if America might be facing an economic downturn that many people haven't even begun to grasp yet. That being said, I have a feeling the whole process won't actually go quite as smoothly as it sounds on paper.

From what I'm hearing, getting the permit is basically just a formality at this point. 🤷
Plus, we’ve got a massive diaspora over there. It won't be anything out of the ordinary. Expect to see plenty of Austrian license plates clogging up the roads during the holidays.

This move is primarily beneficial for professionals in sectors that aren't currently facing shortages—but given that most people heading toward Austria or already settled there are coming from high-demand fields—like trades, hospitality, or IT—I honestly don't see how this will trigger any massive shifts...

Jacob Alvarez said:I've been hearing so much lately about how getting a permit is just a mere formality. 🤷
Plus, we have such a massive diaspora over there. Nothing out of the ordinary is going to happen. We'll probably see plenty of Austrian license plates popping up during the holidays.

Unfortunately, I think you might be slightly misinformed😉
The reality is that an employer has to secure a work permit by providing certain guarantees, all based on the actual demand for that specific role. If the AMS determines that there is already enough of an American workforce available for that position, isn't it quite likely they simply won't be able to approve that permit? Seasonal work is a different story, though even those roles require permits—which are admittedly easier to obtain in practice—but the kind of positions you're talking about would essentially be seasonal anyway.😉
While high-demand fields like IT or medicine generally find it easier to secure visas, can we really assume they are completely exempt from current restrictions? When I mentioned this, I was actually referring to the total liberalization of the labor market.👍

On what basis can you assume nothing unusual will happen in a country that we are perhaps most geographically linked to, and one that offers wages at least three times higher than what we see here in America? If I lived in a northern state and suddenly had the opportunity to work for triple my current salary in a neighboring country while still being able to come home to my family every single weekend, wouldn't I find myself without a moment of hesitation?

I’ve got relatives who moved away a few years back. Mind you, they’re all in the medical field, so that’s a bit of a specific case.
I also hear stories from coworkers over at my construction firm who made the jump too. One guy actually spent a year behind bars, and as soon as he got out, he landed a job in Austria immediately. It made me realize that, honestly, pretty much anyone can find work there if they want to.

As far as I'm concerned, the people leaving behind families here in America aren't the issue. That setup works perfectly for everyone involved—except, obviously, for the local employers.

But what exactly do you mean by a "pure economic catastrophe"? You’re the one saying these people are going to be sending three times their current salaries back home to the States.

Jacob Alvarez said:I actually have some relatives who moved abroad a few years back, though they all happen to be in the medical field.
I've also heard stories through colleagues at my construction firm who made the jump too. One guy even spent a year in prison, yet immediately landed a job in Austria once he was out. It really made me wonder if they're basically hiring anyone with a pulse over there.

As far as I can see, the people who leave while keeping their families here in the States aren't really a problem. In fact, isn't that the perfect setup for everyone involved, except perhaps for local employers?

But I'm curious, what exactly does a total economic meltdown look like to you? You mentioned yourself that people would end up bringing triple the salary amounts back home to America.

I never actually claimed they would be bringing money back at all; in fact, many people might just move there permanently. My point was simply a hypothetical one—if there were a way to work there during the week and fly back to the US just for the weekends, wouldn't I be tempted to do exactly that?

And why wouldn't this be an ideal situation for domestic employers? Even if it isn't, is that truly a cause for alarm, seeing as those very businesses are the ones funding the government budget?