Vienna Struggles as Refugee Payouts Soar

According to figures released at the beginning of January, around 31,000 refugees were receiving benefits in Vienna. This figure is more than double the number the federal government committed to under the refugee quota agreement.

Vienna is full of immigrants (Photo: APA-PictureDesk/AFP/Alex Halada)

In January, Vienna had to provide for over 13,100 people entitled to subsidiary protection, of whom 11,000 lived in the capital. This amounts to 84 percent. Refugees are particularly drawn to the Austrian capital due to the higher level of welfare benefits available there.

Syrians and Afghans form the largest group entitled to subsidiary protection.

Individuals entitled to subsidiary protection are not at risk of personal persecution in their countries of origin, but their lives or physical safety are nonetheless in danger. This group receives temporary protection, but enjoys fewer rights than those granted full refugee status, particularly when it comes to family reunification. In recent years, Syrian and Afghan nationals have formed the largest portion of those entitled to subsidiary protection.

Those given subsidiary protection tend to remain longest in Vorarlberg, where they receive support for an average of 814 days. Vienna follows with an average of 758 days. In all other provinces, the average duration of stay is considerably shorter, with the briefest being in Tyrol, where asylum seekers stay on average for just 201 days.

Individuals granted refugee status continue to receive basic welfare for several months after acquiring their protected status. At the start of the year, nearly 75 percent of such individuals in Vienna were still receiving support.

Vienna provides for a growing number of Ukrainian refugees. Ukrainians make up the largest group among those receiving basic welfare support. In Burgenland, for instance, 1,434 of the 1,890 welfare recipients were Ukrainian, while in Styria, three-quarters of those cared for were also from Ukraine.

In Vienna, 39 percent of Ukrainians received accommodation. While other provinces rely largely on organized shelters, Vienna primarily supports those living in private accommodation. At the start of the year, 83 percent of those in Vienna’s basic welfare system were housed in private lodgings. A Syrian refugee couple with eleven children, residing in Vienna, is known to receive 6,000 euros per month in social benefits, which includes housing support. In addition, they are eligible to claim more than 2,000 euros in family allowances for their children, as well as tax concessions. These additional benefits amount to a further 3,000 euros per month.

This brings the family’s total monthly income — provided by the City of Vienna — to 9,000 euros. Beyond this, they also receive exceptional one-off payments, such as support for school expenses.

Vienna has allocated €1,094,533,344 — more than one billion euros — for social welfare spending in its 2024 budget. According to information provided to the newspaper by the city administration, the family remains entitled to welfare benefits even though the father is employed. The City Hall also confirmed that several large families with refugee status are living in the Austrian capital.

Cover photo: Vienna is full of immigrants (Photo: APA-PictureDesk/AFP/Alex Halada)