Austria’s population continues to grow solely due to migration, according to Statistics Austria. In 2024, more than a quarter of the population had a migration background (first or second generation). Since 2015, the number of people with a migration background has increased by around 38%. Without immigration, Austria’s population would steadily shrink to 1950s levels due to negative birth rates, according to data presented on Wednesday.
The Statistical Yearbook on Migration and Integration 2025 was presented at the Federal Chancellery by Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP) and Stephan Marik-Lebeck of Statistics Austria. On average in 2024, around 2.51 million people with a migration background lived in Austria. This includes the “first generation” (foreign-born) and the “second generation” (born in Austria to two foreign-born parents). That means 27.8% of the population had a migration background in 2024. Compared to 2015 (1.81 million), that’s an increase of about 696,100 people or 38.4%.
Population Growth Driven Solely by Migration
“Migration is central to Austria’s population development—it’s been the sole source of growth for many years,” Marik-Lebeck said at the report presentation. Currently, Austria records slightly more deaths than births, so immigration is crucial for its future.
Looking ahead, including projected migration, Marik-Lebeck expects Austria to surpass the 10-million-resident mark in 2069, reaching 10.2 million by 2080 (+11% compared to 2024). Without migration, the population would fall to 6.9 million (–24%), back to the level of 1950.
Austrians View Social Cohesion More Critically
The yearbook also surveyed opinions on social cohesion. Since 2022, negative views among Austrian-born citizens have increased sharply: while only 25.1% rated coexistence as “rather/very bad” then, that figure rose to 46.2% in 2025. Just 20.9% now rate it as “very/rather good.”
By contrast, immigrants view social cohesion more positively: 57.9% rate relations between Austrians and migrants as “very/rather good,” and only 13.7% as “rather/very bad.”
Stronger Sense of Belonging to Austria
The 2025 migration survey also examined immigrants’ sense of belonging. Over three-quarters (75.7%) of respondents feel connected to Austria. This sense is strongest among migrants from Syria (83.6%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (79.8%), and Somalia (78.3%). The lowest identification with Austria was among those born in Ukraine (64.7%).
Nearly half (46.6%) of foreign-born residents still feel connected to their country of origin. This share is lowest among people born in Afghanistan (37.2%) and the Russian Federation (32%).
Plakolm Calls for Greater Willingness to Integrate
Plakolm called the results “very positive at first glance,” but added: “Feeling a sense of belonging is not enough. You also have to contribute—learn the language, find work, support your family, respect our values,” she said. “Anyone who stays permanently distant and lives in a parallel society cannot be part of our society,” she reiterated.
Integration must succeed, Plakolm warned, or public support will fade—referring to the increasingly critical views among Austrian-born citizens. She pointed to government steps already taken or planned, such as values courses and sanctions for failing to meet integration goals.
Asylum Applications Down
Asylum applications have dropped significantly since their 2022 peak—from 112,272 to 25,360 in 2024. While still higher than in earlier years (12,886 to 14,775 between 2018 and 2019), the minister welcomed the downward trend and expects it to continue. “This gives us the breathing room we need to make integration work,” said Plakolm.
Germans and Romanians Are Largest Migrant Groups
Among the 1.85 million non-Austrian citizens living in Austria (as of January 2025), the largest groups are from Germany (239,500), Romania (155,700), Turkey (124,800), and Serbia (122,500). Since early 2020, the biggest increases were among Ukrainian (+76,300), Syrian (+53,300), German (+39,500), Romanian (+32,300), and Croatian (+25,800) nationals.
Language use was also surveyed. At home, 45.1% of immigrants speak mainly or exclusively their native language, while 16.4% use mainly or exclusively German. With friends, 30% speak mostly or only German, and 48.7% use German alongside another language.
FPÖ Blames ÖVP for Failed Migration Policy
The far-right FPÖ sharply criticized the report. “Today’s integration report by ÖVP Integration Minister Plakolm is nothing more than a documented confession of a failed migration policy—especially the ÖVP’s,” said FPÖ security spokesperson Gernot Darmann. “The obvious problems caused by years of uncontrolled mass immigration are not being solved by the government but merely managed,” he stated. Austrians “don’t want a PR show but a complete course correction,” he added, declaring the ÖVP “not part of the solution but the core problem.” Those who admit hundreds of thousands and refuse deportations shouldn’t be surprised when public sentiment turns against them.
