The Austrian Court of Audit has identified several issues with the basic provision for refugees, despite some improvements.
The court’s review highlights issues like the need for better solutions for subsidiary protection, poor coordination between local authorities and NGOs, as well as an outdated information system.
Subsidiary protection is granted to third-country nationals or stateless individuals who do not qualify as refugees. They are not directly persecuted but cannot return to their home countries due to threats of violence.
The basic provision primarily covers accommodation and food for asylum seekers and displaced individuals. It also extends to those with subsidiary protection, who currently number around 8,000 to 10,000.
The Court of Audit (Rechnungshof Österreich) – Austria’s top oversight body – is calling for the creation of suitable conditions for those with subsidiary protection beyond the basic provision, including unrestricted access to the job market.
The review highlighted that recent large-scale refugee movements have again exposed the issue of Austria’s federal states providing insufficient accommodation, leading to intervention from the central authorities in Vienna. This has resulted in lengthy and costly accommodation contracts, which have also faced criticism from the Court of Audit. Coordination remains inadequate, and the Court has reiterated its recommendation that the Ministry of the Interior, in collaboration with federal states, NGOs, and local authorities, develop a more effective and economical approach to managing the increasing numbers of asylum seekers.
Additionally, the Court noted weaknesses in the care information system.
Despite the Ministry of the Interior’s efforts, the recommendation to implement essential functionalities and update the system to meet basic provision needs has not been carried out. Furthermore, the system, designed for a browser no longer supported by the manufacturer since 2022, can now only be used in a temporary “compatibility mode.”
There were just under 59,000 asylum applications in Austria in 2023, a decrease of 48% compared to the previous year.
