Statistics

Austria

Country Report: Statistics Last updated: 10/07/24

Author

Asylkoordination Österreich Visit Website

Asylum statistics are published on a monthly basis by the Ministry of Interior, providing information on asylum applicants and main nationalities. As of 2016, these monthly reports also provide decisions at first and second instance.[1] The Federal Agency for Immigration and Asylum (BFA) also publishes short annual statistical overviews (Jahresbilanzen).[2]

Applications and granting of protection status at first and second instance: figures for 2023

  Applicants in 2023 (2) Pending at

end of 2023

Total decisions  in 2023 (3) Total other decisions (4) Rejection on asylum (5) Refugee status Subsidiary protection Humanitarian protection (6)
Total 59,232 38,053 120,216 31,066 26,941 17,293 8,222 559
Breakdown by countries of origin of the total numbers
Syria 21,409 17,740 21,418 2,889 5,406 12,768 5,394 Not available
Afghanistan 8,567 4,723 11,965 7,972 2,319 1,647 1,268 Not available
Türkiye 7,769 4,516 6,502 5,647 731 97 14 Not available
Morocco 6,948 1,086 9,766 2,626 7,130 10 5 Not available
Pakistan 1,493 347 3,060 1,352 1,679 29 1 Not available
Somalia 1,469 2,459 1,280 90 579 611 714 Not available
Bangladesh 1,431 251 1,623 456 1,143 24 1 Not available
India 1,329 660 8,215 5,502 2,713 0 4 Not available
Egypt 1,234 267 1,346 829 498 19 5 Not available
Russian Federation 1,082 895 987 125 600 262 33 Not available

 Source: Ministry of Interior, Annual Asylum Statistics 2023, available in German at: https://shorturl.at/uVl2h

 

Note 1: statistics on applicants and pending concern people, including children and dependents. The rest of the columns concern number of decisions as that is usually the (only) data available.

Note 2: “Applicants in year” refers to the total number of applicants, and not only to first-time applicants.

Note 3: Statistics on decisions cover the decisions taken throughout the year, regardless of whether they concern applications lodged that year or in previous years. This number also includes formal decisions. Please note that in Austria, asylum (refugee status) and subsidiary protection decisions are counted separately.

Note 4: this includes especially formal decisions taken on discontinued cases due to onward travel to other countries.

Note 5: these include all negative decisions on refugee status only, as the data on negative decisions on humanitarian protection are not differentiated between those who had previously applied for asylum and those who applied for humanitarian status independently of any asylum procedure.

Note 6: If the application for asylum and subsidiary protection are rejected, the authority has to examine whether a return decision is to be issued. In this examination the authority has to evaluate whether a return decision would disproportionately infringe upon the person’s the right to private and family life (Art 8 ECHR). If the interest of the applicant outweighs the interest of the state to uphold the asylum and aliens’ law system, the state has to issue a status called “Aufenthaltstitel aus Gründen des Art 8 EMRK” (Art 55 AsylG – residence permit on reasons based on Art 8 ECHR). The authority also has to examine whether the applicant has the right to get a status “Aufenthaltsberechtigung besonderer Schutz” (Art 57 AsylG – residence right special protection). This is to be issued in case the applicant e.g. was a witness or victim of human trafficking.

Applications and granting of protection status at first instance: rates for 2023

  Protection rate (3) (4) Refugee rate (3) Subsidiary

protection rate (3)

Humanitarian

protection rate (3)

Rejection rate (3)
Total 64% 41% 23% 0.5% 36%
 

Breakdown by countries of origin of the total numbers

 

Syria 99% 66% 34% 0% 0.6%
Afghanistan 95% 51% 44% 0.1% 5%
Morocco 0.3% 0.1% 0% 0.1% 99.7%
India 0.9% 0% 0.1% 0.8% 99%
Türkiye 9% 7% 1% 0.6% 91%
Pakistan 3% 2% 0% 1% 97%
Tunisia 2% 1% 1% 0.3% 98%
Somalia 82% 36% 46% 0.2% 18%
Bangladesh 6% 3% 0% 2% 94%
Russian Federation 58% 45% 4% 8% 42%
 

 

 

 

Overall protection rate (1) Overall rate

other decisions (2)

Overall rejection rate (1)
 Total 29% 40% 31%
 

Breakdown by countries of origin of the total numbers

 

Syria 71% 12% 16%
Afghanistan 22% 64% 14%
Morocco 0.2% 27% 72%
India 0.2% 70% 29%
Türkiye 1% 82% 17%
Pakistan 1% 46% 52%
Tunisia 1% 65% 34%
Somalia 72% 6% 22%
Bangladesh 1% 29% 70%
Russian Federation 27% 10% 63%

Source of the percentages: calculated by the author based on the raw data available from the authorities.

 

Note 1: These are calculated against total decisions, including formal decisions taken on discontinued cases, due to onward travel to other countries.

Note 2: these include all decisions taken in protection cases that are neither rejection decisions nor protection decisions, and especially include formal decisions taken on discontinued cases, due to onward travel to other countries.

Note 3: These are calculated excluding formal decisions taken in discontinued cases.

Note 4: These rates include humanitarian protection.

Rejections vs returns

Rejection only refers to negative decisions concerning asylum (refugee status). This does not lead to the conclusion that in all rejected cases a return decision was issued or that no other status was issued, as illustrated below. Please note that return decisions concern all third country nationals, not only rejected asylum seekers, and may concern rejected asylum seekers of previous years.

  All rejections on asylum (incl. Dublin) Return decisions
Total 26,941 18,195
Syria 5,406 115
Afghanistan 2,319 105
Turkey 731 1,750
Morocco 7,310 5,720
Pakistan 1,679 1,365
Somalia 579 270
Bangladesh 1,143 575
India 2,713 2,150
Egypt 498 505
Russian Federation 600 295

Source: Ministry of Interior Annual statistics 2023; for return decisions, Eurostat, ‘Third country nationals ordered to leave – annual data (rounded)’, updated 03 May 2024.

Gender/age breakdown of the total number of applicants: 2023

  Adults Children
Accompanied Unaccompanied
Number 39,274 15,012 4,946
Percentage 66% 26% 8%

 

  Men Women
Number 45,219 14,013
Percentage 76.3% 23.7%

Source: Ministry of Interior, Annual statistics 2023, available in German at: https://shorturl.at/jrHS8.

First instance and appeal decision rates: 2023

  First instance Appeal
  Number Percentage Number Percentage
Total number of decisions 78,741 100% 6,205 100%
Positive decisions 23,178 29.43% 3,655 58.9%
  • Refugee status
14,748 18.73% 2,896 46.7%
  • Subsidiary protection
8,260 10.49% 370 6.0%
  • Article 8 ECHR (1)
170 0.2% 389 6.2%
Negative decisions on asylum (2) 24,391 30.98% 2,550 41.1%
  • Formal reasons (3)
11,210 14.24% N/A
  • On merits
13,181 16.74% N/A
Other (e.g. discontinued cases) 31,172 39.59% N/A

Source: Ministry of Interior, Detailed Statistics of BFA 2023, available at: https://shorturl.at/fLTW4.

 

Note 1: In every asylum procedure the authority has to examine whether a return decision can be issued in case of a negative decision concerning asylum and subsidiary protection. In this examination it has to evaluate whether a return decision would infringe the right to private and family life guaranteed by Art 8 ECHR in a disproportionate manner. In case of an excessive infringement the authority will issue a decision that a return decision is not permitted and a status of humanitarian protection. It is examined automatically, no application is needed.

Note 2: Rejection only refers to negative decisions concerning refugee status. This does not lead to the conclusion that in all rejected cases a return decision was issued or that no other status was issued.

Note 3: Negative decisions based on ‘formal reasons’ include decisions in Dublin cases and cases in which there is no examination on merits because of protection granted by another EU Member State or because of adjudicated case (res judicata).

 

 

 

[1] Ministry of Interior, Asylum Statistics December – preliminary statistics, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3wEfXVF.

[2] BFA, Statistics, available in German at: http://bit.ly/1XKnnsy. These have been published since 2014.

Table of contents

  • Statistics
  • Overview of the legal framework
  • Overview of the of the main changes since the previous report update
  • Asylum Procedure
  • Reception Conditions
  • Detention of Asylum Seekers
  • Content of International Protection
  • ANNEX I – Transposition of the CEAS in national legislation