Over the last 3 years, 166,000 asylum seekers arrived in Austria, with the largest groups coming from Syria (30%), Afghanistan (14-15%), and Russia (6-7%). The BFA is responsible for asylum proceedings and can grant or reject asylum applications, while NGOs provide integration support like German lessons and job assistance. Austria's asylum criteria require applicants to prove need for asylum under the Geneva Convention or risk of individual persecution, and if rejected applicants must return home within 2 weeks. While waiting, asylum seekers have limited rights but can receive basic care and public transit tickets, and stay in Austria until a decision made take up to 2 years. Key problems include long processing times, uneven distribution of asylum seek

1. Diana & Anna
Austria

2. Statistics
• 166 000 asylum seekers arrived in Austria
within the last 3 years
• 30% from Syria, 14-15% from
Afghanistan, 6-7% from Russian
federation etc.
• Apply for international protection

3. RESPONSIBILITIES
• Official institution: BFA  take care of the
asylum proceedings, can grant or reject the
right of political asylum; are allowed to end
residence, provide basic care
• Inofficial institutions: NGOs  responsible for
a lot of integration measures: provide German
lessons, help search for a workplace, …

4. Austria´s criteria for application
for permanent residence
1. People must prove that they need asylum
(Geneva refugee convention, individual
persecution in native country, …)
2. If the person is not accepted, he/she will be sent
back home, which must happen within 2 weeks
3. While the procedure is taking place, the person
is only allowed to do a very limited range of jobs
Procedure of being accepted can
take up to two years, sometimes longer

5. What rights do immigrants have while
waiting for the decision?
• They can receive basic care if in need (place to
stay, food, clothes,…) – they also get tickets for
public transport
• They can stay in Austria until they know
whether Austria has accepted their
application for asylum.
• Independent legal advisers are available to
them during the whole admission procedure

6. What are the main problems of our
country`s national policy?
• The admission procedure takes too long  not
enough staff, too many applications
• Other European countries do not seem to be so
affected by immigration  only a few European
countries accept asylum seekers  relocation
programmes within the EU don‘t work
• Problem of integration  who is responsible?
• What should be done if an asylum seeker commits a
crime while waiting for the decision?  question of
deportation

7. Thank you for
your attention