Due to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, many Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes and even their country. According to the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, almost 91,000 refugees from Ukraine were registered in Austria from 24 February to 31 December 2022, and about 66,000 of them are still staying there.
Ukrainians in Austria are staying based on temporary protection status. This status allows Ukrainians to legally reside in Austria until March 2024. As part of temporary protection, Austria provides Ukrainians with basic support (Grundversorgungsleistungen), which includes financial and humanitarian assistance.
The amount of financial assistance depends on the age and marital status of the person. If a person does not live in state-organized accommodation but rents housing, he or she may receive the following financial assistance:
For food (monthly):
- up to EUR 260.00 for adults;
- up to EUR 145.00 for minors.
Rent subsidy (monthly):
- up to EUR 330.00 for families (from two persons);
- up to EUR 165.00 for a single person.
Financial assistance is allocated to refugees who need assistance and protection and cannot meet their basic needs while in Austria. For this reason, there are certain amounts for renting accommodation that are not to be exceeded. These amounts must be considered so that the responsible authorities do not become suspicious of your misuse of financial assistance and do not deprive you of the possibility of receiving it. The rules may differ from one federal state to another in Austria. In the following, we will focus on Vienna.
Before explaining, we would like to note that there are no precise amounts. Social authorities consider each case individually. However, we have analyzed how this process works in practice and are ready to share it with you.
How to calculate the maximum allowable amount of rent?
There is a formula that will help you calculate the maximum allowable amount of rent in Vienna. It looks like this:
Sum of basic payments of all family members + rental subsidy = maximum allowable amount of rent
* calculation is monthly
Example: You have 3 people in your family – 2 adults and 1 child. You receive 260 euros for each adult and 145 euros for each child for food + 330 euros for rent (260+260+145+330 = 995 euros). That is, the cost of renting your accommodation cannot exceed 995 euros per month.
If you need to pay a deposit for the accommodation, we advise you to use a separate agreement for the deposit (so that the amount exceeding the threshold does not appear in the main agreement at all).
As we have already mentioned, social authorities consider each case individually. Therefore, before renting an apartment, you can consult with social workers, describe your situation and determine the maximum allowable amount of rent for yourself.
Can I be deprived of basic benefits or have them reduced?
The basic benefits of Ukrainians in Austria can also be reduced or withdrawn if you are employed and can support yourself. However, there is a minimum amount of additional income that can be earned that does not affect the basic benefit:
- EUR 110 per adult;
- EUR 80 per child.
*An increase in the additional income limit is currently being considered but has not yet been officially implemented.
Example: A woman has two children and works. She can earn 110 euros for herself and 80 euros for her child (160 euros for two children). That is, she can earn 270.00 euros, which will not affect the amount of the basic benefit.
If she earns a higher amount, she can either be deprived of social benefits altogether or have the amount of her income deducted from the basic benefit.
Example: A woman with two children receives a basic benefit of 880 euros (260+145+145+330). At the same time, she earns 500 euros per month. The 500 euros exceeds the 270 euros, so the 230 euros that become an excess will be deducted from the basic benefit. Thus, a woman with two children will receive 500 euros in salary and 650 euros in basic allowance, which will amount to 1,150 euros in total.
At the same time, there is a possibility that the state will decide that there are no grounds for social assistance payments in case of receiving such a salary.
As you can see, basic payments may be reduced or cancelled altogether. VigoImmobilien Team will be happy to advise you on this and will do everything possible to ensure your comfort in Austria.
