(back)Access to Social Housing for undocumented migrants in Austria
In Austria, there is no severe housing crisis and
people don’t tend to have to wait very long to access social housing. A
migrant however must have been granted citizenship (after ten years in Austria
with a legal status) before he or she can rent social housing. For refugees, the
situation is somewhat different because they may get citizenship after four
years in the country, and in this way no longer risk being thrown out of the
country. As from this moment they are eligible for social benefit and housing.
Social housing is generally unavailable to undocumented
migrants. The data of the inhabitants must be passed on to the public services
of the municipality (which funds social housing). Asylum seekers sometimes
benefit from publicly funded housing that undocumented migrants also
occasionally access unofficially. However, like with private housing, a problem
may arise when an undocumented person signs up with the gas and electricity
companies.