A report published by the Austrian Statistical Office on 14 May shows a further decline in the number of naturalisation of 11,3% in the first three months of 2013 compared to the previous year. Generally, these numbers have been falling since the latest major amendment of the citizenship law in 2006. There is also a long-term diminishing share of naturalisations under the ordinary discretionary procedure that requires continuous 10 years of residence, secure income, renunciation of another nationality, no criminal record and a certificate of German language skills and passing a federal as well as a provincial citizenship test. The relative share of facilitated naturalisation entitlements on grounds of birth in Austria, refugee status or EU/EEA citizenship (after 6 years of residence), on grounds of marriage with an Austrian citizen or long-term residence of more than 15 years has risen to about half of all naturalisations.

Read the press release by Statistik Austria (in German).