States that do not want to welcome large Ukrainian families
Austria is currently facing problems in accommodating the influx of refugees coming from Ukraine, especially in the initial phase that includes official registration. Vienna and Vorarlberg are the only two states still managing initial reception centers, and the Vienna center is particularly suffering from severe overcrowding. The director general of the Federal Care Agency, Andreas Achrainer, warned in a radio interview that this situation could lead to artificial homelessness for refugees.
Akhreiner pointed out that other states have shown a clear reluctance to welcome new arrivals, especially large Ukrainian families, and urged these states to provide accommodation, even if limited.
According to data from the BBU agency, between 1,000 and 1,200 new Ukrainian refugees arrive in Austria each month, and the number of those being cared for under the basic support system is about 33,400 refugees, nearly a third of whom live in Vienna. Adding the numbers from Niederösterreich, the total reaches about 20,000 people. Acheriner explained that most refugees prefer to stay in Vienna.
Some states have recently expressed their discomfort with the increasing number of large families coming from Ukraine, especially since some of their members do not speak Ukrainian or Russian. For example, two families recently arrived in Vienna, totaling 26 individuals.
To address the potential for misuse, the government intends to reorganize the family assistance and child support system for Ukrainian refugees, aiming to encourage more of them to enter the labor market.