Data published by the Austrian website Suedtirol News on Sunday, April 26, showed significant shifts in migration and asylum, particularly regarding Syrians in Austria.

According to the figures, voluntary departures reached 1,693 cases, more than half of which received support, the website reported.

The data also showed a clear disparity between nationalities. The number of Syrians forcibly deported remained relatively limited, at 11 people, compared with 268 Syrians who left the country voluntarily.

Syrians Particularly Affected by Residence Cancellation Measures

The statistics showed that Syrians were particularly affected by residence cancellation measures, with 3,061 visa cancellation procedures initiated, including 1,971 cases involving Syrian citizens.

Syrians were also the most affected by decisions canceling asylum and subsidiary protection, with a total of 502 cases, according to the Austrian website’s report.

Regarding family reunification, which remains suspended until the middle of the year except for humanitarian cases, the website recorded 272 approvals, which generally contribute to the acceptance of asylum applications.

Syrians accounted for the largest share of these cases, while the number of positive decisions significantly exceeded the number of negative decisions, which stood at 165.

Austria Suspends Refugee Family Reunification

The Austrian government announced in March 2025 the suspension of family reunification for refugees, becoming the first European Union country to take this step.

According to the Austrian Press Agency, family reunification will not stop completely, but will remain suspended from May 2025 until the end of September 2026, with exceptions set for certain humanitarian cases.

The exceptions for humanitarian cases will be as follows:

• Minors seeking reunification with their parents.
• People with a high level of German language proficiency so that they do not place an additional burden on Austria’s education system.
• Minors who have no one to care for them in their country of origin are allowed to join their parents.
• Children and adolescents who arrived in Austria before their parents, and whose parents were their only providers in their homeland, to ensure that minors in Austria do not lose their right to family reunification when they reach adulthood because of procedural delays. In this context, the applicant’s age will be calculated based on the date the application was submitted.

Most Asylum Applications From Syrians

This year, the majority of asylum applications came from Syrians, with a total of 468 applications. Of these, 387 were not initial applications. However, the number of returnees has increased since the change of power in Damascus.

According to the Austrian Interior Ministry, more than 1,000 people have voluntarily returned to their countries since the fall of the Assad regime. By contrast, only 200 Syrians left Austria for their homeland in 2023 and 2024.

Syrians’ chances of obtaining asylum in Austria have declined significantly, with the acceptance rate for their applications reaching only 25% this year, according to the Austrian website.