High Demand for Civil Service Remains Steady in Austria

The civil service continues to enjoy strong popularity in Austria, with 11,798 young men currently fulfilling their alternative military duty. This figure was announced by the Minister responsible, Claudia Plakolm, during the presentation of quarterly statistics.

According to the report, the demand for civil servants is being met consistently, achieving a coverage rate of 90.6%, similar to the previous year's figures, which represented the highest level in seven years.

In the first quarter of 2025, a significant 41.6% of civil servants were assigned to emergency services. Additionally, 24.55% were allocated to social and disability assistance, while 11.24% contributed to elderly care facilities. About 9.43% of participants are serving in hospitals, with smaller percentages working in areas such as disaster relief, refugee support, childcare, and public safety, each making up approximately 3% or less.

However, there are notable disparities among different federal states. For instance, Styria and Vienna report high demand coverage rates of 95.6% and 95.1%, respectively, while Carinthia lags significantly behind at just 63.8%. Minister Plakolm acknowledged the lack of specific reasons for these discrepancies but emphasized the importance of addressing demographic shifts to ensure adequate service provision. This is being achieved not only through civil service participants but also via volunteers and those undertaking a year of social work.

Plakolm highlighted that the basic remuneration for civil service has increased to EUR605.60, alongside additional meal allowances, a substantial rise from the EUR339 offered in 2019. Regarding the potential extension of compulsory military service to include civil service, Plakolm refrained from making any commitments, noting that a commission would be formed to assess Austria's military readiness in light of the changing geopolitical landscape. Concrete conclusions will only be drawn after the commission's findings are available.

As for the issue of mandatory military service for women, akin to recent measures introduced in Denmark, Plakolm stated that there is currently no majority support for such a move in Austria. Instead, the focus remains on promoting voluntary participation, which has seen 80% of those opting for a year of social work being young women. This opportunity allows them to explore career fields before committing to training in social and healthcare professions.