Legal residents are eligible to sponsor their spouses and minor children as soon as they complete integration measures, which can take up to five years. These and the other conditions are the least favourable in the 28 MIPEX countries, tied with FR (see box). Reunited families are partially insecure since their permits are only renewable for a year at a time. The state can refuse their application or later withdraw their permit, though they are entitled to appeal. As soon as they have residence permits, family members have the same rights as their sponsor to social security, social assistance, healthcare and housing. They must, however, fulfil additional strict conditions if they do not want to start education, training or a job within their first year. Only spouses and children can stay in Austria autonomously of their sponsor.
