Return - IOM Publications - International Organization for Migration

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AUSTRIA
Assistance for Voluntary Return to Afghanistan
Any return counselling centre, which provides counselling to refugees in Austria, may implement
this programme. There are nine state bodies (Landesflüchtlingsbüros) providing counselling to
refugees and four non-governmental organizations (Caritas with 7 centres; Volkshilfe, Diakonie
and Verein Menschenrechte), as well as European Homecare and another private centre. The
target group are Afghan citizens in Austria, who wish to return home and for whom return has a
meaningful purpose. The reintegration measures offered contribute to the success and sustainability
of the return and a new start for the returnees, and this is an important aspect of the programme.
Between April and December 2003, 38 Afghan nationals had returned under this programme.
Fourteen persons have also been registered to return in January 2004. Returns are usually accompanied
by questionnaires to follow-up and monitor the reintegration process.
Outside the return and reintegration assistance provided for asylum seekers and other irregular
migrants, IOM Vienna also cooperates with concerned partners to facilitate the return of special
groups of migrants in need of return assistance, such as trafficking victims and unaccompanied
minors. IOM cooperates with the Intervention Centre for Victims of Trafficking (LEFÖ-IBF) on
many issues relating to trafficking, including return assistance, and assisted one victim of trafficking
home in 2002. In cooperation with the relevant authorities in Vienna and the rest of the
country, IOM also facilitated the return of 14 girls from Bulgaria and 12 minors from Romania
in 2002, who were found working in prostitution or begging in Vienna. Since September 2002,
however, the return of minors to Bulgaria has been discontinued because of poor reception
facilities in Sofia.
Non-IOM Implemented AVR
The assisted voluntary return programme operated by Caritas provides pre-departure assistance
including legal and social counselling, temporary accommodation and initiatives to assist reintegration,
such as vocational training and financial assistance. Post-arrival assistance is only available to
vulnerable groups, who, for instance, need assistance in finding family, jobs and accommodation.
In particularly needy cases, persons may receive approximately EUR 1,450 towards reintegration.
The Association for Democracy in Africa also operates a specific assisted voluntary return programme
with funding from the European Refugee Fund, which focuses on return and reintegration
assistance to African nationals through counselling, vocational training and travel assistance.
Framework Agreements with Countries of Origin or Transit
See section on involuntary return.
2.3 STATISTICS ON VOLUNTARY RETURN
Statistics for IOM Implemented AVR
Between 2001 and 2002 the number of people assisted by IOM Vienna to return to their home
countries, increased by over 100 per cent – from 427 to 878 returnees. The main countries of
return in 2001 were the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (149), 8 Iran (60) Bosnia and Herzegovina
(29), Romania (24), and Armenia (21), while the most common countries of return in 2002 were