Family reunification of refugees is increasingly becoming a burden. Children now form the largest group, according to current figures from the Ministry of the Interior. A problem that is difficult for the education system to solve. The situation is especially dramatic in Vienna. Who will follow this example – and why the federal capital suddenly wants to change its asylum strategy.
Children up to the age of seven now form the largest group of asylum seekers. In the first quarter, almost a third of the almost 7,000 asylum applications came from children between zero and seven years old. About 53 percent of asylum seekers are not older than 18 years. In addition, the share of female asylum seekers (46 percent, including children) has increased significantly. For comparison: in 2023 this was only about 24 percent.
The usual formula for migration is: one immigrant follows three others, explains an expert from the Ministry of ‘Krone’. Spouses of recognized asylum seekers, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and their minor children may be eligible for family reunification. The same applies to parents of a child who has come to Austria.
Almost no other country has such a burden as Austria
Other figures also show the enormous burden: since 2015, Austria has received around 400,000 applications, as many as 14 other EU states combined and, with 190,000 protection grants, as many as 18 EU states.
Syria is by far the strongest country
Syria is now the strongest country. Of the 7,000 new asylum applications, 4,335 came from Syrians. Behind them are Afghans (665). Both groups have a good chance of protection in Austria. For Syrians, only 30 percent of asylum applications were rejected, while for Afghans 39 percent were rejected. In 2023, Austria ranked second in terms of burden per capita (651 asylum applications per 100,000 inhabitants), behind arrival country Cyprus.
Just over 3,000 departures
Between January and March there were 1,427 cases of voluntary departure. This contrasts with 1,722 forced deportations from the country. In total, this is almost 240 more than in the first quarter of the previous year. If we add both groups together, Slovaks, Turks and Hungarians are at the top of those who had to return to their home countries. The majority of Turks left the country voluntarily. According to the Ministry of the Interior, 39 percent of deportees had committed criminal offenses.
Many Ukrainians keep coming
The number of displaced people from Ukraine who are still seeking protection in Austria this year is not that small. In the period from January to March, 3,484 people were registered in accordance with the Ukrainian IDP Regulation.
Vienna now suddenly wants residency requirements
The Vienna SPÖ has now realized that the city has a problem with too much migration. But the blame for this lies elsewhere, namely with the federal government. The city government, which has been encouraging people to move to the federal capital for decades, now wants to introduce a residency requirement for recognized refugees. This means that non-working people who have completed their asylum procedure must continue to live in the state where their procedure was completed for three years.
The federal government must solve Vienna’s problems
“Vienna is the only state that exceeds the childcare quota. This places a significant burden on the entire educational infrastructure,” says municipal councilor Peter Hacker (SPÖ). The federal government is needed to solve these problems. It is unacceptable “that the respective ministers simply sit back”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
