Studies

This report outlines the progress made by EMN Member and Observer Countries in implementing the EU Communication on the protection of migrant children (2017) in the period 2021-2022. The report focuses on areas that are of particular importance with regard to the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child (2021) and showcases developments regarding identification and registration, accommodation, care alternatives, guardianship, education, procedural safeguards, detention for the purpose of return and the transition to adulthood.

The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, which began in February 2022, triggered the fastest and largest displacement in Europe since the Second World War. More than six million people left Ukraine as a result of the war to seek protection and safety in neighbouring countries as well as other countries. The study looks at the measures taken in Austria to provide protection and care for displaced persons from Ukraine. Based on the EMN Austria Annual Report on Migration and Asylum 2022 and the Austrian contribution to the EMN study "The Application of the Temporary Protection Directive – Challenges and Good Practices in 2023"the publication provides a compact overview of these measures.

This study examines the unlawful employment of third-country nationals in Austria in the period from 2017 to 2023. It provides an overview of risk areas and current trends, and analyses of measures to prevent and identify unlawful employment. The study also discusses possible consequences for employers and third-country nationals. Based on statistics, expert interviews, and analyses of policies, laws and practices, key challenges and good practices are highlighted.

The study deals with access to the labour market and labour market integration of asylum-seekers in Austria. First, it addresses the timing and requirements for access to employment and self-employment. Second, it deals with laws, policies and measures to ensure that access to the labour market, if granted, can actually take place. Based on statistics, expert interviews, and analyses, key challenges and possible solutions are highlighted.

Based on data and statistics, this study identifies key challenges and opportunities for the integration of migrant women in Austria. The study furthermore analyses whether and to what extent the particular situation of migrant women is taken into consideration in national integration policies and measures. One focus is on the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic.

This study deals with the phenomenon of human trafficking of third-country nationals in Austria. In Austria, the fight against human trafficking is a domestic as well as foreign policy priority of the federal government. The report therefore examines Austrian measures to help detect trafficking situations and protect trafficked persons. In addition, the report provides a statistical overview and also addresses challenges and best practices. 

This EMN-report highlights Member States' progress in implementing the EU Communication on the Protection Children in Migration. The 2017 Communication sets out measures to strengthen the protection of children at all stages of migration at national and EU level. The report focuses on progress in 2020 in areas such as identification, accommodation and procedural safeguards.

This study sheds light on detention pending removal and alternatives to detention in Austria. In Austria, detention pending removal can only be imposed on individuals where the purpose of detention (i.e. securing the procedure for issuing a measure to terminate a residence permit) cannot be achieved by means of an alternative. The brief report explains the legal basis for the alternatives, analyzes current statistics, and addresses benefits as well as challenges. It also looks at health care, support services, consideration of vulnerable groups, and the complaint process.

This study focuses on the types of data that are collected on asylum seekers in Austria, from the moment when an application is lodged and until a first-instance decision is issued, and how the data are managed. Recent developments and trends relating to data management are described and the challenges and good practices that have previously emerged in Austria in the area of data collection and management are discussed.

This study sheds light on the phenomenon of long-term irregular staying persons in Austria. Even though the topic of irregular migration regularly recurs in political and media debates, Austrian policymakers only have selectively focussed on the issue. The report examines the approaches taken by the responsible authorities to avoid and mitigate situations of irregularity and the social consequences for the third-country nationals concerned. In addition, the measures taken for irregular staying persons in relation to the COVID-19-pandemic are analyzed.