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Austria reports increase in asylum seekers voluntarily returning home

Xinhua, December 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

Austria saw an increase in the number of asylum seekers voluntarily returning to their countries of origin, Austrian newspaper Der Standard reported Wednesday.

Citing information provided by the Ministry of the Interior, the report said 5,292 persons left Austria voluntarily in the first 11 months, with a lesser 4,463 having to be forcibly deported.

In addition, the number of asylum applications in the first 11 months had declined to 39,600, down from about 81,000 in 2015.

Ministry spokesperson Karl-Heinz Grundbock said that departing Iraqi nationals in particular had said their expectations of life in Austria had not been met, particularly when compared to what had been promised to them by people smugglers.

Government and NGO-backed support for the asylum seekers to return home are also believed to have contributed to the trend.

Up to 350 euros (364 U.S. dollars) plus travel costs were available in financial aid. Advice was also provided for the asylum seekers on how to establish themselves back home. Endit