Integration will become mandatory for refugees in the future

According to the responsible minister, Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP), the voluntary nature of integration is "over now." The amount of assistance during a mandatory integration program will be tied to willingness to integrate, and family allowance for Ukrainians will be tied to willingness to work. For the Minister for Integration, Family and EU Affairs, the planned headscarf ban is more a matter of child welfare than religion, she said in an interview with APA.

The three-year mandatory integration program is to be integrated into the social welfare reform announced for the fall. Those affected are those granted asylum and subsidiary protection, displaced persons, and asylum seekers with a high probability of remaining in the country. Anyone who, for example, fails to attend German or values ​​courses without justification or fails to register with the Public Employment Service (AMS) can "expect significant reductions" in the integration assistance they receive during these courses. Plakolm stated that this is not about expanding the budget. After all, the number of asylum seekers has declined significantly, and there is already a problem with repeat courses and empty places in courses.

Displaced persons from Ukraine are still entitled to family allowance until October 31st, and according to Plakolm, a successor arrangement will be negotiated as soon as possible. The entitlement will then be linked to willingness to work, as displaced persons are allowed to work from day one. In response to the question of whether special arrangements could be made for people with very young children, the minister stated that a possible successor arrangement would take into account the individual's life situation—for example, caregiving responsibilities.

A headscarf ban for children under 14 in schools is also scheduled to come into effect in the fall. There will also be accompanying measures: girls will be encouraged and discussions with parents will be held; school psychologists, child and youth services, and the Children's and Youth Ombudsman's Office could be involved. The sanctions that will apply if a girl fails to remove the headscarf are still being finalized.

In 2020, the Constitutional Court (VfGH) overturned the headscarf ban for the first time – partly on the grounds that the measure was aimed only at Muslims. "It's clear to me that this is a matter of child welfare," Plakolm said. "For me, it has less of a religious background, because the headscarf has no place, especially for children under 14." It is also not required in Islam.

With regard to social media platforms, "more European action is needed," for example, regarding age control. Plakolm declined to commit to a minimum age for use—first, a uniform European approach is needed. He also argued that the insufficient control of content by platforms must be addressed at the European level. Everything that is prohibited in analogue life must also be punished in the digital space.

Unlike Minister for Women's Affairs Eva-Maria Holzleitner (SPÖ), she cannot imagine a requirement for a 50/50 split of parental leave. The possibility already exists, she argues, and parents know best what is best for their children. A working group is to develop ideas for incentives for greater father participation by the end of 2026, among other things. The minister can envision measures that would make it more attractive for employers to grant people in management positions longer leave and enable them to achieve a better work-life balance.

Plakolm would be "very open to debate" on the topic of "social egg freezing." Freezing eggs for later fertilization is currently only permitted for medical reasons. However, the Constitutional Court could overturn the ban after a hearing in June. "Any measure that contributes to us having more children" is a good topic for debate.

Asked about the war in Ukraine and Hungary's frequent dissent, the EU minister advocated a focus on peace and a united European approach. Within Europe, it makes no sense "for us to point the finger at individual member states and tell them through the media what we think of domestic politics." As Hungary's neighbor, Austria has a strong mediating role; she wants to address developments that she considers unacceptable bilaterally.