Austria’s government is preparing to temporarily shut the door on family reunifications for asylum seekers, citing growing pressure on the country’s social services and schools.
On Tuesday, the council of ministers approved legislation that would pause the right of refugees to bring family members into Austria. The bill now heads to parliament in April, where it’s expected to pass easily thanks to backing from the ruling coalition of Conservatives (ÖVP), Social Democrats (SPÖ), and Liberals (NEOS). If approved, the freeze would kick in by May 2025 and last until September 2026.
Under the measure, refugees could still file requests to reunite with family, but the government wouldn’t process those applications during the suspension.
The government informed the European Commission of its plans earlier this month, despite the EU’s Family Reunification Directive guaranteeing the right. Austrian leaders argue that the country’s welfare systems can’t keep up with the influx of asylum seekers.
“We’ve reached the limit,” said Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm after the decision, adding that schools are particularly strained by the arrival of refugees with limited literacy skills.
Official data paints a concerning picture: In Vienna, over half of schoolchildren don’t speak German as their first language, with some districts nearing 75 percent. A survey of teachers in the capital found that one in two reported more than half their students struggled to understand or speak German.
That said, the government walked back earlier campaign promises to impose a permanent ban on reunifications. Instead, the new law includes an expiration date and exceptions for cases deemed “imperative” under European human rights law.
Critics aren’t convinced. The right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ) slammed the measure as political window dressing. FPÖ general secretary Michael Schnedlitz argued that merely delaying applications wouldn’t stop a new wave of immigration once the suspension ends. He also warned that the loophole allowing “urgent” cases would likely be overused.
The bill is expected to clear parliament next month, setting the stage for a tense political debate over immigration in the lead-up to Austria’s September 2024 elections.
