Overview of integration concepts and regulations at national and city level

Abstract

Following the growing influx of migrants due to the break-up of Yugoslavia and the geopolitical changes in Europe since 1989, the city of Vienna decided to establish an institution targeted directly at the integration of international migrants. In 1992, the “Funds for Integration”, was founded as one of the first urban institutions in Europe dedicated to the integration of migrants. The Fund was governed by the mayor of Vienna, and included representatives of both the governing and opposition parties. It soon became a major actor in the field of integration by providing migration-related counselling with regard to legal and social issues, language courses, programmes for children to prepare for school and special programmes in the field of healthcare.