AMS (Arbeitsmarktservice) letter explained in English
Public employment service. Pays unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld) and Notstandshilfe, and helps you find work.
Letters you may get
- Einladung — a required appointment with your adviser
- Mitteilung über den Leistungsanspruch — how much you get and from when
- Vermittlungsvorschlag — a job offer you must apply for
- Bescheid über den Verlust des Anspruchs — your payments stop for some weeks
What to do
- If you miss an appointment without a good reason, your payments can stop until you contact them again. If you are ill, tell them before the appointment.
- Apply for every job they send you (Vermittlungsvorschlag) and keep proof. Otherwise your payments can stop for several weeks.
- Find the deadline. Look for “Frist”, “bis zum”, “innerhalb”.
- Write the reference number from the letter on everything you send back, and keep copies.
- If you disagree with a decision, object in writing before the deadline (“Beschwerde”, “Vorstellung”, “Einspruch”, “Beschwerde”). See the template.
Words you may see
- Bescheid
- Official decision. It becomes final if you don’t object in time.
- Arbeitslosengeld
- Unemployment benefit from the AMS.
- Notstandshilfe
- Support from the AMS after your unemployment benefit ends, if you still need it.
Questions
What is the AMS (Arbeitsmarktservice)?
Public employment service. Pays unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld) and Notstandshilfe, and helps you find work.
How long do I have to answer a letter from the AMS (Arbeitsmarktservice)?
It depends on the letter. Look for words like “Frist”, “bis zum”, “innerhalb” — they mark the deadline. In Austria, an official letter sent by normal post usually counts as delivered on the 3rd working day after it was posted. A registered letter (RSa or RSb) counts as delivered on the day you get it — or, if you were not home, usually on the first day you can pick it up at the post office. To object, the letter usually names the way to do it (“Beschwerde”, “Vorstellung”, “Einspruch”, “Beschwerde”).
Can I read a AMS (Arbeitsmarktservice) letter in English?
Yes. Take a photo of the letter with Briefly. It explains the letter in plain English, finds the deadline and the amount, and gives you ready-made replies in German. Your letter never leaves your device.
Other offices in Austria
Finanzamt Österreich · Familienbeihilfe (Finanzamt Österreich) · Magistrat / Bezirkshauptmannschaft · MA 35 / Niederlassungsbehörde · Meldeamt / Meldeservice · ÖGK (Österreichische Gesundheitskasse) · SVS (Sozialversicherung der Selbständigen) · Pensionsversicherungsanstalt (PVA)