a “more humane and effective” migration policy would bring in 3.3 billion euros per year, according to a report from France Terre d’Asile

This plan is based on “five common sense measures, from accommodation of people seeking asylum to the regularization of workers”.

In the midst of budgetary discussions in the National Assembly, France Terre d’Asile unveils, Friday October 7, a costed action plan which demonstrates, according to the association, “that a more humane and rational asylum and immigration policy can generate more than 3.3 billion euros per year in savings and new revenue for the State and Social Security.”

This plan is based on five levers, “five common sense measures”, “from the accommodation of people seeking asylum to the regularization of workers”. It aims to “remove the administrative and legal obstacles which slow down the integration of foreign people, cost public finances and deprive France of the full economic potential of migration”, declares France Terre d’Asile.

The first measure is to “better accommodation for people seeking asylum to spend less”. The association explains that “the State is housing more and more people seeking asylum in general emergency structures, or leaving thousands of people, including children, on the street.” In “now and by developing places dedicated to asylum in the National Reception System (DNA), which offer appropriate support and are more economical“, this would allow us to gain “14,600,000 euros” (14.6 million euros).

The second measure consists of “allow people seeking asylum to work earlier”. “People seeking asylum are forced into inactivity because they are prohibited from working for 6 months, which costs the State in benefits and accommodation”notes the report. But in “accelerating their access to the job market and language training, in particular by allowing them to work from the start of their asylum application”the association estimates that the gain would be 139 million euros (an amount which combines the savings made on accommodation and the asylum seeker’s allowance (ADA) and the new revenue from social security contributions paid as soon as the person works).

The third measure consists of “rationalize OQTFs for efficient administration”. For France Terre d’Asile, “the administration devotes considerable resources to issuing obligations to leave French territory (OQTF) on a massive scale, for a very low execution rate, because many of them are issued without consideration for the situation of the people (long-term integration in France, health problem, simple administrative error when renewing the residence permit, non-existent prospects of removal, country of origin at risk in terms of human rights, etc.).”

But in “reducing the number of OQTFs issued and reallocating resources towards the processing of residence permit application files”, the association estimates the gain at 41 million euros per year (the saving is generated by the elimination of administrative and legal costs linked to the processing of 20% of OQTF which are ineffective anyway, according to the association, human resources being redeployed towards more useful tasks).

The fourth measure is to “stop the costly expansion of Administrative Detention Centers (CRA)”. While “The State plans to increase the number of places in CRA, an extremely expensive confinement solution (more than 600 euros per day per place) and whose effectiveness in terms of removal is very limited,” it is possible to “restrict the use of administrative detention so as not to have to open the 1,000 new places planned”, advises the association. The gain is estimated at 219 million euros per year (annual operating cost of 1,000 CRA places).

The fifth measure is to “regularize 250,000 people to strengthen the economy”. “Hundreds of thousands of people are employed without being declared, without paying taxes or contributions or are prevented from accessing work because of their administrative status”assures France Terre d’Asile. In “putting in place a regularization plan which would have the effect of allowing 250,000 people to work in order to integrate them into the formal economy, particularly in sectors where needs are pressing”, this would make it possible to gain “massive” of 2.9 billion euros per year (this massive gain comes mainly from social contributions and income tax which would be collected by integrating 250,000 people into the formal economy).

“Our current migration policy is a double waste: a human waste, unworthy of our Republic, and a financial waste which costs taxpayers billions,” insists Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, president of France Terre d’Asile. “It is time to have the political courage to rhyme our principles of fraternity with economic efficiency. This plan shows that it is possible and that it is in the interest of France”she adds.

What plan “shows that stopping wasting public money on ineffective policies and investing in the rapid integration of people is not only human: it is the only truly responsible budgetary approach”, concludes Vincent Beaugrand, Director General of France Terre d’Asile.