Between the 7th and 9th of November 2022, under the scope of the KOMPLEKS project, ICMPD organized a study visit for representatives of Polish local authorities and project partners to Austria.
The objective of the study visit was to take a closer look at the system of identification and support for vulnerable migrants in Austria, including unaccompanied minors, LGBTIQ asylum seekers, single parents with minor children, people with disabilities, and victims of THB. Discussions also revolved around the situation of persons displaced from Ukraine in Austria – a group of vulnerable applicants consisting largely of women with children, facing risks of family separation and access to the labour market. Experts at ICMPD headquarters presented an overview of the asylum procedure in Austria, and participants had the opportunity to meet with key federal, municipal and non-governmental stakeholders such as representatives from the Federal Agency for Reception and Support Services, Fond Soziales Wien, Integrationshaus and Queerbase. Discussions included approaches and challenges in the Austrian reception system, customising reception conditions to special needs (such as alternative accommodations adapted to vulnerabilities), and good practices in the identification of and support for vulnerable migrants in Austria with a particular focus on the needs of people requiring special care, such as those who have undergone trauma, single parents, and both accompanied and unaccompanied minors. Among the good practices identified was also extensive cooperation between federal institutions and a number of specialized non-governmental organizations, particularly with regard to identifying vulnerable migrants.