Austria sent 208 convicted criminals back to their home countries last year to finish their prison sentences, the highest number ever recorded. It’s a sharp jump from 167 transfers in 2024 and nearly double the 144 sent home a decade ago, according to Austrian Press Agency.
The government calls it “imprisonment in the homeland,” and officials say the policy kills two birds with one stone: it frees up space in Austria’s crowded jails while supposedly giving foreign inmates a better shot at turning their lives around near family and friends.
“This is an important tool for relieving pressure on our prisons and enabling better rehabilitation for inmates in their home countries,” the Justice Ministry told reporters. The coalition government plans to expand the program even further.
Another 394 people who’d been banned from Austria were also deported directly from prison last year after serving part of their sentences. Under Austrian law, prisoners who’ve completed at least half their time with a three month minimum can leave early if they agree to go home immediately and never come back.
Most transfers happen within Europe, thanks to a 2008 European Union agreement and a broader Council of Europe treaty. Recently, Brazil and Kyrgyzstan signed on too, widening Austria’s options. The process isn’t simple, though. Multiple agencies must coordinate across complicated legal systems, and costs vary wildly depending on each case.
Still, the Justice Ministry insists the math works out. Shipping prisoners abroad costs less than keeping them locked up in Austria for years. The country footing the bill Austria, in these cases pays until the handoff happens.
What about Austrians stuck in foreign prisons? They can be brought home too, but nobody tracks those numbers centrally. Local courts handle each case individually, so there’s no national tally.
The “Vorarlberger Nachrichten” newspaper first broke the story about 2025’s record figures. Since Austria started counting in 2013 with just 83 transfers, the numbers have climbed steadily. Whether sending prisoners away actually helps them or just moves problems elsewhere, remains up for debate.
