Austria’s new government, which includes the centre-right ÖVP, centre-left SPÖ, and liberal NEOS, has taken office and is planning significant changes in immigration and integration policies.
The coalition wants to make Austria more attractive for skilled workers by changing long-term residence rules. The plan also includes stricter language requirements, a new mandatory integration programme, and tougher citizenship rules.
“Anyone who wants to live with us permanently must recognise and internalise our values, learn our language and go to work”, the new government published in its government programme.
Here's what else is coming.
Work permits and skilled migration
Austria faces labour shortages, and the government is making some changes to attract more skilled workers.
A new seasonal worker quota will allow up to 2,500 additional workers from Western Balkan countries, including Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This will be in addition to the 5,500 seasonal work permits already issued each year.
At the same time, the government wants to simplify the recognition of foreign qualifications. Many skilled workers currently struggle with Austria’s slow and expensive process of having qualifications recognised, and officials say they will make it faster and more affordable.
However, the programme also clarifies that only those who successfully integrate will be allowed to take citizenship. They wrote: “Citizenship is a valuable asset and should remain so. It comes at the end of the successful integration process."
Read also: Five surprising Austrian citizenship rules you should know about
Austrian citizenship will be harder to obtain
Austria already has one of the toughest naturalisation processes in Europe, and the new government intends to keep it that way.
To apply for citizenship, people will have to complete the full integration programme, pass stricter language tests, and complete a citizenship course.
The government is also considering changing the rules for revoking citizenship. While details are still unclear, officials suggest expanding the criteria to include those who break Austrian laws or fail to meet integration requirements.
The plan also includes adjustments to the financial requirements for naturalisation. “In future, the collective agreement will be used to determine the ability to support oneself in the case of persons in urgently required professions,” it stated. The collective agreement stipulates the minimum wage for each sector.
However, the coalition insists that social assistance recipients will not be eligible for citizenship.
READ ALSO: Can Austrian citizenship be revoked if I move abroad for an extended period?
Stricter language and integration requirements
Austria already requires proof of German proficiency for many visas and residence permits, but the new government is raising the bar.
In the future, simply attending language courses won’t be enough. Applicants will need to pass final exams to prove their proficiency. The government also wants to expand weekend and evening classes to make it easier for working people to meet the requirements.
“Simply attending compulsory German courses is not enough,” the programme states. “There must be final examinations, the failure of which has consequences.”
Additionally, the coalition wants to introduce a “value clause” for public funding, meaning any organisation that receives government money must commit to Austrian democratic values and principles.
READ ALSO: Five surprising Austrian citizenship rules you should know about
Tighter border controls and asylum measures
The government has a clear goal: reducing asylum applications as much as possible. Officials say they want to bring numbers down to zero, if possible, and will introduce new policies to tighten the process.
One measure is the introduction of return centres for rejected asylum seekers. These facilities will prevent individuals from absconding before deportation.
The government also plans to suspend family reunification for asylum seekers, though it hasn’t specified when this will take effect.
Additionally, Austria is considering using EU emergency laws to impose a temporary asylum ban if the number of refugees exceeds a certain threshold. “The coalition reserves the right to impose an asylum ban as part of the EU emergency clause”, the programme stated.
READ ALSO: When do Austrians think an immigrant is successfully integrated?
Mandatory integration programme from day one
A key change will be the introduction of a structured integration programme that begins when someone arrives in Austria. The plan applies to asylum seekers, protection status holders, and those with a “high chance of staying permanently”.
It will include language classes, education on Austrian laws and social values, and job preparation. Participation will be legally required, and failure to comply could result in financial penalties or reduced social benefits.
“It is a modular programme with the following content: integration counselling, competence screening, acquisition of the German language, teaching of values, basic rule courses, and community service activities”, according to the programme
Austrian authorities also want to prevent what they describe as "parallel societies." The government is committed to tackling communities that operate with their own cultural and legal norms separate from Austrian society.
“We will specifically prevent the emergence of parallel societies in which other values and norms apply,” the programme states, though it does not provide specifics on enforcement.
READ ALSO: Austria ramps up skilled worker immigration to fill labour market gaps
What happens next?
These plans set out the government’s vision, but the real test will be in how they are implemented.
Some measures, like stricter language requirements and the integration programme, are expected to roll out quickly. Others, such as changes to citizenship and work permit rules, may take longer to implement.
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