According to Statistics Austria, the number of naturalizations in Austria increased by more than 60% in the first half of 2022 compared to the same period last year. About 30% of them were victims of the Nazi regime and its descendants.
With the 60% increase, according to Statistics Austria, not only were there more naturalizations than in the first half of 2021, but also 52.5% more than in the same period before the start of the pandemic, that is, in the first half of 2021. 2019
high proportion of women
and minors
The sharp increase in the number of naturalizations was mainly due to the naturalization of Nazi victims and their descendants. These made up nearly 30 percent of the newly naturalized people, according to a broadcast on Thursday. Those who were politically persecuted by the Nazi regime and, since 2020, also their descendants, have the option of naturalization without having to give up their previous citizenship in exchange.
In the first half of 2022, 2,421 people (2,396 of whom live abroad) were granted Austrian citizenship under this provision. Individuals with this title of naturalization most commonly come from Israel (11.5%), the United States (6.7%) and the United Kingdom (6.4%).
A total of 5,737 people were naturalized in Austria for other reasons. The most common were citizens of Turkey (7.4%), Syria (6.5%) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (5.7%). Half of the naturalizations in the first half of 2022 were women. About a third of those naturalized were under the age of 18. Almost a quarter of the newly naturalized were born in Austria.
Naturalizations in the Federal States
In all federal states, more people were naturalized in the first half of 2022 than in the same period of 2021. Relative increases were highest in Vorarlberg (up 59.7%), followed by Vienna (up 43.0%) and Styria (38.0% more). ).
Compared to the first half of 2019, there were more naturalizations in seven federal states, led by Carinthia (up 81.5%). Only in Vienna (minus 3.5%) and Upper Austria (minus 1.2%) were there fewer naturalizations compared to the first half of 2019. (red./apa)