Fair Contribution: Asylum Seekers’ Proposals to Pay for Accommodation and Contribute to Society

2023-09-28 04:40:00

Nicole De Moor will make an unexpected proposal on Friday to the Council of Ministers. The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration wants asylum seekers to pay for the accommodation allocated to them in a reception center from now on.

Secretary of State CD&V speaks of a “fair contribution”. “It is only right that asylum seekers who have their own income contribute to the cost of their accommodation. We ask for a reasonable contribution and thus continue to encourage asylum seekers to work. I have been strongly committed to ensuring that asylum seekers are activated for some time.”

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This contribution will not be requested from all asylum seekers, but only from those who have a regular income. This condition involves allowing refugees and migrants wishing to stay in Belgium to work in the territory. A desire defended by Ecolo-Groen and the CD&V, but which is not supported by the liberals.

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Today, it is possible for asylum seekers to work through the “Asylum Seeker Seeks Job” action plan, launched under the leadership of Sammy Mahdi when he was still Secretary of State. . “Last year, 10,000 asylum seekers were employed for more or less long periods,” De Moor informs us. The Secretary of State sees this provision as a win-win integration method. “This is a win-win situation for companies looking for additional staff and for asylum seekers themselves. By working, asylum seekers can gain experience and learn our language. They gain their own income, can fend for themselves and contribute to society.”

The contribution that working asylum seekers will have to pay to their reception center will be calculated proportionally to their income according to a scale system (see table). For example, an asylum seeker who earns 900 euros net per month will have to pay 222.25 euros, or 35% of the remaining amount above 265 euros.

What asylum seekers will have to pay in reception centers. ©IPM Graphics

The De Moor firm calculated that this royal decree should bring them 2.37 million euros per month, or more than 28 million euros per year.

Asylum seekers are encouraged to self-declare their income at their reception center. If they do not do so, they will be sanctioned. The contribution they will be asked to make will be higher. In the event of persistent refusal to pay the contribution, the reception center may decide to reduce the services offered to the person concerned or, as a last resort, to exclude them from reception.

Politically, we know that everything relating to the reception of migrants and undocumented immigrants is very delicate. Socialists and environmentalists have already threatened to leave the government over a disagreement over the management of reception. Recently, relations between the left wing and the right wing of Vivaldi have become strained once more following Nicole De Moor’s decision to refuse single men in reception centers until new places are available. been released. A decision which made senior representatives of the law and NGOs jump but which is supported by the Prime Minister and liberal ministers.

This new proposal from Nicole De Moor is potentially explosive. But the Secretary of State wants to reassure. The proposal is not new, it has only been revised. “For 12 years, it has already been possible under the law to request a contribution from asylum seekers with their own income, but this system has hardly been applied. With this new royal decree, there will be a system with fair contributions and controls to ensure that contributions are actually paid.”

In the first version of the system which was never applied, the theoretical contributions were very high. We were talking regarding reaching 75% of income which is above an amount of 650 euros. This proposal would have had the effect of discouraging migrants from looking for work.

Contributions do not apply to recognized refugees who are staying temporarily in a reception center. The firm points out that it is in their interest to be able to save a little money in order to be able, for example, to pay a rental guarantee on the private rental market later. Minor asylum seekers who carry out student work are also exempt.

In some cases, asylum seekers have long-term employment and sufficient income to not depend on a reception center. These asylum seekers will be encouraged to leave the reception network and find their own accommodation.

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