A new report highlights significant differences in the proportion of different groups obtaining support from public funds.
Measuring the proportion of individuals in receipt of social assistance by nationality, the 2024 Integration Report shows that Syrians lead the list with 73.7%, followed by Somalis at 71.6% and Afghans at 54.2%.
In contrast, Austrians have the lowest rate of social assistance receipt per head at 4.1%, while the total population average is 9.0%.
Other nationalities above the average include residents from Iraq (46.1%) and Russia (32.9%), while Iran (16.4%), Turkey (8.1%), and the former Yugoslavia (5.4%) fall below the average. Ukrainian nationals are not included in the report.
The data, from the Federal Criminal Police Office, underscores the wide variation in social assistance receipt across different communities.
While the report focuses on social assistance, outrage has erupted in Vienna over municipal housing allocations. In 2024, 1,618 apartments were directly given to refugees by NGOs and social organizations, bypassing the city’s official housing ticket system. Critics argue that many local families remain on waiting lists for years, creating a “two-tier system.”
The apartments, known as “pool flats,” can be occupied immediately by refugees, who may take permanent possession after two years.
