Global Talent Management Austria : strategies for addressing labor shortages and enhancing workforce planning in the IT industry

Austria's information technology industry struggles with a continued shortage of qualified professionals, thus making the attraction and retention of international talent an issue of national importance. This master's thesis examines Global Talent Management (GTM) practices in Austria, specifically focusing on recruitment, integration, and retention of non-European Union (non-EU) IT professionals in Austria. The study examines organizational strategies and policy obstacles, thus providing insights into how companies and institutions can improve Austria's competitiveness in the talent competition. The research follows a qualitative methodological approach based on semi-structured interviews with human resource managers, consultants, and practitioners in the IT industry. Data were thematically coded in MAXQDA and enabled the uncovering of recurring patterns in essential themes, including recruitment practices, relocation and remuneration, bureaucratic delays, degree recognition, language barriers, cultural integration, retention strategies, and work-life balance. Empirical findings are described as ones of bifurcated reality. On one hand, Austrian IT enterprises have introduced inclusive competency-based recruitment practices, offered relocation support packages, invested in professional development, mentoring and work-life measures. On the other hand, systemic barriers often frustrate these organizational efforts: visa processing times of three to six months, strict degree recognition requirements, compulsory labor-market tests, and problems related to the spatial integration of employees' families. Proficiency in the language and a sense of cultural belonging further shape long term retention, particularly in peripheral regions where local dialects prevail. Finally, the thesis argues that Austria is an excellent recruiter but deficient in retaining international IT professionals. While regulators are advised to accelerate visa procedures, rationalize recognition protocols and modernize outdated labor-market testing, firms must step up retention strategies to strengthen GTM outcomes. Austria runs the danger of losing talent to more nimble European rivals in the absence of a concerted reform effort.