Completed Projects - Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration

In former projects, IOM Austria has been providing reintegration assistance to voluntary returnees to Afghanistan, Georgia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kosovo*, Republic of Moldova, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Russian Federation / the Chechen Republic, Somalia, Tunisia, and Uzbekistan.

For further information find a selection of completed projects below or contact the AVRR unit.

Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Unit
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Country Office for Austria
Nibelungengasse 13/4
1010 Vienna, Austria

Tel: +43 1 585 33 22 35
Email: avrr.vienna@iom.int

*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).

RESTART III – Support for the Austrian Return System and the Reintegration of Voluntary Returnees

IOM Austria implemented the project “RESTART III – Support for the Austrian Return System and the Reintegration of Voluntary Returnees” from 1 January 2020 until 30 April 2023.

Within the framework of this project, 196 persons (176 male, 20 female) were assisted in their voluntary return as well as in their sustainable reintegration, out of which 111 persons returned to Afghanistan, 32 persons to the Islamic Republic of Iran, 22 persons to Tunisia, 4 persons to Somalia and 27 persons to Uzbekistan.

In addition, IOM Austria implemented measures to ensure the quality of the Austrian return system. Among others, four guidelines on assisted voluntary return and reintegration were published, regular stakeholder meetings were organized and a total of 218 participants (93 male, 125 female) were trained in Austria-wide training courses on assisted voluntary return and reintegration.

This project was co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) of the European Union and the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior.

 

RESTART II – Reintegration Assistance for Voluntary Returnees to Afghanistan and Iran

IOM Austria implemented the project “RESTART II – Reintegration Assistance for Voluntary Returnees to Afghanistan and Iran” from 1 January 2017 until 31 December 2019.

Within the framework of this project, 500 persons (467 male, 33 female) were assisted in their voluntary return as well as in their sustainable reintegration, out of which 349 persons returned to Afghanistan and 151 persons returned to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

This project was co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) of the European Union and the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior.

 

RESTART - Reintegration Assistance for Voluntary Returnees to Afghanistan, Pakistan

and the Russian Federation/ the Chechen Republic

IOM Austria implemented the project “RESTART – Reintegration Assistance for Voluntary Returnees to Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Russian Federation/the Chechen Republic” from 1 July 2015 until 31 December 2016.

Within the framework of this project, 334 persons (226 male, 108 female) were assisted in their voluntary return as well as in their sustainable reintegration, out of which 132 persons returned to Afghanistan, 51 persons returned to Pakistan and 151 persons returned to the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation.

The project was co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) of the European Union and the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior.

 

Assistance for the Voluntary Return and Reintegration of Returnees to Pakistan

From 1 December 2012 to 30 June 2015, IOM Austria implemented the project "Assistance for the Voluntary Return and Reintegration of Returnees to Pakistan", which was financed by the European Return Fund and the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Within the framework of this project, a total of 94 Pakistani citizens (93 male, 1 female) who were a) asylum seekers, b) recognized refugees, c) subsidiary protection holders or d) who did not or no longer fulfill the conditions for staying in Austria were assisted in their voluntary return as well as in their sustainable reintegration in their country of origin. Measures to support the returnee's efforts to reintegrate in his/her society were determined in a participatory and consultative manner taking into account the individual needs and skills of the participant.

 

Assistance for the Voluntary Return and Reintegration of Returnees to Afghanistan

From 1 May 2012 to 30 June 2015 IOM Austria implemented the project "Assistance for the Voluntary Return and Reintegration of Returnees to Afghanistan" which was co-financed by the European Return Fund and the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Within the framework of this project, 176 voluntary returnees (171 male, 5 female) from Austria to Afghanistan were assisted in their voluntary return and in their sustainable reintegration. Measures to support the project beneficiaries' efforts to reintegrate into their home society were carried out in a participatory and consultative manner, taking into account the individual needs and skills of the beneficiaries.

This was not the first project of IOM Austria providing assistance to the voluntary return and reintegration of returnees to Afghanistan. Between 1 April 2003 and 31 August 2006, IOM implemented the "Coordination of the Assistance for Voluntary Return to Afghanistan" project, which was financed by the European Refugee Fund and the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior.

 

Assistance for the Voluntary Return and Reintegration of Returnees to the Russian Federation/the Chechen Republic

From 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2015, IOM Austria implemented the project “Assistance for the Voluntary Return and Reintegration of Returnees to the Russian Federation/the Chechen Republic”, which was co-financed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior and the European Return Fund. Within the framework of this project, a total of 518 persons (249 male, 269 female)  were assisted in their voluntary return to the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation as well as in their reintegration.

The project was based on the results of a pilot project (01.07.2009 – 30.06.2010) for assisted voluntary return and reintegration of Chechen migrants from Austria and the results of the "Study on the Situation and Status of Russian Nationals from the Chechen Republic Receiving Basic Welfare Support in Austria", which was carried out in 2008/09 by IOM Austria and IOM Russian Federation. Both the pilot project and the study were co-financed by the European Return Fund and the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior.

 

Voluntary Return and Reintegration Assistance for Nigerian Nationals

From 1 September 2009 to 31 December 2014, IOM Austria implemented the project series “Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration for Nigerian Nationals in Austria” which was co-financed by the European Return Fund and the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Within the framework of this project, 198 Nigerian citizens (182 male, 16 female) who were either a) asylum seekers, b) recognized refugees, c) subsidiary protection holders or d) who did not or no longer fulfil the conditions for staying in Austria were assisted in their voluntary and sustainable return as well as in their reintegration in their country of origin. Measures to support the returnee’s efforts to reintegrate in his/her society were determined in a participatory and consultative manner taking into account the individual needs and skills of the participants.