A hidden wave of migration in Austria: more than a million people are leaving the country
Migration has long been one of the most controversial political issues in Austria. While public attention often focuses on newcomers, a recent study reveals another side of the story: large numbers of people are also leaving the country.
Researchers Rainer Montz and Jamal Yaryeva studied migration data between 2011 and 2023 in their study titled "Migration from Austria: The Other Side of Migration." The results showed that about 2.2 million people entered Austria during this period, either for the first time or returned after a period abroad. At the same time, more than 1.4 million people left the country.
The researchers indicate that the pace of reverse migration has accelerated in recent years. About half of the migrants leave Austria again after just five to six years, with women typically staying longer than men. While the numbers of migration to Austria sometimes rise due to global events—such as the refugee crisis in 2015 or the war in Ukraine in 2022—the figures for migration from Austria are more stable, but they have risen to higher levels in recent years.
The year 2022 was the peak of immigration to Austria, with 262,000 people entering the country, the highest number in 75 years. However, departure rates also rose significantly, with 124,000 people leaving in 2022 and 128,000 in 2023, compared to an average of between 94,000 and 111,000 annually from 2011 to 2021.
Among the 1.4 million people who left Austria between 2011 and 2023, most—about 1.07 million—were born abroad. The numbers also included 205,000 citizens born in Austria who left again, along with a smaller group of Austrians born outside the country. The majority came from EU countries, followed by Western Balkan countries. Turkey was also a major country in this phenomenon, with about 41,000 people of Turkish descent leaving Austria during this period.