For the first time in over two decades, the government of Austria has deported more people than it received new asylum applications, following pressure from the populist right. Figures released this month from Vienna have revealed that the first half of 2026 saw a 44 per cent decline in asylum applications compared to the same period last year, with an estimated 4,900 asylum applications being submitted between January and June, Kronen Zeitung reported.
In comparison, there were over 7,000 deportations and other removals of migrants during the first half of the year. This means that for the first time in over 20 years, the number of removals outpaced the number of new asylum applications, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) said. According to the government statistics, migrants from Syria and Afghanistan were the most likely to apply for asylum in Austria during the first six months of the year, both representing around a quarter of all applications.
