Austria Debates Forcing Nearly All Citizens to Attend Integration Courses

Originally, the “integration phase” was intended to apply only to those with asylum status and to individuals eligible for subsidiary protection. Under the legal reasoning of the Constitutional Service, however, Austrian citizens could, in future, be required to attend language and values courses for three years in order to “integrate” into their own society. Only after completing this phase would they be entitled to the full scale of social benefits.

English POLITIKA 2025. SZEPTEMBER 26. 11:05

The Austrian Constitutional Service argues that it is not sufficient to place only a specific group, defined by protection status, into an “integration phase”; rather, the model should apply to all working-age residents, including Austrians as well.

The principle of equal treatment means that the integration phase cannot solely apply to immigrants,

– the office of SPO’s Social Affairs Minister Korinna Schumann said

In a written opinion, the Constitutional Service confirmed this view after being consulted by the Ministry of Social Affairs. It was particularly critical of the idea that those entitled to protection could be placed at a general disadvantage. The document literally stated:

“Connection to the general protection status cannot constitute an objective distinguishing criterion that would justify the provision of a lower level of security guarantees.”

OVP’s Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm sees the matter very differently. She reacted immediately and sharply:

“There will certainly be no integration phase in Austria. It is absurd, and it will remain so. The very idea that Austrian citizens should attend German language and values courses must be rejected,”

– she said. For Ms. Plakolm, the legal situation is clear: from mid-2026, a new EU status regulation will allow social benefits to be linked to integration measures. “The Ministry of Social Affairs did not ask the Constitutional Service about this at all,” Ms. Plakolm added. The ÖVP also received support from NEOS, whose parliamentary group leader, Yannick Shetty, had raised similar concerns two weeks earlier.

Integration Support Instead of the Full Range of Social Benefits

Under the plan, authorities would initially only be paying “integration support” during the integration phase. Full social assistance would only be granted at the end of the phase, which could last up to three years. Conditions include acquiring German language skills and attending courses on societal values.

However, the Constitutional Service warns that the integration phase must not last several years. Instead, authorities should carry out periodic checks to see whether the individuals in question can be placed in the labour market. The criteria must be set at a low threshold, as many jobs do not require a high level of language proficiency or formal qualifications.

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austria, illegal migration