VIENNA (AP) — The new Austrian government announced on Wednesday that family reunion procedures for migrants will be immediately suspended due to the country’s limited capacity to absorb newcomers effectively. The temporary measure aims to enhance the integration of migrants already in the country, as stated by Chancellor Christian Stocker of the conservative Austrian People’s Party.
“Austria’s resources are constrained, leading us to take steps to prevent further strain,” Stocker remarked. Under the new policy, migrants with protected status—those who cannot be deported—are prohibited from bringing family members residing in their home countries to Austria.
The ruling three-party coalition, comprising the People’s Party, the center-left Social Democrats, and the liberal Neos, has prioritized reducing migration and implementing stringent asylum regulations. Official data shows that 7,762 individuals entered Austria last year through family reunion programs, with the figure rising to 9,254 in 2023. The majority of recent arrivals were minors.
Migrants undergoing the asylum process or facing deportation orders are not permitted to initiate family reunification. The Austrian chancellery noted that most recent asylum seekers originated from Syria and Afghanistan.
In a bid to protect the functionality of essential systems, Stocker emphasized the necessity of safeguarding the education system, integration efforts, and overall security by preventing “overloading.”
The government has informed the EU of these measures and refrained from specifying the duration of the suspension of family reunions. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner emphasized the sustainability of the halt, citing a significant decrease in family reunifications since last summer.
Across Europe, governments have moved towards restricting migration, marking a contrast from the open-door policies of the past decade. The EU is exploring the establishment of “return hubs” in third countries to expedite the deportation of rejected asylum-seekers.
Currently, only 20% of individuals with deportation orders are effectively repatriated from EU territories, according to the European Commission. The proposed “European System for Returns” seeks to standardize deportation procedures among the 27 EU member states and enhance enforcement of deportation orders across borders.
Reporting from Berlin, Associated Press writer Kirsten Grieshaber contributed to this article.
