My daughter is moving to austria to work ( any info greatly recieved ie how medical system works cost of livin

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Leila B.

I live in Austria and I don't think you need to be afraid. Generally this is a laid back, quite safe country. If your daughter has a "legal" job, she will be insured (part of her wage goes to social security, and her employer pays the same amount. Employers who don't have their employees registered and insured -and try to safe money that way - risk high fines.). Once she is within the soc.sec.system, she'll recieve medical treatment for free or at a very low price. But if she is not insured, a stay at a hospital can be terribly expensive!
So your daughter should make sure her employer has her registered with social security and gets the so called e-card for her. Without this card no doctor will see her without a high deposit.

Our doctors/clinics are as good as any in western europe or the USA.

Cost of living: can be quite high, especially in touristical areas, where you earn Austrian wages but pay tourist prices for everything (I should know, I live in Salzburg - the Sound of Music-Salzburg ...) Waitresses make the larger part of their pay from tips.

Almost everybody speaks English (at least a bit), even in the countryside. Nowadays even the announcements in the trains are in German AND English. Still, people are very pleased if you make an effort and try to learn a few words in German. (Oh, and don't look for "Vienna" on an Austrian map - we call it "Wien").

Good luck to your daughter, I am sure she'll have a great time!

Duncan

I do not live in Austria but down south in Germany. I can tell you that you should not worry too much. Austria, like Germany, is in many ways years ahead of the US in terms of health-care, social services and safety. The cost of living is relative. Housing is a bit steep for what you get. Apartments often come stripped down, meaning no kitchen, no lamps and no closets. You buy your own and to people here that makes a lot of sense. Food in Austria is more expensive than in Germany but the quality makes up for the price. As for safety, common sense is always the best weapon. Men here are less forward toward women than Americans but working at a bar things may be different. If she has a good head on her shoulders and some street smarts she'll be just fine.

wreindl

The most important thing is that her job is legal and she is reported to the "Sozialversicherung" (social security). Every person working in Austria has got a social security which covers all basic medical treatment, accidents and so on. Of course she needs a valid working permit - otherwise it may be a non-registered work which is strictly forbidden and in that case there would be no insurane coverage. I would suggest she should ask for a contract with her boss already in advance. It should include the kind of work she has to do and of course the guarantee that she will be reported as a legal worker to the social security system. 99,9% of Austrian jobs are absolutely perfect, but still there is a rest risk especially if she works in a bar ... so check out some things before and afterwards let her go - she will have a great time over here!

lewey

Austria is quite a safe place, with good friendly people. Cost of living is quite high. But they do have a wonderful medical system. If she is moving from another EU country then she should automatically have some cover. Then once working, through her employer she should sign up for their system, and get a card - I forget the details, just my employer got me to sign some forms and sent it off for me, think it was together with the tax stuff.

foxy

relax mum...i have a girlfriend of four years in Graz Austria ...the Austrians are really straight up people and there is very little crime....bars are not like in England over there...usually it is a restaurant or an Irish theme pub but gangs of teenagers don't gather like at home ...if she is looking for accommodation then she could do a lot worse than finding a nice gast haus outside of the town where regulars use it to gather for a natter.....very interesting to watch them ...the worst thing i have witnessed was on new years eve early on some youngsters throwing fire crackers into the street and loud bangs but then it's their tradition...relax mum

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