Declining numbers

Currently only two federal asylum homes left in Upper Austria

Facilities for refugees provided by the federal government have been greatly reduced in Upper Austria in recent months. However, capacities are being kept free in most cases. In the previous year, 3965 unlawful residents were apprehended by the police. 

Several federal asylum centers in Upper Austria have been quietly and secretly shut down in recent months. "The number of arrivals is declining. We were therefore able to significantly reduce the number of facilities in Upper Austria during the first half of the year," confirms Thomas Fussenegger, spokesperson for the Federal Agency for Care and Support Services (BBU).

Each occupied by 80 people
There are currently only two open and occupied facilities in Upper Austria. "Bad Kreuzen and St. Georgen/Thalham are each home to around 80 people," says Fussenegger. The remaining locations have been shut down and serve as so-called "reserve capacities". These include Frankenburg, Steyregg, Mondsee, Salzkammergut, Hörsching, Braunau and Traun. Only the two accommodations in Linz - the IBIS hotel and the ÖBB apprentices' home - were returned.

The number of arrivals is declining. We therefore reduced the number of facilities in Upper Austria during the first half of the year.

Thomas Fussenegger, Bundesagentur für Betreuungs- und Unterstützungsleistungen

4417 people in basic care
The province is providing basic care for 4417 people (excluding Ukrainians) who are accommodated in 215 accommodation facilities run by the province. A total of 3110 asylum applications were received in Upper Austria last year, according to the Upper Austrian Police Directorate's 2023 annual report. Officers were also able to stop 3956 unlawful residents and 66 smugglers last year.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

In addition, 21,353 documents were checked by the Aliens and Border Police Department. 1516 people were arrested under the Aliens Police Act and 150 were deported back to their country of origin.