The number of refugees leaving Austria has risen significantly. In comparison, there were 25 percent more returns in 2023, while asylum applications fell by almost 50 percent.

The number of persons leaving after having applied for international protection in Austria rose significantly in 2023. From January until the end of October, 10,478 returns were carried out, of which 5,496 were voluntary (52 percent) and 4,982 were forced departures (48 percent). Compared to the previous year, this is an increase of 25 percent in returns, while asylum applications fell by almost 50 percent in 2023. In the previous year (2022), 8,403 people were returned between January and the end of October.

More than 45 percent of those forcibly returned from the country had a criminal conviction. The Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA) continues to focus on increasing the number of returns from the country. In the first two weeks of November, numerous individual returns and six charter returns were carried out. In 2023, ten Dublin charter returns to Bulgaria as well as seven each to Romania and Croatia have already been carried out.