Family reunification in Austria: Immediate stop due to overload!

Family reunification in Austria: Immediate stop due to overload!

Wien, Österreich - In Austria, a dramatic stop of the family reunification of asylum seekers comes into force. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, according to krone.at , said that the government takes this step due to an overload of the school system, especially in Vienna. A corresponding application for an emergency has already been sent to the EU Commission. The decision is partially necessary, since numerous children speak German only to a limited extent, which makes integration into the education system difficult. Nevertheless, there are doubts as to whether the EU will agree to this emergency request, because in the past month there were only 60 people through family reunification to Austria.

like oe24.at , the first quota for family reunification is now even set to zero. Last year, 7,760 people came to Austria through this regulation, an increase compared to 9,254 in 2023. A highlight in the spring of the previous year was particularly striking with up to 1,300 entry per month. Karner's announcement is made shortly after the new Chancellor Christian Stocker took office, who also underlined the urgency of this measure.

interim balance and effects

It is particularly noted that many of the people affected by the regulation are children, which further increases the burden on the school system. In 2024, a total of 16,784 asylum applications came to a positive decision, although a significant part of the applicants is minors. By suspending the family reunification, the government hopes for relief, especially with regard to the integration of these children. The duration of the suspension has not yet been announced, so it could be that no asylum applications will be accepted in the future if the system is overloaded.