Social assistance draft: about 860 euros for newcomers at first
Austria's three governing parties begin political negotiations this week on a new social assistance law, known as Sozialhilfe NEU. Social Affairs Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) has put forward the draft, and the reform is meant to take effect on 1 January 2027. The draft still contains placeholders instead of many amounts, so nothing is decided yet.
The key change for newcomers is a planned integration phase. People who are able to work but are not yet considered integrated into society and the labour market would first receive only a basic amount. The draft does not fix it, but according to reports it would be about 70 percent of the full rate, around 860 euros a month. A compulsory school leaving certificate from a school taught in German, or proof of German skills and a values course, would raise this to about 85 percent, around 1,050 euros. The full rate would follow after 13 weeks of fully insured employment or after taking part in an AMS programme. The full rate is based on the net minimum pension, about 1,230 euros in 2026. People with disabilities, children, people with care duties and people at pension age would not have to meet these conditions.
The draft also replaces maximum rates with fixed amounts across all provinces and sets minimum rates for children. It plans a Teilhabekarte worth 300 euros a year for children in low-income families just above the social assistance limit. The ÖVP and several provinces want lower rates per child for large families, which the draft leaves out, so the final law may differ.
What you should do: nothing changes before January 2027, and current payments continue under your province's rules. If you receive social assistance and are able to work, German courses, a recognised school certificate and AMS courses are likely to matter for your future amount. Keep your certificates and course confirmations, and ask your social welfare office or AMS adviser which courses you can start now.