The article focuses on three main questions: (1) What are the legislative and structural conditions which either promote or hinder the integration of immigrants of different origin in the spheres of labour and housing market and in the area of political participation? (2) How does the integration of different immigrant groups develop? (3) What institutions aiming at the integration of foreigners are there in Vienna and what activities, eventually measures, do they bring about? The paper characterizes the theoretical approaches to the processes of migration and provides a specification of the very term of integration. In a voluminous chapter, the historical context of the immigration to Vienna during the 1980s and 1990s is outlined. In their conclusion the authors state, that integration represents a complex and demanding process, which is determined by a system of institutional, cultural and individual factors. In Vienna, many problems still continue to exist especially in the sphere of housing (marginalization of foreigners on the housing market) and on the labour market. The threat of unemployment, that might cause a loss of the residence permit, represents a heavy burden on the migrant population. The reality of the immigrants' problems reveals, that the common practice of granting permanent residence as well as full social and political equality only after having received Austrian citizenship is no longer sufficient and does not correspond to the contemporary needs. According to the authors' opinion, a change in legislature would be advisable. But even such a change will probably not eliminate all the problems of integration in the sphere of culture, where it would be necessary to find out other means to mitigate the heavy burden of integration resting on the shoulders of the immigrants.