• Up to 15,000 tourism jobs in Austria targeted for Tunisian workers
• Program expands beyond France under broader EU partnerships
• Initiative seen as response to high youth unemployment

Tunisia is stepping up efforts to expand legal labor mobility, with up to 15,000 jobs potentially opening for Tunisian workers in Austria’s tourism sector.

The announcement was made on April 8 by Vocational Training and Employment Minister Riadh Chaoued during the launch of a new phase of the THAMM+OFII program. Local media report that the positions are part of ongoing discussions to strengthen labor partnerships with European countries.

Originally focused on France, the program—formally titled “Toward an Integrated Approach to Migration Management and Labor Mobility in North Africa”—is now expanding across multiple European Union countries. The shift follows new agreements with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) aimed at broadening cooperation.

The move comes as Tunisia continues to face significant labor market pressure. According to the National Institute of Statistics, youth unemployment among those aged 15 to 24 stood at 37.7% in the first quarter of 2025. Among university graduates, the rate reached 23.5%, with a sharp gender gap—13.6% for men compared to 30.7% for women.

Against this backdrop, organized labor migration is increasingly viewed as both an economic and social release valve.

The role of the Tunisian diaspora highlights its potential impact. By the end of 2024, remittances from Tunisians abroad accounted for 30% of the country’s foreign exchange reserves, equivalent to 6.5% of GDP, according to Central Bank Governor Fethi Zouhaier Nouri. These flows reached 8.13 billion dinars (about $2.8 billion), up 6.15% from 2023.

At the same time, a sharp decline in irregular migration to Europe has created an opening for policymakers. Departures fell from 97,667 in 2023 to 19,245 in 2024, a drop of around 80%.

Tunis now aims to build on this trend by promoting structured migration pathways, with the goal of turning successful employment abroad into a driver of economic stability and social balance at home.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou