Austria stops child support for unemployed Ukrainians
Ukrainian refugees in Austria are facing strict changes regarding social benefits, as the Minister of Integration and Family Affairs, Claudia Plakolm, announced that family support will not continue after four months unless the parents are willing to work.
Currently, about 16,000 children of Ukrainian refugees receive a total of three million euros monthly in family allowances in Austria, benefiting around 10,361 parents. Although the support is set to continue until October 31, 2025, the Austrian government plans to stop it after this date for those who do not show willingness to work or register in the labor market through AMS.
Blackholm confirmed that the labor market in Austria is open to refugees from day one, and that those who live here must learn the German language and integrate into local values.
In recent months, there have been increasing reports of potential social fraud, especially among some large families belonging to minorities such as 'Sinti' and 'Roma', where some claim to be Ukrainian refugees despite not speaking Ukrainian and not coming from war zones. The Ministry of Family has formed a special investigation group to look into these cases and determine the extent to which some individuals are exploiting the situation of Ukrainian refugees.
In the state of Salzburg, the deputy governor from the FPÖ party, "Marilene Svazik", decided to close the state-run refugee accommodations, emphasizing that this situation opens the door wide for misuse, pointing to the significant pressure on schools, kindergartens, and municipal infrastructure due to the increasing numbers of refugees.