|
Austria |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
An amendment to the Integration Act requires the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs to provide German courses to a minimum B1 level to beneficiaries of international protection older than 15 years. |
AT LEG 04 2019 |
|
Austria |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
Both chambers of the administrative court started deciding on asylum cases and more staff was recruited. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Austria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
An amendment to the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum Procedures Act, promulgated on 23 December 2020, requires mandatory return counselling sessions to be held at an advanced stage of the procedure. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Austria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
The responsibility for return counselling and return assistance was shifted to the Federal Agency for Care and Support Services as of 1 January 2021. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Austria |
2021 |
Institutional |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
The new Federal Agency for Reception and Support Services (BBU, Bundesagentur für Betreuungs- und Unterstützungsleistungen GmbH) started its activities related to legal advice and representation, translation and interpretation services, advice and counselling on returns and human rights monitoring on 1 January 2021. All legal advisors received specialised training on quality assurance. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
Withdrawal procedures remained a priority for the BFA. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
The federal government and the provinces concluded an agreement to harmonise the child and youth welfare system in general, defining the responsibilities of the provinces in providing care and support to unaccompanied minors. |
AT LEG 01 2019 |
|
Austria |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
Ukraine was removed from the list of safe countries of origin. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Austria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
In cooperation with UNHCR and the IOM, the Austrian Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA) organised regularly training sessions for its staff on identifying special needs and vulnerabilities, interviewing applicants with special needs, and tailoring approaches to specific groups, such as women, children, LGBTIQ applicants and survivors of trafficking in the asylum procedure. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Austria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
The UK and Northern Ireland were added to the list of safe countries of origin. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
The Asyl-Train project implemented by IOM Austria continued in 2019 and provided training to relevant national authorities and service providers to help identify trafficked persons in the framework of the asylum procedure. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Austria |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The length of the obligatory orientation course for beneficiaries of international protection was extended from 8 to 24 hours to include modules on gender equality, antisemitism and the importance of voluntary work. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Austria |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The number of withdrawals initiated by the BFA continued to increase. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Austria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Austrian Federal Ministry of Justice established a Commission on the Best Interests of the Child in February 2021, tasked to review the legal framework and practices related to children in the asylum procedure. The Federal Ministry of the Interior conducted an internal review as well, concluding that many of the recommendations were already being applied or were on the way to implementation, and suggesting new measures. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Austria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The BFA Procedures Law and the Asylum Law were temporarily amended until 31 December 2020, so that unaccompanied minors can be transferred directly to a regional directorate or field office to launch an asylum application, without passing through a first reception centre. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Institutional |
|
Return of former applicants |
A new Department for Return and Reintegration (V/10) was established as part of Section V in the Federal Ministry of the Interior. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Austria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The scope of the term family was widened. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Country of origin information |
Namibia, the Republic of Korea and Uruguay were added to the list of countries considered to be safe countries of origin. |
AT LEG 05 2019 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Country of origin information |
Sri Lanka was removed from the list of countries considered to be safe countries of origin due to the reintroduction of capital punishment. |
AT LEG 06 2019 |
|
Austria |
2020 |
Institutional |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The Federal Agency for Reception and Support Services (BBU, Bundesagentur fuer Betreuungs- und Unterstuetzungsleistungen GmbH) started its activities on 1 December 2020 related to the provision of material reception conditions. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Institutional |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The new Section V (Immigration) was established within the Federal Ministry of the Interior after an organisational restructuring. The new section brings together resources and knowledge on affairs related to asylum and immigration, including border control, Aliens Police, reception, residency, citizenship and return. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Austria |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Austria's new coalition government announced in January 2020 in its programme for the new government (2020-2024) to work on a comprehensive strategy on migration, based on a clear separation of migration and asylum. The programme foresees shortening and modernising asylum procedures. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The act establishes the Federal Agency for Care and Support Services. |
AT LEG 02 2019 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
Austria continued to focus on the labour market integration of beneficiaries of international protection, organised targeted employment fairs and mentoring programmes specifically tailored to migrant women. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
The act grants a postponement of the time limit for voluntary departure to rejected applicants who are in an apprenticeship. |
AT LEG 03 2019 |