Austria to Temporarily Halt Family Reunification for Migrants

Austria’s three party coalition agreed on Wednesday that it would temporarily halt family reunification procedures for migrants — a legally controversial move critics say is a violation of common European asylum law.

The country’s new three-party coalition between the centre-right People’s Party, the centre-left Social Democrats, and the liberal Neos announced they decided on the measure, which is to be passed through parliament as soon as possible.

Chancellor Christian Stocker justified the proposal by pointing at Austria’s social services, which he claimed were under strain.

“Austria’s capacities are limited, and that is why we have decided to prevent further overloading,” Stocker said, adding the measure was temporary.

The new measure means that migrants with so-called protected status — meaning they cannot be deported — are no longer allowed to bring family members still living in their home countries to Austria.

Official figures show that 7,762 people arrived in Austria last year as part of family reunion procedures for migrants. In 2023 the figure was 9,254. Most new arrivals were minors.

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