The Austrian cabinet on 30 September approved an amendment to the Vertriebenen-Verordnung that tightens eligibility for the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive in Austria. Under the new rule, Ukrainian men of military age who arrive after 1 August 2026 will no longer receive automatic residence and work rights unless they can prove they have completed compulsory service, are exempt or have a lawful exit permit. Existing protection holders keep their status; women, children and exempt men remain eligible, and the overall scheme has been extended to 4 March 2028. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said Vienna was responding to a request from Kyiv to curb draft evasion and to “align with Ukraine’s national mobilisation needs”. The change places Austria among the first EU states to adopt the recent Council recommendation allowing such exclusions. Businesses employing displaced Ukrainians should verify the hire date and documentation of new male applicants, as work-market access will now depend on military-service certificates. Legal advisers expect a rise in asylum claims by affected men; however, asylum entails longer processing times and no immediate labour access. Employers may therefore face gaps in Ukrainian-speaking workforces, notably in logistics and construction, where many recent arrivals found jobs. HR teams are urged to audit contracts and start contingency recruitment in neighbouring labour pools. The amendment also introduces a ‘single-country principle’: Ukrainians granted temporary protection elsewhere in the EU will be refused the status in Austria, closing a loophole that had allowed double benefits. Cross-border commuters and assignees should double-check they do not hold overlapping residence cards.
Source: ORF.at
