Headscarf ban to AMS: These rules apply from September
Several legislative changes came into force in Austria on September 1, 2026. The focus is on the school sector, but one of the changes directly affects unemployment benefits. Classes begin on September 7 in eastern Austria and on September 14 in the rest of the country.
Starting with the 2026/27 school year, a headscarf ban applies to female students up to their 14th birthday. It applies to both public and private schools. This does not include instruction outside the school building, homeschooling, or school events and school-related activities held off-site. It is important for parents to understand the sequence of events, as it involves several stages: in the event of a first violation, the school administration will hold a clarifying discussion with the student and their legal guardians. In the event of a further violation, the education authority will be involved and will invite them to a second discussion. If it happens again, the child and youth welfare services must be notified. Only at the end of this chain is a report filed with the district administrative authority, which can impose a fine of 150 to 800 euros; if this is uncollectible, a substitute custodial sentence of up to two weeks is possible. The fine is imposed on the legal guardians. Teachers do not impose sanctions; they report incidents to the school administration. Failure by parents to attend the scheduled discussions can also have consequences.
Two other school-related points are relevant to the household budget. The school transport allowance is being doubled: for a school commute of up to 10 kilometers, it will be 12 to 30 euros per month, and for longer commutes, 18 to 45 euros. At the same time, the flat-rate contribution for free travel for students and apprentices is increasing from 19.60 to 29.60 euros. Furthermore, the penalty range for unjustified absence from class is increasing from the previous 110 to 440 euros to 150 to 800 euros. Another new development is that suspended students must receive mandatory pedagogical and psychosocial support from the fourth day onwards, amounting to at least eight to 20 hours per week; in principle, a suspension may last no longer than four weeks.
Outside of school, a change applies that directly affects recipients of unemployment benefits or emergency assistance: anyone who does not report newly accepted employment to the AMS on time must expect that the benefits received will be reclaimed for at least six weeks. Therefore, report your first day of work immediately. For driving tests, a suspension period of 18 months instead of nine will apply in the future following any attempted deception.
If you have a daughter under 14, clarify the rules with the school before the first day of class so that there is no conflict upon arrival. And keep every official letter with the date of delivery: a penalty notice triggers an appeal period that begins upon delivery.