Austria Tourism

The United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria U.S. Mission, Nigeria > Visa News   September 24, 2004 Visa Waiver Program FACT SHEET Th ... [Read More]

Visa Waiver Program

The program allows persons visiting the U.S. for purposes normally covered by B-1 or B-2 status to travel directly to the U.S. without first obtaining visitor visas abroad. In order to benefit from the VWPP the alien must: Have a valid passport according status as a citizen from one of the participating countries; Seek entry for business or tourism for 90 days or less; Have a round-trip or through ticket and arrive on a participating carrier: ... [Read More]

US Department Of State Post Report

Tourism is extremely important in Austria and the quality and number of the country's sports facilities are undoubtedly among the principal reasons. ... [Read More]

Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

How Does a Country Qualify for Visa Waiver? Select Visa Waiver Program - How a Country Qualifies to learn more. Which travelers may use the Visa Waiver Program to enter the United States? Nationals of the 27 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program may use VWP if: [Read More]

2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Austria

The country's highly developed, market-based economy, with its mix of technologically advanced industry, modern agriculture, and tourism, affords the approximately 8 million citizens a high standard of living. During the year, wages grew slightly faster than inflation. The gross domestic product grew by slightly less than 1 percent during the year; there were no serious inequalities in the distribution of income. ... [Read More]

Austria

The OVP/FPO coalition reached an agreement in August 2001 on immigration quotas and a new system of immigrant integration. Beginning in January, annual immigration quotas were set at approximately 8,000 persons per year, although there was a shift in the distribution among the categories. In July Parliament adopted an immigration reform proposal that would harmonize residence and employment provisions and require permanent legal residents to take German language and civics courses for the purpose of integration; it is scheduled to take effect in January 2003. Those immigrants who fail to complete the courses by various deadlines would face financial penalties and deportation or expulsion. The law would limit employment-based immigration categories to key qualified employees and low-skilled workers and expand the definition of temporary seasonal worker to include industries beyond agriculture and tourism. In 2001 the number of illegal aliens intercepted at national borders ... [Read More]

Austria

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In general, skilled labor is available in sufficient numbers. However, regional shortages of highly specialized laborers in specific sectors such as systems administration, metalworking, health, and tourism services may occur. The government’s labor market policy is oriented towards the EU goals of raising the labor market participation rate to 70% (currently 69.2%) by 2010, that of women to 60% (currently 61.7%), and that of workers aged 55-64 to 50% (currently 30.4%). The government introduced new regulations requiring recipients of unemployment benefits to be more flexible regarding which jobs they would accept. Companies hiring workers age 50 and above are eligible for financial bonuses, but face penalties for laying off workers within this age group. The government still plans to introduce more flexible work hours and a monthly minimum wage of Euro 1,000. ... [Read More]

V. Country Narratives -- Countries A through G

France is a destination country for women trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude, primarily from Eastern and Central Europe and Africa. The number of Chinese women trafficked to France for sexual exploitation increased in 2004. The government estimates that there are 10,000 to 12,000 trafficking victims in France, 3,000-8,000 of whom are children forced into prostitution and labor. Nigerian trafficking networks continued to expand their activities in France. Trafficking of Brazilian women and girls for sexual exploitation to French Guiana — a French possession — remained a serious problem. The Government of France fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. Although the government did not provide full data on investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentences, the Secretary of State has ... [Read More]

Austria

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1179.html.  Visit the website of Austria’s national tourist office at http://www.austria-tourism.at/us. ... [Read More]

Austria

Austria is a multiparty parliamentary democracy in which constitutional power is shared between the popularly elected President and the 183-member Parliament. Citizens choose their President and representatives in periodic, free, and fair multiparty elections. In 1998, President Thomas Klestil of the Austrian People's Party (OVP) was elected to a 6-year term. In parliamentary elections in November 2002, the OVP received a plurality and renewed its right-center coalition with the Freedom Party (FPO). The judiciary is independent.The national police maintain internal security, and the army is responsible for external security. The civilian authorities maintained effective control of the security forces. There were reports that the police committed some human rights abuses.The country's highly developed, market-based economy, with its mix of technologically advanced industry, modern agriculture, and tourism, affords the ... [Read More]