Austria starts trial of payment card for refugees with strict restrictions
The pilot phase of the payment card system for asylum seekers in Austria has begun, where cash financial assistance will be prohibited, and strict restrictions will be imposed on how and where money can be spent. The initiative launches this week in the states of Upper Austria, Styria, and Salzburg, after years of discussion.
200 euros will be transferred as living expenses, plus 40 euros as "pocket money" (which can be withdrawn in cash), to the card monthly. It can only be used to purchase food and daily necessities, while it is prohibited to use it for buying alcohol, participating in gambling, or sending money abroad.
In Salzburg, the rules will be stricter, as spending money will only be allowed within the state borders, and cash can only be withdrawn in Salzburg. These restrictions have sparked widespread criticism, especially from the human rights platform, which described them as "unacceptable" and confirmed that they lack a clear legal basis and constitute an excessive intrusion into private life.
Franziska Kinskofer from the Human Rights Platform told ORF TV that these measures represent an additional administrative burden and a real restriction on the movement of asylum seekers, especially when they need to travel to other states, for example, to attend hearings or for personal purposes, emphasizing that these restrictions particularly affect young people. In contrast, Marlene Svaisk, Deputy Governor of Salzburg from the FPÖ party, responded that the aim of these measures is to prevent the misuse of social assistance, ensure maximum oversight, and not make Austria an attractive location for asylum seekers.
In the first phase, around 200 asylum seekers residing at the Flussbauhof center in Salzburg will receive this card, and the system is set to be rolled out across the state within a maximum of six months.