Austria’s National Council has approved the introduction of orientation classes for newly arrived migrant children. The bill passed on Friday with broad support, including votes from the ruling coalition and the Greens. Only the far-right FPÖ opposed it.
Starting next school year, school-age children who have no prior experience in formal education will first attend orientation classes upon arriving in Austria. These classes—lasting up to six months—will help prepare children for the Austrian school system by teaching them basic German and essential skills for school participation.
Flexible group formats will be possible, allowing classes to span different school levels, types, and locations. Transition into German support classes will occur individually as needed. Similar programs have already been implemented in Vienna and Vorarlberg; with this legal change, orientation classes will become mandatory nationwide starting September 1.
FPÖ Calls It a “Placebo Measure”
Only the FPÖ opposed the initiative. FPÖ MP Hermann Brückl criticized orientation classes as a “placebo” that only treats symptoms. He argued that such integration measures should be handled by NGOs rather than burdening teachers.
Representatives of the governing parties responded that the new classes will ease the pressure on schools and teachers by preparing children before they join mainstream classrooms. ÖVP’s Nico Marchetti and SPÖ’s Heinrich Himmer pointed to the success of pilot programs in Vienna and Vorarlberg. Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) emphasized readiness for future needs, despite the FPÖ’s claim that the measure is redundant if family reunification immigration has stopped.
Other Measures: Digital Student IDs and Early Childhood Education
The bill package also includes the rollout of digital student IDs for teacher training colleges (PHs), along with new training opportunities for early childhood educators. Minister Wiederkehr called it a “paradigm shift,” enabling universities and universities of applied sciences to offer dedicated degrees in early education.
The Greens supported the move but criticized it as insufficient. They called for a full tertiary-level qualification for early childhood educators, in line with standards in other European countries.
