Austria Offers Syrian Refugees 3,000 Euros for Voluntary Return

Austria is significantly increasing its financial incentive for Syrian refugees to voluntarily return to their home country, offering 3,000 euros per person. This new package, effective from July to September, marks a substantial rise from the previous 1,000 euro offer.

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Austria will offer Syrians a financial incentive of 3,000 euros per person for voluntary return to Syria over the next three months, from July to September.

Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner announced the measure, stating it aims to alleviate the pressure on Austria's social and healthcare systems, which are reportedly strained by the costs of supporting refugees and asylum seekers. The government has re-evaluated the residency status of 13,000 Syrian citizens since the fall of the Assad regime two years ago, with some 4,500 cases having their protection status limited or revoked. Approximately 2,000 Syrians have already left Austria, some voluntarily and others through deportation.

Karner emphasized that this intensified push for voluntary returns, coupled with increased financial incentives, is intended to reduce the number of asylum applications. He noted a significant drop in applications in the first half of the year, attributing it to Austria's "strict but necessary and correct" asylum and migration policies. The minister also highlighted Austria's interest in participating in potential European Union return centers for asylum seekers and migrants, with plans to identify a partner country for such initiatives by early 2027.

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This is the highest number since this record began.

The announcement coincides with a report on deportations, which revealed that 7,000 individuals were deported from Austria in the first six months of the year, the highest number on record. Karner also pointed to new terminal solutions at Vienna Airport's Schwechat, treated as an external EU border, as a tool for faster processing and returns.

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strict, but necessary and correct