Slight decline in naturalizations in Austria in 2023

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Last year, 19,939 people were granted Austrian citizenship. This represents an overall decrease of 3.2 percent compared to 2022.
This is mainly due to the lower number of naturalizations of victims of National Socialism and their descendants (minus 17.7 percent), explained Director General Tobias Thomas. Looking at those residing in Austria, there was an increase of 9.2 percent compared to the previous year.

Around 20,000 people received citizenship in 2023
Around a fifth of the 11,898 people residing in Austria were born here (3,836 or 19.2 percent). Every second person was a woman (50.3 percent), a third were under 18 (32.7 percent). The four largest countries of origin were Syria (1,865), Turkey (1,141), Bosnia and Herzegovina (803) and Afghanistan (788).

The number of naturalizations of people persecuted by the Nazi regime and their descendants totalled 7,975 in 2023. Of these, 98.9 percent live abroad. The following three countries led the way: Israel (4,255), the United States (1,620), and the United Kingdom (1,094).

Quarter of naturalizations due to legal entitlement
More than three-quarters of all naturalizations in 2023 were based on a legal claim (15,304 people, or 76.8 percent). This included 5,822 people who had been resident in Austria for at least six years and for reasons worthy of special consideration, 21 politically persecuted persons and their 7,954 descendants, and 430 people who had been resident in Austria for at least 15 years and were sustainably integrated. 1,002 persons were granted citizenship on a discretionary basis, including 940 persons after at least ten years of residence. A total of 3,633 people were naturalized under the title of extension of conferral.