Austria to suspend family reunifications for asylum holders from May

Austria announced Wednesday that it will suspend family reunifications for individuals with asylum status starting in May, making it the first European Union country to do so, media outlets reported. The conservative-led government cited integration challenges and system capacity as key reasons for the decision.

Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm stated that a legal change would grant the interior ministry authority to halt reunifications. The suspension will initially last six months but could be extended until May 2027. Plakolm argued that new arrivals face difficulties learning German and finding jobs, straining Austria’s resources.

In 2023, nearly 9,300 people arrived through family reunification, with 7,800 more last year, many of them school-age children. Rights groups criticized the move. The decision follows rising anti-immigration sentiment, reflected in the recent parliamentary success of the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe).