New Development Regarding Family Reunification
Following the Council of Ministers on Wednesday morning, the main committee in the National Council has now also given the green light with the votes of the coalition parties, according to parliamentary correspondence. The applications from relatives of asylum seekers and those with subsidiary protection will thus be effectively stalled for another half year.
Three Extensions Possible
Exceptions can be made to respect private and family life. In November, there was only one such case, said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) in the committee. Essentially, it is about ensuring that an adequate guardian is present at the place of residence for young people. According to the Asylum Act, the suspension of applications can be extended up to three times for up to six months each time - but no later than September 30, 2026. The first corresponding regulation came into force on July 3, 2025, and is valid for six months - and would therefore have expired at the beginning of January. With today's decision, the suspension for family reunification is valid until early July 2026.
The government had to justify in writing to the main committee the threat to maintaining public order established in the regulation. The argument is - as already in July - an overload of the systems due to family reunification. According to Karner, the fundamental issue has not changed in recent months.
FPÖ: "Drop in the Ocean"
The FPÖ sees a "pure deception maneuver." The Freedom Party National Council member Christian Hafenecker reportedly signaled the FPÖ's "fundamental approval" in the committee. However, the measure is only "a drop in the ocean."
The Greens were against an extension. "If the government declares an emergency in schools, it must work urgently to resolve it," criticized the Green education spokesperson Sigrid Maurer in a statement. "Our children deserve functioning schools, enough teachers, and real support, not a permanent state of emergency."
Settlement Regulation: Number Decreases
The main committee also approved the settlement regulation for the past year 2025. The number of immigrants allowed to come to Austria under the regulation is decreasing again. The number for 2025 has been set at 5,616 - in fact, the number is likely to be particularly relevant for the coming year 2026. Throughout the current year, the regulation from 2024 (5,846 immigrants allowed over the year) has been updated monthly. The same is likely to apply for 2026.
The settlement regulation primarily allocates places to family members of workers. But also private individuals (without employment intentions, but with sufficient assets) can come to the country through the quota. Of the 5,616 places, 4,850 residence permits are allocated to family reunifications of third-country nationals, 385 to so-called "private individuals," 89 to persons with a foreign residence permit "EU permanent residence," and 292 to family members who want to convert their existing residence permit into a "Red-White-Red Card plus."
Lower Austria and Styria had requested from the Ministry of the Interior to be allocated a smaller number of places in the settlement regulation. Specifically, the number for Styria decreases from 588 to 433. Lower Austria had even requested a zero quota. The proposal from the Ministry of the Interior now provides for 273 places in Lower Austria, down from 348.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.