Austria changes protection rules for Ukrainian men

Austria has implemented new rules regarding the simplified protection status for Ukrainian men subject to military service. Under the new regulations, approved by the Austrian Council of Ministers, new arrivals will no longer automatically receive simplified protection status based solely on their nationality and arrival from Ukraine.

To qualify for residency under these terms, new applicants must demonstrate that they have properly fulfilled their obligations to the Ukrainian military service system or have been officially exempted. This change applies to applications submitted since the beginning of August and is part of a broader implementation of European Union decisions.

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner stated that the measure serves both Austria and Ukraine. The new rules are not retroactive; Ukrainian men who have already been granted protection status will not be affected by these changes.