Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner of the ÖVP party announced that the Interior Ministry aims to deport up to 300 Afghans in 2026. By mid-2026, approximately 170 Afghans were deported, following the resumption of returns to the country in late 2025.
Since October 2025, eight convicted Afghans were returned via Istanbul. These actions followed discussions between officials in Kabul and Vienna, where Taliban representatives helped identify convicted criminals. Direct deportations had ceased since 2021.
The ministry focuses on criminals and those without a right to stay, rather than integrated workers. Additionally, Austria transferred over 200 Afghans to other EU states in 2025 and approximately 170 more during the first six months of the year 2026.