Syrians in Austria face anxious wait as country plans deportations

The Austrian government has started preparations for a deportation programme for Syrians living in the country. Millions of refugees are now able to go home following the fall of the government.

However, the country's office for immigration and asylum says it won't make any decisions on asylum applications while the situation in Syria remains volatile and as long as the principles of a fair and objective procedure could not be met. 

It is therefore still unclear if and when the enforced repatriations which the Austrian government had announced on Monday will go ahead.

According to the country's ministry of interior, it will begin a reassessment of about 40,000 Syrians granted status in the country over the last five years. The repatriation plan is set to provide flights for those who return voluntarily, but those who did not find work and are not integrated face being forcefully deported.

Syrian refugee Ibrahim Hame hopes to stay in Austria, despite the country's deportation plans. Originally from Northern Syria, Ibrahim was only 14 when he fled to Vienna and then worked his way up. He's now running his own business.

"I'm very happy to be here in Austria and I'm going to stay here in Austria forever because I have my barbershop and I'm working here," Ibrahim told CGTN Europe. "I can't say just how thankful I am to the Austrian people welcoming us."

Migration law expert Lukas Gahleitner-Gertz from the NGO 'Asylum coordination Austria' doesn't think Ibrahim needs to worry.

The government's deportation announcement is "a clear signal for the Syrian community that we don't want you here," Gahleitner-Gertz told CGTN. 

But the message is mainly directed to the own electorate "to show we are tough on refugees and we are reacting from the first day, even though this does not really correspond to the legal obligation Austria has."

After Germany, Austria has taken in the most Syrian refugees in Europe. But the willingness to host more is dwindling. During the recent parliamentary elections, the migration-critical Freedom Party gained the most votes.