Lower Austria has introduced a new law allowing authorities to cut off social benefits from residents who refuse German language or integration courses, repeatedly decline work, or provide false information.
The amendment to the state’s Social Assistance Act took effect on November 4, 2025.
FPÖ regional councillor Martin Antauer said anyone refusing to learn German or attend courses has “zero interest in living by our rules, traditions, and values” and forfeits the right to welfare.
Individuals who give false information to authorities now face fines of up to €5,000, or up to six weeks in jail if unpaid. Repeated refusal to accept work will also result in termination of social support.
The system will be policed through a new digital link between the Interior Ministry and the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF), allowing officials to track course dropouts, absences, or other violations in real time.
“Whoever doesn’t do their integration homework will be excluded from social assistance,” Antauer said, calling the state a “pioneer” in enforcement.
