by Page no: R98a
Page no: R22
More and more refugees are coming to Europe and, depending on the country, immigrants receive significantly different levels of financial support. In addition to accommodation, food and health insurance, many states grant the asylum seekers pocket money, while others pay absolutely nothing. The number of migrants and refugees crossing into Europe by land and sea in 2015 illegally has passed one million on 21. December, said the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Different countries have different conditions regarding the way they are helping refugees. An overview about what are EU countries paying to the refugees is difficult to make, since there are special rules, criteria and restrictions in many countries. In some countries food and housing costs are deducted from pocket money, in others there is a difference whether the refugees are housed in a public institution or in a private accommodation. Moreover, important factor when applying for different kinds of financial help are number of children, their age and sometimes even a knowledge of foreign languages. Here is a summary about all social expenditures for refugees and asylum seekers per EU country:
| Country | Pocket money per person In refugee center €/month | Pocket money person In private Housing €/month | Max Rent per person in private Housing | Children in refugee centers | Children in private acommodation | Family | Work permit | Clothes, school, health care, legal advice and other expenses | Unemployment rate (%) December 2015. source | Gross minimum wage in € (2015) source | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 40 | 320 | Max 220 €/month | 90 € for each child | 90 € for each child | 600 €/month for subsistence and 220 €/month for accommodation | 150 €/year clothing 200 €/year school max 726€ for German course | 5.8 | - | link link link |
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| Germany | 143 | 359 | Fully paid | 84-113 €/month depending on age | 217-287 €/month depending on age | Married 129 €/month in center, 323 €/month private accommodation | Payed by country | 4.5 | 1,473.00 | link link |
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| Belgium | 222 | 222 | Max 276 €/month | 135 - 222 €/month pocket money | Every additional adult in private housing 132-196 €/month | After 6 months can apply for work permit | Health care, medicines, translation and legal advice | 7.9 | 1,501.82 | link | |
| Bulgaria | 33.23 | 33.23 | 153 €/month max | 33.23 €/month pocket money | 33.23 €/month pocket money | On asylum approval | Hygiene items 10 € worth | 8.8 | 184.07 | link link link |
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| Denmark | 450 | 450 | Fully paid | Able to work | Who passes language test 200 €/month | 6 | - | link link |
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| Estonia | 90 | 90 | Fully paid up to 2 years | Refugees able to work | 35 € one time for clothing, others payed by country | 6.2 | 390 | link link |
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| Finland | 316 | 316 | 267 €/month for adult children | 267 €/month for adult children | 267 €/month for partners | Must do unpaid community service | May apply for 1000 € to return home | 9.5 | - | link | |
| France | 91 | 343.5 | Max 718 €/month for family of 6 in private accommodation | After 12 months apply for work permit | Free health care, children must attend school | 10.2 | 1,457.52 | link link |
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| Greece | 0 | 0 | Able to work | 24.6 | 683.76 | link link |
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| United Kingdom | 184 | 184 | Fully paid | 15 to 26 €/month depending on age | 15 to 26 €/month depending on age | Pregnant women or with babies receive one-off benefit of max 390 € | Not allowed to work | 5.1 | 1,378.87 | link link |
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| Ireland | 76.4 | 76.4 | Fully paid | 62.4 €/month pocket money | 62.4 €/month pocket money | Right to work | Free health care, doctor visits and medications | 8.8 | 1,461.85 | link link |
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| Italy | 75 | 75 | 976 €/month until place in center is found | On asylum approval able to work | Italian classless provided | 11.4 | - | link link link |
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| Croatia | 0 | 0 | Fully paid up to 2 years | 16.5 | 395.61 | link | |||||
| Latvia | 66 | 66 | Fully paid | 76 €/month pocket money | 76 €/month pocket money | 10.2 | 360.00 | link | |||
| Lithuania | 61.50 | 61.50 | Fully paid max 1 year | State pays clothes and a language course | 8.5 | 300.00 | link |
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| Luxembourg | 100 | 100 | Fully paid | 50 €/month pocket money | 50 €/month pocket money | not allowed for 9 months | 6.1 | 1,922.96 | link link |
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| Netherlands | 52 | 52 | 272-450 €/month family with two children | max 24 weeks/year, max 185€ | School expenses 35 €/year | 6.6 | 1,501.80 | link | |||
| Poland | 11.89 | 180 | 360 €/month family of four | One time 33 € for clothing, medical and legal assistance | 7.1 | 409.53 | link link |
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| Portugal | 0 | 0 | After asylum approval able to work | 11.8 | 589.17 | link | |||||
| Romania | 136 | 136 | After approval or 1 year | 6.7 | 217.50 | link | |||||
| Sweden | 76.5 | 226 | 38 €/month | 117-159 €month depending on age | 716.88 €/month family with children | On asylum approval apply for work permit | On asylum approval: integration plan, Swedish classes | 7.1 | - | link link link |
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| Slovenia | 18 | 18 | Allowed to work | 8.8 | 790.73 | link | |||||
| Slovakia | 12 | 12 | Allowed to work after approval | One time allowance of 300 € | 10.6 | 380.00 | link | ||||
| Spain | 51.60 | 51.60 | 19 €/month pocket money | 19 €/month pocket money | work permit 6 months after application | Free card for public transport, up to 363 € year for clothes | 20.8 | 756.70 | link link |
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| Czech Republic | 13 | 13 | Fully paid | 12 months after application | 4.5 | 331.71 | link | ||||
| Hungary | 24 | 24 | Hygienic allowance 5 €/month-men 5.70 €/month-women | 6.4 | 332.76 | link link |
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| Cyprus | 0 | 0 | On asylum approval/ after 6 months work permit | 15.7 | - | link | |||||
| Malta | 139 | 139 | 70 €/month pocket money | 70 €/month pocket money | Classes in English, computing and Maltese culture | 5.1 | 720.46 | link link |
Based on this overview, we can come to conclusion that discrepancy between financial help EU countries provide is very wide, and as a result, divisions in the EU have been created, as migrants naturally flock to countries with the most favorable regimes in the absence of a common policy.
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