Also in Salzburg

Payment card for asylum seekers to start in 2025

Asylum seekers should be able to use the payment card to shop and withdraw only 40 euros in cash per month.

(Bild: Wenzel Markus)

Provincial Councillor for Social Affairs Christian Pewny (FPÖ) wants to introduce less cash and instead a payment card for asylum seekers in Salzburg.

A kind of ATM card that asylum seekers can use to buy everyday items, but can hardly withdraw any cash. What is already being tested in Lower and Upper Austria is soon to be introduced in Salzburg. A test has been running in Upper Austria since the beginning of July, in which the Ministry of the Interior is also on board. "We are currently in talks about joining this system," reports FPÖ State Councillor for Social Affairs Christian Pewny.

In Upper Austria, 300 people in seven basic welfare quarters were issued with the card. Foreign bank transfers are not possible, and only 40 euros per month can be withdrawn in cash. People living in self-catering accommodation in Salzburg currently receive around 210 euros per month.

Provincial Social Welfare Councillor Christian Pewny (FPÖ) expects the card to be launched at the turn of the year.

(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

Pewny is thinking of introducing the card in Salzburg with a test phase first. "So that we can see how the system works," explains the provincial councillor. He also wants to take a close look at the variants in the other federal states and Bavaria. The Upper Austrian model is based on the card that is already being used in 23 German districts and municipalities.

Social markets call for inclusion in partnership
According to Pewny, the system will be fully rolled out at the start of 2025. The Ministry of the Interior will put the system out to tender, and interested federal states such as Salzburg can take part in this tender. Lower Austria has already encountered problems when testing its own system with 113 people. One criticism is that payment can only be made in selected stores and restaurants, and in some cases contractual partners do not even know that they are being named by the state.

Recently, the Association of Austrian Food Banks and the Austrian Social Markets demanded that the cards should also be valid at these social institutions. "People who are currently in the asylum process are particularly dependent on our support," says Erwin Hehenberger, Chairman of the Austrian food banks.