migrant was represented at yesterday’s Anti-Racism Day at Vienna City Hall. The event provided a space for exchange, networking and a joint signal against racism and for respectful coexistence in Vienna.

The focus was also on the Vienna Action Plan against Racism. The City of Vienna is pursuing the goal of ensuring that all people have equal opportunities and can live free from racism in Vienna. The focus is on concrete measures in those areas that fall within the sphere of action and responsibility of the City of Vienna. The action plan is aimed in particular at politicians, the administration and other relevant city institutions.

The information material on the action plan available at the event made it clear that anti-racism is not just a social attitude, but also requires concrete structures, responsibility and cooperation. For migrant, participation was therefore an important opportunity to visibly support these issues and further strengthen professional exchange.

The Counseling Center was once again able to be part of an international professional exchange. This time, female university professors and students from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania were guests in Vienna for a week. In various programs, the visitors dealt with European history, women’s issues and migration. Bryn Mawr is a traditional women’s university that was founded in the 19th century to provide women with academic access that was often denied to them at the time.

The meeting at migrant focused on migration in Austria, our experiences from counseling work and, in particular, the question of which issues are particularly evident at the interface between women and migration. The exchange offered space to present our work, provide insights into everyday counseling and discuss challenges, developments and necessary support structures.

Such encounters are particularly valuable for us. They show that migrant is also recognized beyond Austria as a discussion and practice partner and that our experiences are of interest in international contexts. At the same time, they highlight the importance of networking, knowledge transfer and mutual learning in the field of migration.

Around March 8, 2026, International Women’s Day, migrant was represented at the Vienna Women’s Week 2026 and was able to experience many beautiful, empowering moments. The Open City Hall in particular provided a visible and lively setting to focus on women, their issues and their commitment.

In addition, workshops were also organized last week by women from our community, creating space for exchange, encounters and mutual support. Such formats are particularly valuable because they not only provide information, but also strengthen community and make women visible in their diversity.

For migrant, these days are an important sign: for cohesion, participation and the strengthening of women’s rights in everyday life. We are delighted that we were able to be part of this week and would like to thank everyone involved for their commitment, their presence and the many inspiring ideas.

The Vienna Women’s Week 2026 is a city-wide series of events around International Women’s Day in March and stands for equality, visibility and empowerment of women* in Vienna. Numerous organizations, initiatives and advisory services are participating with a diverse programme of workshops, lectures, information and exchange formats. The aim is to empower women in different life situations, facilitate access to information and create spaces for networking.

The Women’s Advice Center for Migrants is also part of Women’s Week 2026 and is contributing its many years of expertise in working with women with migration experience. It provides targeted impetus with three thematic focuses:

As part of “Neustart mit Perspektive für Frauen”, the team provides information on labour market integration, training and further education opportunities, recognition of qualifications and the legal and social framework. Women receive guidance and specific information to help them develop new professional and personal prospects.

The event “Migration and trauma” is dedicated to the effects of experiences of flight, violence and migration on mental well-being. The focus here is on psychosocial stabilization, promoting resilience and information on further support services. The aim is to create understanding, make resources visible and encourage women to seek support.

Under the title “Paths to a self-determined future”, strategies and resources for strengthening self-determination, personal responsibility and social participation will be presented. The focus is on empowerment, decision-making skills and building sustainable prospects for the future.

With its contribution to the Vienna Women’s Week, the Women’s Counseling Service creates low-threshold access to information and advice, promotes networking and exchange and sends a clear signal for the empowerment of women with migration experience in Vienna.

Statement on the AMPAG draft

The Advice Center for Migrants has submitted a statement on the draft of the Asylum and Migration Pact Adaptation Act (AMPAG).

In our view, the draft contains numerous provisions that could lead to a deterioration in the legal residence situation of third-country nationals. We are particularly critical of the shift of central legal guarantees to the area of official discretionary decisions, insufficient protection mechanisms for particularly vulnerable groups of people and unclear legal terms that could lead to restrictive interpretations during enforcement.

There are particular concerns with regard to:

• the withdrawal of residence permits in the event of unemployment,
• Restrictions on family reunification,
• lack of clarification regarding data processing,
• and barriers to permanent residence – EU.

In our view, the draft does not take sufficient account of Austria’s human rights obligations and integration policy objectives.

We therefore demand, among other things, a stronger decoupling of the right of residence from short-term labor market authority decisions, clearer legal guidelines, the removal of obstacles to permanent residence and a human rights impact assessment before the amendment comes into force.

The complete statement with all legal explanations and detailed justifications can be found in the attached PDF document.

The Vienna Action Plan against Racism 2025 is a comprehensive program of the City of Vienna to prevent and combat racism in all its forms. It was adopted by the Vienna City Council in October 2025 and is aimed at both the city administration and the entire Viennese population in order to strengthen social cohesion and actively counteract discrimination.

Vienna sees itself as a city of diversity, in which people of different origins live and participate equally. The action plan starts where racist discrimination can occur: from data collection and monitoring to information and support for those affected to equal opportunities in the labor market, housing and education. It sets out clear areas for action and shows how Viennese politicians and administrators intend to tackle these challenges in the future.

The central objectives include

• Establishment of a monitoring and solidarity network to prevent and combat racism.

• Promotion of information and support services for people who experience discrimination.

• Strengthening equal opportunities in the labor market and in the city’s role as an employer.

• Ensuring non-discriminatory services and promoting a culturally diverse urban society.

• Promoting equal educational opportunities and intercultural understanding through education and upbringing.

• Expansion of conflict management services for respectful coexistence in public spaces.

The plan was developed in a broad-based process together with municipal authorities and civil society organizations and is based on the current status of measures and recommendations for future activities.

The opinion assesses the introduction of the new residence title “cross-border commuter” pursuant to Section 68 of the Settlement and Residence Act as fundamentally positive, as for the first time a clear residence status has been created for third-country nationals employed across borders. The aim is to ensure legal certainty for employees and employers and to close the current gap between access to the labor market and the right of residence. At the same time, the residence permit remains strictly focused on the labor market and deliberately excludes integration, family and social law aspects. This can lead to legal and practical tensions, particularly in the case of de facto permanent residence in Austria.

Statement

The new “cross-border commuter” residence permit is intended to offer third-country nationals who live in a neighboring country and are employed in Austria a secure residence status. This establishes a systematic link between access to the labor market and the right of residence for the first time.

Procedure and responsibilities

The application is submitted to the competent NAG authority, whereby the AMS examines the requirements under labor market law. A positive AMS notification is a mandatory requirement for the granting of the residence permit; a negative decision leads to the termination of the procedure.

Effects on family, social benefits and citizenship

The residence permit excludes the possibility of family reunification, as no main residence is established in Austria. There is also no entitlement to family benefits and periods of residence are not taken into account for the subsequent granting of Austrian citizenship.

Health insurance

Cross-border commuters are covered by health insurance under the ASVG due to their employment in Austria. However, there are restrictions on access to healthcare services in the country of residence, unless bilateral agreements exist.

Overall rating

From a labor market policy perspective, the amendment creates a clear legal framework. At the same time, integration and social policy issues are deliberately not taken into account, which is why an ongoing evaluation and supplementary solutions – particularly in the area of health insurance – are recommended.

Detailed comments on the opinion

Statement on the residence permit ‘Grenzgaenger’ § 68 NAG

The draft of the Skilled Workers Ordinance 2026 basically complies with the legal requirements of Section 13 AuslBG and represents a permissible instrument for the labor market policy management of qualified immigration. The focus on labor market policy indicators, the points system, the reference to wage standards and the easier access to the labor market for family members should be highlighted as positive aspects. However, it remains critical that the draft only addresses labor market policy requirements and does not provide for any binding protection and integration measures. In its current form, it therefore does not provide a sufficient basis for a sustainable and socially balanced management of skilled workers.

Statement

The Skilled Workers Ordinance 2026 is within the scope of the legal authorization of § 13 AuslBG and pursues the goal of addressing structural shortages of skilled workers on the Austrian labour market. The labor market policy management of qualified immigration is legally comprehensible and fundamentally suitable for responding to existing needs.

Positive aspects of the design

The use of labor market policy indicators when determining the shortage occupations and the orientation towards the AMS system are positive. The planned points system increases the transparency and comprehensibility of the selection decision. The consideration of collectively agreed pay standards and the unrestricted access to the labor market for family members also contribute to legal certainty.

Lack of protection and integration measures

The draft does not contain any binding regulations to prevent wage and social dumping or to enforce minimum standards under labor law. There are also no measures to reduce structural dependencies on the respective employer or elements to promote integration such as language support, advice or social security.

Recognition of qualifications

There is no substantial discussion of existing deficits in the recognition of foreign professional qualifications. This represents a significant structural problem, particularly in sensitive areas such as care, health and services.

Evaluation of the shortage occupation list

The admission of individual occupational groups without sufficient justification of a sustainable nationwide shortage situation should be viewed critically. As a result, there is a risk of compensating for structural problems in working and pay conditions under migration law.

Overall rating

In summary, although the draft formally complies with the legal requirements, it does not provide a sufficient guarantee for a sustainable, socially balanced and fundamental rights-sensitive strategy for skilled workers. Further development is recommended, taking into account labor law, integration policy and welfare state protection mechanisms.

Detailed comments on the opinion

Statement on the draft Skilled Workers Ordinance 2026