Family Reunification in Austria Hardly Occurs Anymore

According to the May statistics from the Ministry of the Interior, only 74 entries under the title of family reunification were registered this month. In the same month of 2024, the number was still 1,270. This development is mainly due to the fact that applications from Syrians have only been processed in exceptional cases since the change of power in Damascus. Since the beginning of the year, more than 300 Syrians have left Austria. According to the Ministry of the Interior, this is a third more than in the years 2023 and 2024 combined. 58 people of Syrian origin were transferred to the responsible European country as a result of Dublin transfers.

Over 1,400 Asylum Applications by the End of May

There were a total of 1,443 asylum applications in May. Although this is the second-highest monthly figure after January, it represents a 42 percent decrease compared to the same month in 2024. Overall, the numbers have decreased by 36 percent in the first five months. The largest group of asylum seekers in May were Afghans with 513 applications. Only 223 of these were new, the rest were follow-up applications. This concerns, for example, people who already have a right to subsidiary protection but are now applying for asylum again. Only 117 new applications came from Syrians, with a total of 341. The majority of applications from Syrians concern their children born in Austria.

In the EU (plus Norway and Switzerland), there were 332,655 asylum applications by the end of May 2025, 22 percent fewer applications than the previous year. Adjusted for population, Austria ranks tenth in the Europe-wide statistics. Criticism comes from the FPÖ. The figures from the Ministry of the Interior are based on an "exclusively postponed family reunification, while the illegals in the country are causing our system to collapse," said security spokesman Gernot Darmann in a statement. Furthermore, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) has been negligent in deportations for years.

(APA/Red)

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