The Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) is moving to a new location in the historic Old Main Customs Office in Vienna's third district. The four previous Viennese locations will be consolidated: In the future, counseling, German language courses, values and orientation courses, as well as integration exams, will all take place under one roof. The "House for Austria" will offer not only integration programs but also a space for addressing key issues of social coexistence. On the occasion of Austria's National Day on October 26, the listed building, owned by the Republic, was decorated with flags for the first time since its revitalization.
New programs for women, digital exams and training courses
The new center focuses on teaching the German language, the principles of the Austrian rule of law, fundamental European values, and the culture of our country. A particular emphasis is placed on expanding services for women: In addition to counseling on equality, self-determination, and protection from violence, the Women's Center in the Old Main Customs Office will offer new programs for women, mothers, and children. Childcare with language support provides children with early, playful access to the German language. Digitalization is also being advanced: In the future, integration exams will also be administered digitally. A new training center offers teachers, police officers, and public employees practical professional development courses on topics such as integration, antisemitism, religious extremism, equality, and intercultural challenges and conflicts in the workplace. Through seminars, events, and public discussions, the "House for Austria" also addresses the general public and will become a place for encounters and social dialogue on key issues of coexistence in our time.
Example of modern and efficient work in public administration
By consolidating its existing locations, the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) is shortening distances, simplifying processes, and using resources more efficiently. At the former main customs office, the ÖIF is implementing a modern workplace concept with flexible workspaces, shared workstations, and digital workflows. Two-thirds of the building's floor space is dedicated to integration programs and public services, while only one-third is used for office and administrative purposes. Thanks to this modern and flexible workplace concept, the ÖIF requires less than half the space per workstation compared to similar federal agencies. This represents a particularly efficient and resource-saving model for public administration.
Historic Main Customs Office receives new task
Built in the 1840s, the Old Main Customs Office originally served as a customs clearance center and state financial administration. It was constructed in the late Neoclassical style according to plans by the Austrian architect Paul Wilhelm Eduard Sprenger. The listed building is owned by Austrian Real Estate (ARE), a subsidiary of the Federal Real Estate Company (BIG), and has undergone extensive renovation by ARE. The Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) is the building's tenant. Thus, after almost two centuries of state use, the Old Main Customs Office is being given a new purpose in the service of Austria.