An Austrian region is to require all asylum-seekers to sign up to its own version of the ten commandments.

Asylum-seekers resident in Lower Austria will be obliged to sign a document prepared by the regional government entitled the “Ten Commandments of Immigration”.

As well as commitments to learn German and respect Austrian values, it includes a “commandment” that asylum-seekers should “live in gratitude to Austria” for taking them in.

The document is an initiative of the far-Right Freedom Party (FPÖ). It was drawn up on the orders of Gottfried Waldhäusl, regional asylum minister in the coalition government of Lower Austria, the second most populous Austrian state.

Mr Waldhäusl told a press conference on Monday his “commandments” would help asylum-seekers integrate into Austrian society, but political opponents have condemned them as deliberately provocative.

The “commandments” include that asylum-seekers must educate their children according to Austrian values, respect religious freedom and avoid inflicting unnecessary suffering on animals.

But it is the document’s tenth commandment, which states that asylum-seekers must “live in gratitude to Austria”, that has generated most controversy.

“It’s common sense. We give these people protection and everything they need, and we also expect a certain amount of gratitude,” Mr Waldhäusl said on Monday.

He said there would be no enforcement of the ten commandments, and no penalties for non-compliance.