In a closely watched vote in Strasbourg on 10 February 2026, Members of the European Parliament approved the centre-piece of the EU’s new Return Directive, allowing member states to reject asylum applications and deport migrants who have travelled through or hail from so-called “safe countries of origin”. 413 lawmakers backed the text, 148 voted against and 38 abstained.
The reform is part of the broader 2023 Pact on Migration and Asylum, but the political momentum for tougher return rules has grown over the past year as irregular arrivals along the Balkan and Central Mediterranean routes rebounded. For Austria—which has recorded the second-highest number of asylum applications per capita in the EU—the vote is significant: Vienna has long pushed for the right to declare large segments of applicants “inadmissible” and to shorten appeals. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) welcomed the outcome, saying it “gives frontline states the legal clarity they need to act swiftly and humanely”.
Under the new Regulation, applicants from Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco, Tunisia and any EU-candidate country not affected by armed conflict can be dismissed at the border in as little as six days. Expedited procedures must still respect fundamental-rights safeguards, but legal aid can now be limited to written submissions and appeal deadlines reduced to five calendar days. Processing centres—either in a transit zone or a dedicated section of an airport—are expected to become the practical locus of decision-making.
![EU Parliament adopts fast-track deportation rules, Austria prepares for stricter returns]()
For readers who suddenly find themselves needing professional help to navigate Austria’s tightening entry and stay requirements, VisaHQ can be a handy ally. The company offers real-time guidance on visa categories, document preparation and application tracking, helping both individuals and employers stay compliant as the legal landscape shifts. Explore their Austria-specific services at https://www.visahq.com/austria/
For mobility managers and corporate HR teams the main impact is one of timing. Third-country nationals who are currently in Austria on short-term Schengen visas and who intend to file an in-country protection claim will likely be prevented from doing so once the Directive takes effect in June 2026. Companies employing contractors from the newly listed “safe” states will need to verify that work-permit renewals are submitted well before current visas expire and to prepare contingency plans for rapid repatriation if claims are rejected.
Human-rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Caritas Österreich, criticised the law for “normalising legal limbo” and warned that migrants could be sent back to countries where they face discrimination or lack support networks. Several MEPs from Austria’s Greens and Social Democrats opposed the bill, pledging to challenge specific deportations before the EU Court of Justice once the rules enter force. In the meantime, Austrian airports and provincial police commands are already reviewing detention-capacity needs, signalling that the new fast-track regime will have a tangible operational footprint on the ground.
The reform is part of the broader 2023 Pact on Migration and Asylum, but the political momentum for tougher return rules has grown over the past year as irregular arrivals along the Balkan and Central Mediterranean routes rebounded. For Austria—which has recorded the second-highest number of asylum applications per capita in the EU—the vote is significant: Vienna has long pushed for the right to declare large segments of applicants “inadmissible” and to shorten appeals. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) welcomed the outcome, saying it “gives frontline states the legal clarity they need to act swiftly and humanely”.
Under the new Regulation, applicants from Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco, Tunisia and any EU-candidate country not affected by armed conflict can be dismissed at the border in as little as six days. Expedited procedures must still respect fundamental-rights safeguards, but legal aid can now be limited to written submissions and appeal deadlines reduced to five calendar days. Processing centres—either in a transit zone or a dedicated section of an airport—are expected to become the practical locus of decision-making.
For readers who suddenly find themselves needing professional help to navigate Austria’s tightening entry and stay requirements, VisaHQ can be a handy ally. The company offers real-time guidance on visa categories, document preparation and application tracking, helping both individuals and employers stay compliant as the legal landscape shifts. Explore their Austria-specific services at https://www.visahq.com/austria/
For mobility managers and corporate HR teams the main impact is one of timing. Third-country nationals who are currently in Austria on short-term Schengen visas and who intend to file an in-country protection claim will likely be prevented from doing so once the Directive takes effect in June 2026. Companies employing contractors from the newly listed “safe” states will need to verify that work-permit renewals are submitted well before current visas expire and to prepare contingency plans for rapid repatriation if claims are rejected.
Human-rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Caritas Österreich, criticised the law for “normalising legal limbo” and warned that migrants could be sent back to countries where they face discrimination or lack support networks. Several MEPs from Austria’s Greens and Social Democrats opposed the bill, pledging to challenge specific deportations before the EU Court of Justice once the rules enter force. In the meantime, Austrian airports and provincial police commands are already reviewing detention-capacity needs, signalling that the new fast-track regime will have a tangible operational footprint on the ground.
