The Transnationalisation of Older Care in Austria

This contribution studies determinants, dimensions and implications of the transnationalisation of older care in Austria. Migrant care workers have for long been a major part of the workforce in the traditional health and social care sectors, even if the relative importance of source countries has considerably changed over the past two decades. Recently, however, the growing use of migrant care labour in private households has added a major new pillar to the Austrian long-term care system. This type of care work is almost exclusively offered by care workers from Central Eastern European countries. They represent 98% of the so-called 24-hour care workers. The developments are discussed with a view to the care regime that co-determines transnationalisation and in turn might be shaped by growing transnationalisation.