Refugees move to Austria more often than migrants who came voluntarily. This is the result of a new study from the Vienna Complexity Science Hub (CSH). Staying in one place longer is important for several reasons.
Only then can people develop a bond with their hometown and find their way in the neighborhood. This also applies to doctors and schools in the area, says first author Ola Ali. Every move entails financial and social costs. Anyone who is already disadvantaged will find a change of residence stressful. “If we want to know how well people in Austria are doing, we also have to take into account how stable their living situation is.”
The research team looked at all reported moves of 1.6 million people with non-Austrian citizenship who lived at least temporarily in Austria between November 2022 and November 2023. 17 percent were refugees and 83 percent were migrants without Austrian citizenship.
Syrians before Ukrainians
There are differences depending on country of origin, age, gender, previous education and work experience. Syrian refugees changed their place of residence most often and 2.2 times more often than refugees from Ukraine. Migrants from Syria move only half as often as refugees from the same country, but still as often as Ukrainian refugees.
The countries of origin often have different legal statuses, which can influence the instability of place of residence, Ali said. “For example, a refugee from Ukraine in Austria is very likely to receive displaced person status, while those who have fled from Syria are likely to receive asylum or subsidiary protection.” . For example, displaced people do not first have to live in a basic care facility.
Men move more often
In terms of gender, the study found that male refugees changed residence almost twice as often as female refugees. Women mainly come to Austria through family reunification. At this point, the men who arrived first have usually already gone through several moves.
The integration process is “difficult, long and very individual”, it is said. There can be significant differences within each group.
Source: Krone
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