The organisation of reception facilities for asylum seekers in Sweden

Transcription

1 European Migration Network Report from EMN Sweden 2013:2 The organisation of reception facilities for asylum seekers in Sweden Co-funded by the European Union

2 The organisation of reception facilities for asylum seekers in Sweden Report from EMN Sweden 2013:2 Migrationsverket (Swedish Migration Board), 2013 Diarienummer: This publication can be downloaded from

3 Report from EMN Sweden 2013:2 The organisation of reception facilities for asylum seekers in Sweden

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5 Table of contents Top-line Factsheet 6 Section 1: Different types of reception facilities and different actors 9 Section 2: Take up of reception facilities 12 Section 3 Quality: National legislation on material reception conditions 16 Section 4: Flexibility 19 Section 5: Efficiency 25 Section 6: Conclusions 27 Annex

6 EMN FOCUSSED STUDY 2013 The organisation of reception facilities for asylum seekers in Sweden Top-line Factsheet The Swedish reception system for asylum seekers is mainly managed by the Swedish Migration Board. While the asylum application is under consideration, the applicant is enrolled at a reception unit, which will help him/her with accommodation and expenses during the waiting period. For adult asylum seekers and families with children, the Swedish Migration Board offers accommodation Such accommodation is either in an apartment in a normal housing area, rented by the Migration Board all over the country or at a centre. The applicants may apply for daily allowances if they cannot support themselves. Medical care is provided to all asylum applicants. Adults have the right to a free medical examination, gynecological and prenatal care. They are also entitled to free emergency or urgent medical and dental care. Children under the age of 18 are entitled to the same health care as Swedish residents. Families stay together and usually do not share a flat with other asylum applicants. Single persons do however. A 2-bed room flat is normally shared by 6 persons, where two stay in the living room. The flats are self-catered. As an alternative to stay in accommodation provided by the Migration Board, an asylum seeker also has the possibility to arrange their own accommodation. Since they usually do not have the financial means to pay the rent for a flat, let alone find one to rent in the major cities, they often stay with friends or relatives. Asylum seekers that choose to reside with friends of family receive a financial allowance similar to the financial allowance of those staying in accommodation provided by the Swedish Migration Board. Rules regarding benefits are also the same. About 40 % of all asylum seekers choose not to stay in housing provided by the Swedish Migration Board. There are pros and cons with this system. One advantage is that the asylum seekers can get support during and after the asylum process by friends and relatives. Some may however conceive it as a disadvantage that asylum seekers and newly-arrived, because of this possibility, tend to concentrate to certain municipalities and areas, which is not always beneficial to integration. For the reception system however, it is a great advantage since the Swedish Migration Board does not need to provide housing for a large group of asylum seekers. The asylum seeker who chooses to stay with friends and relatives can at any time ask to be accommodated by the Swedish Migration Board instead. When the number of asylum seekers rapidly increases, the rented accommodations may prove to be insufficient. The Swedish Migration Board will then initially try to expand the number of flats rented and asylum seekers will be temporarily accommodated in other forms of housing, such as hotels, hostels, holiday villages etc. When possible the asylum seekers will be transferred from the temporary accommodation to flats. Sweden has not set a maximum number of asylum seekers that it can provide housing for. Housing will be provided one way or another for anyone needing it. The strength of the system is the possibility of expanding or shrinking relatively easy. The Swedish Migration Board can either rent more accommodation when needed or terminate contracts when they need to shrink. The possibility to rent accommodation is however conditioned by the will of house-owners and depends on the state of the market. There is a general shortage of ordinary flats in Sweden and the supply of hotels and such is only good out of tourist season. Renting temporary accommodation such as hotels, holidays villages etc. is made through a procedure regulated by the Swedish Procurement Act. This is to guarantee both efficiency and quality by choosing offers with the lowest price but still fulfill quality requirements set up by the Swedish Migration Board. The Swedish Migration Board is the sole responsible authority for all reception centres, except when it comes to unaccompanied minors. The local municipality, to which unaccompanied minors are referred to by the Swedish Migration Board, is responsible for their accommodation and welfare in general. (Scenario: Profile of the asylum applicant). If the asylum seeker does not have any money of his/her own and cannot support himself 6

7 he/she can apply for daily allowance. Asylum applicants have a general access to the Swedish labour market during the entire asylum process, except for Dublin-cases. Apart from food, the daily allowance should be cover the cost of clothes and shoes, medical care and medicine, dental care, toiletries, other consumables and leisure activities. Accommodation provided by the Swedish Migration Board is rent free if the asylum seeker does not have sufficient financial means to pay rent. If an asylum seeker chooses to organize his or her own accommodation, he or she is not granted any extra financial allowance to cover rent. In 2012, Sweden received in total 43,887 asylum seekers, an increase of nearly 50 percent compared to ,814 of the asylum applicants were of Syrian origin. In addition to this, the number of unaccompanied minors increased for the seventh consecutive year. The number of asylum seekers is now the highest since the Balkan wars 20 years ago. This development has led to a great need of more housing in the municipalities for those who apply for asylum. The needs have increased throughout the process from application to establishment or return. The shortage of rental housing in the country has forced the Board to rent temporary housing, for example hostels and camping sites. It has also been difficult for Swedish Public Employment Service to find accommodation for those with a residence permit. Since local government capacity is not sufficient, more and more persons are left in the reception system. Additional efforts are needed to speed up establishment. At the same time there is a need for continued efforts to maintain a well-functioning reception of unaccompanied minors. The number of unaccompanied minors increased for the seventh consecutive year. Despite efforts made in recent years there is a continuing need for additional housing in the municipalities both during and after the asylum process. Every asylum seeker has the right to accommodation although about 40 per cent of them choose to stay with family and friends, which means that the Swedish Migration Board only has to accommodate about 60 per cent of the asylum seekers. In these flats, the asylum seekers stay during the asylum process. They get financial allowance and all other benefits, such as urgent medical care. Families stay together and usually do not share a flat with someone else. Single persons do however. A 2-bed room flat is normally shared by 6 persons, where two stay in the living room. The flats are self-catered. When the number of asylum seekers increases very much or rapidly, the rented accommodations may prove to be insufficient. The Swedish Migration Board will then initially try to expand the number of flats rented and asylum seekers will be temporarily accommodated in other forms of housing, such as hotels, hostels, holiday villages etc. When possible the asylum seekers will be transferred from the temporary accommodation to flats. Sweden has not set a maximum number of asylum seekers that it can receive. Housing will be provided one way or another for all asylum seekers. The Swedish reception system is flexible and can adjust according to different situations such as high numbers of applicants. The Migration Board can either rent more accommodation when needed or terminate contracts when so is needed. If the Migration Board had owned its accommodation facilities, it would have been harder to set up or take down. On the other hand, the Board is dependent of getting housing from landlords, which is not always easy, partly because of a general shortage of housing in Sweden and also reluctance from some parts of the country to receive asylum seekers. It is also considered a strength that asylum seekers stay in areas where resident Swedes live instead of being isolated in a reception centre. That promotes future integration. Another strength is the possibility of the asylum seeker to find his or her own accommodation. Finding accommodation for all asylum seekers would be a great, if not impossible, task for the Swedish Migration Board. When an asylum seeker is granted a residence permit, the case is referred to the Public Employment Service, which is responsible for the settlement of the person in question in a municipality. If the municipality placement is delayed, because it is difficult to find housing, for example, the asylum seeker stays during this time in the reception system. This is costly for the state and causes a sort of congestion in the reception system, when new asylum seekers are 7

8 coming in but persons with permits are not leaving the system. Several different groups are competing for the limited supply of housing. The Swedish Migration Board granted more persons residence permits during 2012 and 2013 compared to previous years, which has created a greater need for housing than the Swedish Public Employment Service has been able to convey. At the end of 2012 there were around 6,000 people in the reception system with a residence permit waiting to be settled in a municipality. This is a significant increase compared to 2011 when there were approximately 3,200 persons with residence permits granted enrolled in the Migration Board's reception. Approximately 4,500 of those enrolled with a residence permit lived in one of the Swedish Migration Board facility accommodations. 8

9 Section 1: Different types of reception facilities and different actors Q1. Please indicate in Table 1 below what type of reception facilities exist in your (Member) State. Table 1: Different types of reception facilities Type of accommodation Collective initial/transit reception centres Collective open No. 2 reception centres 1 Special reception centres or facilities for vulnerable groups (e.g. victims of torture or specific vulnerable female applicants) Special separate reception centres for unaccompanied minors Private houses or flats: arranged and paid for by competent authorities Private hotels: arranged and paid for by competent Does this type of facility exist in your Member State? If so, how many of these facilities existed at the end of 2012? Yes Yes. If needed they are given a place in an appropriate institution run by a local municipality or county council. Yes, they are in the care of a local municipality and are usually placed in a foster home or a group home. No available statistics Since every municipality has its own facilities it s not possible to give a number. Yes spots spread all over the country. Yes. Specify the maximum number of applicants the facilities could accommodate No available statistics Since every municipality has its own facilities it s not possible to give a number At the end of 2012: spots Number of applicants accommodated in such facilities per year during No available statistics 2008: : : : : : : : : : Open centres means that applicants are free to enter and leave the centre whenever they want. 2 Except for detention centres, at all reception accommodation facilities in Sweden, the accommodated applicants are free to enter and leave whenever they want. There are about 30 offices around the country, which the applicants can visit for information from the Swedish Migration Board and to have interviews with a case officer. These offices manage housing but that is not within the office building. 9

10 authorities Individually arranged accommodation such as houses, flats, hotels and/or possibilities of staying with friends and/or family 3 Yes. The same financial allowance as for those in accommodation paid for by competent authorities spots 2008: : : : : Other premises for the purpose of accommodating applicants for international protection which are arranged and paid for by the competent authorities No Q2. Which authority(ies) carry financial responsibility over the reception facilities? (a) State authorities carry financial responsibility for collective initial/transit and open reception centres, for private houses or flats arranged and paid for by the competent authorities, i e the Swedish Migration Board. (b) Local authorities / regional governments carry financial responsibility for special reception centres or facilities for vulnerable groups and special separate reception centres for unaccompanied minors. However they receive reimbursement from the state on a standard and an individual level (c) External service provider such as NGOs, actors from the private sector or any other kind of third party involvement? No such involvement. Q3. Which authorities carry executive responsibility 4 over the facilities: (a) State authorities The same as above (b) Local authorities / regional government The same as above (c) External service provider such as NGOs, actors from the private sector or any other kind of third party involvement? No such involvement. Q4. In case reception facilities are run by local authorities/regional governments or with the involvement of an external service provider (e.g. NGOs or actors from civil society), please indicate whether the reception facilities are centrally coordinated (i.e. does one single authority still carry overall responsibility for the reception of 3 Please specify whether applicants receive (or have the possibility of receiving) a financial allowance in case they have individually arranged their accommodation. 4 Executive responsibility refers to the day-to-day running of the reception facilities and would also for example include including quality control of the services provided in the facility. 10

11 applicants for international protection?) When it comes to unaccompanied minors, general care is provided for by a local municipality. The Swedish Migration Board carries the overall responsibility for the unaccompanied minors but the local municipality is in practice responsible for seeing to the needs of the minor with regard to accommodation and general welfare. The coordination of which minor should be referred to a certain municipality is a task for the Swedish Migration Board. The responsible authorities have regular meetings with the purpose of promoting cooperation. Q5. In case reception facilities are run by local authorities/regional governments or with involvement of an external service provider (e.g. NGOs or actors from civil society), how is their involvement regulated? Have any formal coordination mechanisms between the different actors been signed (for example cooperation agreements stipulating the division of competences)? When it comes to unaccompanied minors, the Swedish Migration Board is responsible for the asylum process. The local municipality of which the unaccompanied minor is referred to by the Swedish Migration Board, is responsible for the accommodation and general welfare of the child. The Swedish Migration Board signs agreements with local municipalities for a number of spots for asylum seeking unaccompanied minors. It does not stipulate on the division of competences. That is stipulated by law. The agreement only concerns the number of spots that the local municipality should provide. 11

12 Section 2: Take up of reception facilities Q6. Please provide a short overview of which applicants for international protection are entitled to reception facilities provided by the State. Please complete Table 2 below: Table 2: Categories of applicants entitled to reception facilities Different categories of applicants depending on type/stage of procedure Entitled to reception facilities (Yes/No) Applicants under Dublin II 6 Yes Standard Applicants in admissibility Yes Standard procedures 7 Applicants subject to accelerated procedures Vulnerable groups of applicants 8 (with specific psychological/medical assistance needs) Unaccompanied minors awaiting decision for international protection Unaccompanied minors who have exhausted the procedure for international protection and are awaiting return Applicants who have lodged an appeal procedure Applicants who have lodged a subsequent application Applicants who have received a positive decision on their Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes, until they have been offered permanent Are these applicants entitled to standard or specific reception facilities 5? Standard Standard if not specific facilities are required on an individual basis due to vulnerability. Specific for unaccompanied minors Specific for unaccompanied minors Standard Standard Standard 5 Specific reception facilities refer to facilities which divert from mainstream reception facilities, e.g. depending on the type of applicant, or stage/procedure. 6 Applicants under Dublin II means those applicants for which a Dublin procedure has been initiated and who are awaiting a Dublin decision determining the responsible country for examining the asylum claim. 7 Admissibility procedures refer to the stage of the application in which (Member) States determine whether an application will or will not be considered in substance based on the criteria laid down in Article 25 of Directive 2005/85/EC (the Asylum Procedures Directive) which stipulates circumstances in which Member States are allowed to declare application as inadmissible and are subsequently not required to examine the application. 8 The Reception Conditions Directive makes reference to the following categories of applicants under vulnerable groups: unaccompanied minors, disabled people, elderly people, pregnant women, single parents with minor children, persons who have been subjected to torture, rape, or other serious forms of psychological, physical, or sexual violence. 12

13 international protection application 9 Applicants who have exhausted the procedure for international protection and who are awaiting return Other (e.g. applicants from other EU Member States, families with children with an irregular migrant status, applicants from safe third countries of origin etc. Please specify) housing in a municipality (settlement) Yes No special accommodation for other types of applicants. Standard Q7. From the aforementioned categories of applicants who are entitled to reception, can any be excluded from reception facilities for particular reasons (e.g. because the applicant has sufficient financial means, or because the applicant has misbehaved in a reception facility, or any other reasons)? No. If they have sufficient financial means they may have to pay rent. Q8. a) Does your (Member) State carry out an assessment of vulnerability which could result in assignment to special reception facilities for vulnerable groups of applicants? Yes. An individual assessment of housing issues should always be made with respect to families with children and persons with special needs. In the assessment should the child's perspective be included but also, for example any schooling and healthcare needs be taken into account. Q8. b) If yes, please indicate whether the assessment of vulnerability is: a) Obligatory and laid down in law (Yes/No): No b) Standard practice (Yes/No): Yes c) Optional (Yes/No): No Q9. Which authority/(ies) carry responsibility for deciding on the allocation of applicants for international protection to different reception facilities? If an applicant for international protection chooses to not find accommodation on his or her own, the Swedish Migration Board can provide accommodation. The Board then carries responsibility for deciding on the allocation of the applicant. Q10. How do these authorities allocate applicants to different types of reception facilities? Please state whether one of the scenarios below, or a combination thereof, are applicable to your (Member) State and briefly describe: The Swedish Migration Board is the sole responsible authority for all reception facilities, except when it comes to unaccompanied minors. The local municipality, of which the unaccompanied 9 If possible please specify for what duration they are still entitled to reception facilities. 13

14 minor is referred to by the Swedish Migration Board, is responsible for the accommodation and general welfare of the child. (Scenario: Profile of the asylum applicant). The Board apply most of the scenarios below in allocating applicants to different types of reception facilities. First of all there is a system of screening all applicants. During that process they are in a so called step 1-accommodation. Those who fall under the Dublin Regulation or an accelerated procedure are allocated to a so called step 2-accommodation, which is situated near the point of arrival, e.g. an international airport. This procedure is meant to facilitate a return procedure. (Scenarios: Type of asylum procedure and Stage of asylum procedure). If an applicant does not fall under this category they are allocated to a so called step 3- accommodation. That can be anywhere in the country and is based on a dispersal mechanism for all reception facilities. (Scenario: Dispersal mechanism). In cases of a rising number of asylum seekers, the available housing may not be sufficient. In that case, temporary accommodation is rented by the Migration Board and allocation is done based on available capacity at a reception centre (Scenario: Capacity). When it comes to families with small children, the Migration Board tries to allocate them to the reception facility best suited for them. i) Capacity; Your (Member) State assigns applicants for international protection according to capacity, e.g. your (Member) State monitors occupancy rate of each reception centre and assigns applicants accordingly. ii) Dispersal Mechanism; Your (Member) State applies a dispersal scheme which defines how many applicants each reception centre at national/regional/local level ought to receive (either in percentages or based on a specific quota). iii) iv) Type of asylum procedure; Your (Member) State takes into account the type of asylum procedure and assigns applicants accordingly to a specific reception facility. For example, one or more of the below is applicable to your (Member) State: - Applicants who fall under the Dublin II Regulation are accommodated in specific reception facilities; - Applicants subject to accelerated procedures are assigned to specific reception facilities; - Etc. Stage of asylum procedure; Your (Member) State takes into account the stage of the asylum procedure and assigns applicants accordingly to a specific facility. For example, one or more of the below is applicable to your Member State: - Applicants during the admissibility procedure - when a (multiple) application is assessed for admissibility or when a Dublin examination is carried out are temporarily placed in specific initial/transit reception facilities; - Applicants who are awaiting a first instance decision are placed in specific reception facilities; - Applicants who have lodged an appeal procedure are transferred to specific reception facilities; - Failed/rejected applicants for international protection are transferred to specific reception facilities. v) Profile of the asylum applicant; 14

15 Your (Member) State takes into account the profile of the applicant for international protection (e.g. special needs10, nationality, or specific motives underpinning the application) and assigns applicants accordingly to a specific reception facility. vi) Duration of the asylum procedure; Your (Member) State moves applicants for international protection from one facility to another after a certain time period has elapsed. vii) Other criteria (e.g. family composition)? Please describe Q11. Is the process for assignment of applicants to different reception facilities: a) Laid down in legislation (Yes/No): No b) Outlined in soft law/guidelines (Yes/No): Yes c) Not outlined in official documents, but there is a standard practice in place (Yes/No): No Q12. Provided there is sufficient capacity, does your (Member) State offer the applicant a choice for reception facility/location? The applicants have the choice of finding their own accommodation and may then reside wherever they like, with relatives or friends, for example, who are already present in Sweden. If the applicants on the other hand want the Swedish Migration Board to provide accommodation the location is decided on by the Board. Q13. a) Does your (Member) State provide for a possibility to relocate applicants for international protection to different reception facilities after initial assignment to a reception centre? Yes, see above step1-3-accommodation. On the initiative of the applicant it is usually not possible to relocate. If a couple or a family need larger accommodation after the birth of a child, the Board usually tries to provide that, but they usually stay in the same area, only in a different apartment. Medical or special needs may also lead to the need for relocation. Q13. b) If yes, which of the below criteria are applied, or a combination thereof, for relocation to a different reception centre: i) Capacity/bed management issues: Yes, if the Board needs to do so. ii) Change in family profile (e.g. birth of a child)yes, see Q12 iii) Medical or special need reasons: Yes, see Q12 iv) Incidents at centres which may require transfer to alternative accommodation: No v) Time limits (procedural-driven): See Q10 vi) Programme for voluntary return to the country of origin: No vii) Any other reasons? Yes, if a temporarily provided accommodation is judged not to be of required quality, applicants can be relocated to better accommodation as soon as possible. 10 The Reception Conditions Directive makes reference to the following categories of applicants under vulnerable groups: unaccompanied minors, disabled people, elderly people, pregnant women, single parents with minor children, persons who have been subjected to torture, rape, or other serious forms of psychological, physical, or sexual violence. 15

16 Section 3 Quality: National legislation on material reception conditions Q14. According to national legislation in your (Member) State, what are applicants for international protection who are accommodated in reception facilities entitled to in terms of the following reception conditions: a) Food; b) Clothing; c) Financial allowance 11 If the asylum seeker does not have any money of his/her own and cannot find work, he/she can apply for daily allowance. At some accommodation centers food is provided free of charge. That is only provided in housing that the Swedish Migration Board rents temporarily, such as a hotel. If food is provided free of charge, the daily allowance is: (Euro 1 = 8,50) 24/ 2,82 per day for single adults 19/ 2,23 per person per day for adults sharing accommodation 12/ 1, 41 per day for a child up to and including the age of 17 years. (From the third child onwards the allowance is halved.) If food is not provided free of charge, which is the normal case, the daily allowance, is as follows: 71/ 8,35 per day for single adults 61/ 7,18 per person per day for adults sharing accommodation 37/ 4,35 per day for children up to the age of three years 43/ 5,06 per day for children aged 4-10 years 50/ 5, 88 per day for children aged years. (From the third child onwards the allowance is halved.) Apart from food, the daily allowance should be sufficient to pay for: clothes and shoes, medical care and medicine, dental care, toiletries, other consumables and leisure activities. Accommodation provided by the Swedish Migration Board is rent free if the asylum seeker does not have sufficient financial means to pay rent. If an asylum seeker chooses to organize his or her own accommodation, he or she is not granted any extra financial allowance to cover rent. Asylum seekers in accommodation provided by the Swedish Migration Board are not expected to carry out any work or small tasks with the reception facility and are not remunerated should they do so. Asylum seekers may apply for special financial grants if an urgent need has arisen which the daily allowance cannot be expected to cover. However, it is only granted if the need can be considered very urgent. The special grant is for costs, which are necessary for an adequate standard of living. For example this could be the need to buy winter clothing, glasses, diet supplements and equipment needed due to a disability or for an infant. This financial support is only granted if it can be assumed that the asylum seeker has not been able to save money out of their ordinary daily allowance. Q15. Please indicate in Table 3 below for each type of reception facility in place in your (Member) State: the available surface per applicant (in square meters); the supervision rate (number of staff per applicant); and specify whether applicants have the possibility to take part in organised leisure activities. 11 Please explain what costs the financial allowance is intended to cover (e.g. does it cover accommodation costs, does it include pocket money etc) and specify whether the financial allowance is provided de facto and/or whether it can be used to remunerate applicants who carry out work (small tasks) within the reception facility. 16

17 Table 3: Other quality criteria for reception facilities that relate to the applicant s experience of being accommodated in a reception facility Type of accommodation Collective initial/transit reception centres Collective open reception centres Special reception centres or facilities for vulnerable groups (e.g. victims of torture or specific vulnerable female applicants) Special separate reception centres for unaccompanied minors Private houses or flats: arranged and paid for by competent authorities Private hotels: arranged and paid for by competent authorities Individually arranged accommodation such as houses, flats, hotels and/or possibilities of staying with friends and/or family Other premises for the purpose of accommodating applicants for international protection which are arranged and paid for by the competent Available surface per applicant in square meters Supervision rate (number of staff per applicant) applicants per staff = 0,04 staff per applicant Possibility of leisure activities? Yes/No. If yes, briefly describe Possible but not provided by the Swedish Migration Board. Municipalities or NGOs may provide such possibilities Possible but not provided by the Swedish Migration Board. Municipalities or NGOs may provide such possibilities. No such numbers available. No such numbers available. No such numbers available. No such numbers available applicants per staff = 0,026 staff per applicant Only for temporary use and cannot be defined on a general basis N/A No other premises. 64 applicants per staff = 0,016 staff per applicant. No information available. Yes, but not provided by the Swedish Migration Board. Municipalities or NGOs may provide such possibilities. Possible but not provided by the Swedish Migration Board. Municipalities or NGOs may provide such possibilities. Possible but not provided by the Swedish Migration Board. Municipalities or NGOs may provide such possibilities. Not applicable. 17

18 authorities Q16. Has your (Member) State developed guidelines or a handbook in relation to the reception offered to applicants for international protection? Yes, the Swedish Migration Board has developed two handbooks as regards reception related issues. One concerning the rights and obligations of an asylum seeker according to the law on reception of asylum seekers and others. The other handbook contains information, rules and guidelines when it comes to the technical aspect of running reception facilities and other premises. Q17. What control mechanisms are in place to ensure that reception conditions are provided according to the standards specified in national legislation or other protocols/regulations? Inspections are undertaken by the Swedish Migration Board several times a year to guarantee the quality of accommodation. Q18. Has there been a public debate about the quality of reception facilities in your Member State in the period from 2008 onwards - to date? There have been debates about the quality of reception facilities. It has primarily concerned the quality of some emergency temporary housing that the Swedish Migration Board rented to be able to accommodate an increased number of asylum seekers in an urgent situation. This was for example the case during the autumn/winter of The focus in media has been on the sometimes very high rents that the Swedish Migration Board has paid for this accommodation. Q19. Does primary research exist in your Member State, evaluating the quality of reception facilities? No specific research exists in this area. 18

19 Section 4: Flexibility Q20. Please fill out the national statistics in Table 4 below: Table 4: National statistics on flexibility Total number of applicants entitled to reception Total number of applicants accommodated in reception facilities Maximum number of applicants that could be accommodated in reception facilities Average occupation rate in reception facilities Sweden has no maximum number. All applicants will be accommodated if they need to and the reception system will expand accordingly % 87-98% 92-98% 92-98% 89-94% Q21. Please describe any pressure that your (Member) State may have experienced in relation to the reception of applicants for international protection during the period and briefly explain possible reasons for such pressure. In 2012, the Swedish Migration Board received 7,814 asylum seekers from Syrian nationals. Sweden became one of the most common countries of destination for people from Syria in EU (together with Germany) While the amount of asylum seekers from Syria increased, asylum seekers from other countries such as Somalia, Afghanistan and Eritrea did not decrease. In total, Sweden received 43,887 asylum seekers, an increase of nearly 50 percent compared to It is the largest number of asylum seekers since the Balkan wars 20 years ago. In light of the substantial increase, which mainly took place in the second half of 2012, it became necessary for the Swedish Migration Board to expand its overall capacity very quickly. Over 400 people were employed in one of the biggest recruits in the authority s history. New asylum units 12 Average occupation based on the size of the reception system at that moment in time. 19

20 were formed in a number of locations while the authority has prioritized certain tasks and enhanced operational coordination to manage operations until more resources were added and the capacity strengthened. This development has led to a great need of more housing in the municipalities for those who apply for asylum. The need has increased throughout the process from application to municipality placement or return. The shortage of rental housing in the country has forced the Migration Board to rent temporary housing, for example hostels and camping sites. It has also been difficult for the Swedish Public Employment Service to find permanent accommodation (settlement) for those who have been granted a residence permit. Since local government capacity is not sufficient, more and more persons stay in the reception system. Additional efforts are needed to speed up the settlement of persons who have received a permanent residence permit. At the same time there is a need for continued efforts to maintain a well-functioning reception of unaccompanied minors. The number of unaccompanied minors increased in 2012 for the seventh consecutive year. Despite efforts made in recent years there is still a need for additional housing in the municipalities both during and after the asylum process. Q22. Which flexibility mechanisms are foreseen and/or have been used in case there are shortages or surpluses in reception facilities? Please answer this question by indicating in Table 5 below whether any of the below mechanisms exist in your Member State and whether they have been actually used: Table 5: Flexibility mechanisms Type of mechanism Does this exist in your (Member) State? (Yes/No) If yes, please describe Has this mechanism been used? (Yes/No) If yes, please describe Early warning mechanism 13 (including any software programmes monitoring capacity and occupancy in reception facilities) The Swedish Migration Board produces several times per year an activity and cost prognosis based on migration intelligence. Sweden contributes data to the Early warning and Preparedness system (EPS) that is developed by EASO 13 An early warning mechanism refers to a monitoring system, e.g. a mechanism that monitors the inflow of applicants for international protection, evaluating in particular whether the (Member) State possesses the necessary capacity to deal with increased (or decreased) pressure. Such a monitoring system would enable identification of possible shortcomings (or excess capacity) at an early stage. An early warning mechanism could for example include a.o. any software programmes monitoring capacity and occupancy rate in reception facilities. 20

21 Additional reception centres acting as buffer capacity Yes. Through procurement there is additional accommodation available to contract for, if need arises. Yes. It is used on and off as a way of being flexible. Since Sweden will always accommodate all asylum seekers who need housing it is necessary to be able to grow at short notice. Emergency plans Yes. More of a contingency plan stating that, depending on the number of asylum seekers, certain actions should be taken. These are opening of new reception centres, relocation of asylum seekers already in accommodation, prioritising within the case load etc. Yes, during the summer and autumn of 2012 and has been formalized in a contingency plan established in May Budget flexibility (to in-or decrease the budget when necessary) Yes. The Swedish Migration Board may ask the government for additional funds. Yes. Employing more case-workers to speed up decisionmaking Yes. Case-workers are employed on longer or shorter contracts throughout the country. Yes, it is used continually. Fast-tracking procedures Yes. A screening of applications is made and manifestly unfounded applications will be handled in a fasttracking procedure. Families may also be the subject of fast-tracking Yes, it is used continually. 21

22 procedures in order to limit the strain on the family that a stay in the reception system may cause. Application of different standards/modalities of reception conditions in emergency situations 14 Yes. In periods of high numbers of asylum seekers, hotels, holiday villages etc. may be used temporarily to meet demand for accommodation. Although the goal is to not have accommodation of a lower quality, this cannot always be avoided. Yes. It is used on and off as a temporary way of providing accommodation in a situation of high pressure on the reception system. Provision of financial vouchers/allowance to cover costs of private accommodation No. Review for specific categories of applicants who obtain priority access to reception No. The use of excess space for other purposes No. Other? Yes. The Swedish Migration Board has also worked to develop the ability to be flexible in many other ways. For example, the Board strengthened its intelligence analysis and set up Yes. They are in constant use. 14 Article 14 paragraph 8 of the Reception Conditions Directive 2003/9/EC stipulates that: Member States can exceptionally set modalities for material reception conditions different from those provided for in Article 14 for a reasonable period which shall be as short as possible, when: an initial assessment of the specific needs of the applicant is required; material reception conditions, as provided for in article 14, are not available in a certain geographical area; housing capacities normally available are temporarily exhausted; the asylum seeker is in detention or confined to border posts. The different conditions must cover in any case basic needs. 22

23 a function for operational coordination on an overall level. Q23. Please indicate best practices in handling (disproportionate) pressure as well as ability to adjust to fluctuating numbers of applications over time. Where possible, please refer to the use (and effectiveness) of any of the aforementioned flexibility mechanisms. The Migration Board s prime challenge when the number of asylum seekers rise is to find accommodation for all asylum seekers who need housing. Every asylum seeker has the right to accommodation although about 40 per cent of them choose to stay with family and friends, which means that the Swedish Migration Board only has to accommodate about 60 per cent of the asylum seekers. The normal routine for the Migration Board is to rent ordinary flats around the country and then use them as accommodation for asylum seekers. When the system is in balance, meaning that the number of new asylum seekers can be handled and that persons having received a decision on the asylum application either return or find ordinary housing, this works well. When there is a rise in numbers of asylum seekers alone, or combined with persons not leaving the reception fast enough, there is disproportionate pressure on the reception system. The Migration Board then has to find additional housing which can be hotels, holiday villages, etc. Instead of solving these problems ad hoc, the Board applies a system of procurement where hotel owners, landlords and others who are willing to supply the Swedish Migration Board with housing, can make offers to the Swedish Migration Board according to a specific scheme. The scheme is laid down in law, the Public Procurement Act. The suppliers are then chosen out of a number of criteria, determining quality and price of the housing offered. If they meet all the requirements at best price, they can sign a contract with the Swedish Migration Board. This procurement can be made before a need arises and the contracts of accommodation can be stocked by the Swedish Migration Board. When there is a need of more housing, the Swedish Migration Board can then contact the supplier in question and make a call-off, that is to realize a use of housing that have been contracted in advance and then save time. Another way of achieving flexibility has been to convert units. That is to convert a unit within the Migration Board which normally processes applications for work permits and other applications for legal migration purposes and to turn in it into an asylum unit. The other way around is also possible if needed. The entire unit stays intact and only changes the type of applications that they handle. This is of course preceded by training. A strategy for the future is to invest in training to create greater flexibility among staff. It can take different forms, a form that the Migration Board has paid certain consideration to and that can be developed further, is rotation. Thirdly, instead of converting a unit, the Swedish Migration Board has made budget reallocations from one area to another, enabling the area receiving a larger budget to employ extra staff to meet the need. In the autumn of 2012 the Board created a central group for operational coordination with representatives from all relevant functions of the Swedish Migration Board. The group worked with the implementation of an action plan in order to meet the challenge of a rapidly increasing number of asylum seekers. That led to the establishment of a new organizational area, dealing with operational core priorities based on migration intelligence and follow-up of the migrant process as a whole. The organizational area will, inter alia, watch case flows through new monitoring instruments and matching case flows with accommodation flows through established management principles. The Swedish Migration Board work method is in accordance with the Lean philosophy. With it, the Swedish Migration Board has a strong focus on systematic and frequent monitoring of processes, thus increasing the chances of detecting and reacting to abnormalities early. The growing element of central operational coordination within and between different processes 23

24 creates even better conditions for a smooth workflow and effective flows at any given moment. The Swedish Migration Board has adjusted working hours for certain groups of employees to meet the increased number of asylum seekers and to meet the need of service and availability. A number of units have been transferred from working office hours to scheduled working hours outside of office hours. About 170 people were affected by the transition. The employees are now working six days a week, Sunday through Friday, instead of usual five-day week, Monday- Friday. 24

25 Section 5: Efficiency Q24. Please fill in the national statistics Table 6 below (please provide figures or, if not possible, estimates thereof): Table 6: National Statistics on efficiency (in Euro, according to exchange rate 1 euro= 8,5 ) National budget allocated to the reception of applicants for international protection Total costs of reception Total direct costs 15 Total indirect costs 16 Total costs of reception including Dublin cases Total costs of reception excluding Dublin cases Inflow of new applicants to reception facilities (there of requiring accommodation) Inflow/return of applicants who have temporarily left a reception Not available 9,1 bn 1,07 bn 1,4 bn 0,16 bn 7,7 bn 0,91 bn 9,1 bn 1,07 bn Not available (14 925) Not available Not available 8,8 bn 1,04 bn 1,3 bn 0,15 bn 7,5 bn 0,88 bn 8,8 bn 1,04 bn Not available (14 556) Not available Not available 9,4 bn 1,11 bn 1,5 bn 0,18 bn 7,9 bn 0,93 bn 9,4 bn 1,11 bn Not available (19 164) Not available Not available 9,4 bn 1,11 bn 1,6 bn 0,19 bn 7,8 bn 0,92 bn 9,4 bn 1,11 bn Not available (17 826) Not available Not available 9,8 bn 1,15 bn 2,0 bn 0,24 bn 7,8 bn 0,92 bn 9,8 bn 1,15 bn Not available (26 367) Not available 15 Direct costs refer to explicitly defined costs and budgets for the reception of applicants for international protection in each (Member) State. 16 Indirect costs refer to costs that are not directly measurable (as costs are borne by a wide range of stakeholders and further relate to the applicant s access to general public services). 25

26 facility Outflow of applicants from reception facilities, who do not return later Share of applicants in reception facilities who have received a final decision on their application Median 17 range of an applicant s stay Interquartile 18 ranges of an applicant s stay % 38 % 38 % 41 % 42 % Not available 121/727 95/690 88/622 77/487 Note: Total costs of reception is the allocated budget for the Division of reception of the Swedish Migration Board directed towards reception, settlement and return. Total direct costs is the budget for the operation of the Division of reception including housing for asylum seekers. Total indirect costs is the difference between the two. Q25. Are cost (estimations) available for the flexibility mechanisms used in your Member State (see Question 22)? No specific cost estimations are available for the flexibility mechanisms. Q26. What is the tolerance time for extended stay of applicants in reception facilities who have already received a final decision on their application? If applicants are granted a residence permit, they can stay until the responsible authorities have found housing for them. If their asylum application is rejected, they should return voluntarily within 2-4 weeks. If they need to be returned by force, they can stay in the reception facilities until an enforced return can be executed. 17 The median is the numerical value separating the higher half of the distribution of the lower half (middle value). 18 The interquartile ranges refer to the value of the first quartile (25 percentile) and the third quartile (75 percentile) in a distribution. 26

27 Section 6: Conclusions This Section will outline the main findings of the Study and present conclusions as to what extent the organisation of the reception system impacts on the flexibility, efficiency, and quality of reception facilities. Q27. Please summarise the organisation of reception facilities in your (Member) State, indicating main strengths and weaknesses (please specify any evidence for these findings) The Swedish reception system for asylum seekers is mainly managed by the Swedish Migration Board. Unaccompanied minors are taken care of by a local municipality, initially the municipality where they first made themselves known to the authorities and after the initial process they will stay in another local municipality somewhere in Sweden. Their asylum application is handled by the Swedish Migration Board. The authorities cooperate for the best interest of the child. For adult asylum seekers and families with children, the Swedish Migration Board can provide accommodation. That accommodation consists of ordinary flats that the Swedish Migration Board rents around the country. The Migration Board never rents an entire block of flats but try to spread the flats out. Since there is a general shortage of housing in Sweden, the Swedish Migration Board cannot always choose where to establish accommodation, but the objective is to find long-term contracts in areas where there is a good infrastructure of shops to buy food, schools for children and good communication. All children have the right to go to school, and the municipality where they live is obligated to provide schooling for them on the same terms as other children and youngsters who live there. This applies to preschool, elementary school and high school. This poses an obligation on the municipality where the Swedish Migration Board has housing to offer education to these children. If the Swedish Migration Board goes in and out of a municipality that creates problems in planning for the municipality, which is another reason for long-term establishment. In these flats, the asylum applicants are provided accommodation during the entire asylum process. They receive financial allowance and other social benefits, such as free emergency or urgent medical and dental care. Children under the age of 18 are entitled to the same health care as Swedish residents. Families stay together and usually do not share a flat with other asylum applicants. However, single persons do however. A 2-bed room flat is normally shared by 6 persons, where two stay in the living room. The flats are self-catered. In Sweden, an asylum seeker has the possibility to stay in his or her own flat. Since they usually do not have the financial means to pay the rent for a flat, let alone find one to rent in the major cities, they often stay with friends or relatives. About 40 % of all asylum seekers choose not to stay in housing provided by the Swedish Migration Board. There are pros and cons with this system. One advantage is that the asylum seekers can get support during and after the asylum process by friends and relatives. One disadvantage is that asylum seekers and newly-arrived tend to concentrate to certain municipalities and areas, which is not always beneficial to integration. For the reception system however, it is a great advantage since the Swedish Migration Board does not need to provide housing for a large group of asylum seekers. The asylum seeker who chooses to stay with friends and relatives can at any time ask to be accommodated by the Swedish Migration Board instead. When the number of asylum seekers increases very much or rapidly, the number of rented accommodations may prove to be insufficient. The Swedish Migration Board will then initially try to expand the number of flats rented and asylum seekers will be accommodated in other forms of housing, such as hotels, hostels, holiday villages etc. When possible the asylum seekers will be transferred from the temporary accommodation to flats. Sweden has not set a maximum number of asylum seekers that it can receive. Housing will be provided one way or another for all asylum seekers. Housing will be provided to all asylum applicants in need of accommodation. The Swedish reception system is humane, secure and flexible The strength of the Swedish reception system is the possibility of expanding or shrinking relatively easy. The Migration Board can either rent more accommodation when needed or terminate contracts when so is 27