Author
Persons who are granted international protection are free to move and settle throughout the Austrian territory. The restriction of residence that used to apply to beneficiaries of subsidiary protection who were awaiting an appeal was deleted by the 2018 amendment to Article 15b AsylG.[1] This 2018 reform was mainly aimed at implementing actions under aliens law that were outlined by the federal government in the Government Program 2017-2022 (“Together. Government Program 2017-2022 for Austria“). At the start of 2024, there was a broad public debate followed by a resolution by the Viennese regional parliament asking the Federal government to introduce a residence restriction for beneficiaries of international protection that receive social subsidies.[2] This initiative was instantly rejected by the governing coalition in the Federal government and by the Heads of some provinces.[3]
[1] Fremdenrechtsänderungsgesetz 2018, available in German at: https://bit.ly/2Vyj5h5.
[2] Kleine Zeitung, „Frühe Integration als Mittel gegen Abwanderung nach Wien“, 24 April 2024, https://shorturl.at/ITbaC.
[3] Kurier, “Mit Sicherheit nicht”: Doskozil weist Wiener Asyl-Forderungen zurück, 19 May 2024, https://shorturl.at/RpULg.