Germany as a Country of Admission for Syrian Refugees 2011 2016 Workshop G2 Meeting Objectives for Syrian Refugees: Comparing Policy and Practice in Canada, Germany and Australia Jan Schneider Research Unit Expert Council of German Foundations on Integration and Migration
Agenda 1. Fleeing Syria: The Bigger Picture 2. Avenues of Protection in Germany 3. The Asylum Procedure 4. Humanitarian Admission 5. What do we know (yet) about Syrian Refugees in Germany?
Main countries of origin 2015 60 million Displaced population of concern 4.8 million Syria Jordanien 2.7 million Afghanistan 1.1 million Somalia >1.5 million asylum applications in 44 industrialized countries Sources: UNHCR; Eurostat (figures are provisional or forecast) 442.000 Germany >1.2 million EU Most important country of asylum in Europe
Since 2011, about 4.8 million Syrians have fled to neighboring countries, almost 600.000 have filed an asylum application in the European Union. 2,688,686 1,067,785 637,859 245,543 118,512 555,485* Sources: UNHCR; Eurostat (as of 29 February, 2016) http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php; http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database%20 [migr_asyappctza] *First asylum applications 2011 2015; incomplete data Quelle: UNHCR Global Trends 2014
Germany received almost 40 per cent of all asylum applications of Syrian nationals in the EU since 2011. First asylum applications by Syrian nationals in Germany and in the EU, 2011 2015 218,670 555,485 39.4% Source: Eurostat (as of 29 February, 2016); http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database%20 [migr_asyappctza]
Number of asylum seekers increases since 2009; 2015: 476,649 applications, 1.1 million entries. Applications for international protection 1992 2015, Countries of origin 2015 1.091.894 500.000 438.191 476.649 400.000 34% Syria 300.000 11% Albania 8% Kosovo 200.000 100.000 166.951 117.648 28.018 7% Afghanistan 7% Iraq 6% Serbien 3% Macedonia 2% Eritrea 2% Pakistan 21% other / unknown 0 1992 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Source: Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, Asylum Statistics 2015
Agenda 1. Fleeing Syria: The Bigger Picture 2. Avenues of Protection in Germany 3. The Asylum Procedure 4. Humanitarian Admission 5. What do we know (yet) about Syrian Refugees in Germany?
Avenues of Protection for Syrian Refugees in Germany 2011 2015 Individual Territorial Asylum Humanitarian Admission Resettlement Programme Intra-EU Relocation 220,000 applicants; 142,000 granted 41,000 admitted individuals 40 individuals* (out of 500 total quota) 15 individuals (out of 27,500 total quota until end of 2016) Family Reunification Labour Migration Education (Student Visa) 2,785 visas (2011 2014) 151 visas (2011 2014) 1,011 visas (2011 2014) Sources: Eurostat [migr_resfirst], [migr_asydcfsta], [migr_asyappctza]; European Commission (COM(2016) 85 final); European Resettlement Network * An additional 200 non-syrian Third Country Nationals, who were extremely endangered in the war zone, were admitted from Syria
Agenda 1. Fleeing Syria: The Bigger Picture 2. Avenues of Protection in Germany 3. The Asylum Procedure 4. Humanitarian Admission 5. What do we know (yet) about Syrian Refugees in Germany?
Almost all asylum applications by Syrians were recognized in 2015; the adjusted gross recognition rate was at 96%, the net recognition rate was at 99.98%. Right to Asylum (1.1%) in accordance with Art. 16a of the German Basic Law Refugee Status (93.8%) in accordance with the Geneva Convention 96.0% gross recognition rate Subsidiary Protection (0.1%) Ban on Deportation (0.2%) 0.02% rejections 4.0% Withdrawn applications or other settlement Sources: BT-Drs. 18/7625; BAMF-Asylgeschäftsstatistik
Recognition rates in the asylum procedure differ significantly for different countries of origin. Ten most important countries of origin Completed procedures in 2015 Recognition rate (net) 1. Syria 105,620 100.0% 2. Albania 35,721 0.2% 3. Kosovo 29,801 0.5% 4. Afghanistan 5,966 77.6% 5. Iraq 16,796 99.1% 6. Serbia 22,341 0.2% 7. undefined 4,128 90.4% 8. Eritrea 10,099 99.6% 9. Macedonia 8,245 0.8% 10. Pakistan 2,015 18.9% Sources: BT-Drs. 18/7625; BAMF-Asylgeschäftsstatistik
Several key issues make the in situ asylum procedure an ill-suited form of protection to deal with a mass-influx of refugees of war from Syria No opportunity for a legal entry to Germany Perilous, expensive and life-threatening journeys Boost for human smuggling business Vulnerable and disadvantaged groups are underrepresented Very limited options to control migration; extreme domestic administrative efforts however, territorial asylum should remain an unchallenged pillar of humanitarian policy and will remain the most important channel of protection in Germany
Agenda 1. Fleeing Syria: The Bigger Picture 2. Avenues of Protection in Germany 3. The Asylum Procedure 4. Humanitarian Admission 5. What do we know (yet) about Syrian Refugees in Germany?
Humanitarian Admission Programmes (HAPs) to protect Syrian Refugees were launched from March 2013 Three Federal programmes admitting 20,000 Syrians by ministerial decree on the basis of section 23 para. 2 of the Residence Act: In order to safeguard special political interests of the Federal Republic of Germany ( ) the Federal Ministry of the Interior may order foreigners from specific states or certain categories of foreigners defined by other means to be granted approval for admission ( ) 15 additional individual HAPs by the Federal States (Laender) at provincial level admitting more than 21,000 Syrians on the basis of a similar provision (sponsorship through relatives) Unlike in Resettlement, humanitrian stay in HAPs is designed as temporary residence permit for 2 years, in some of the provincial programmes only 1 year; renewable; after a lawful stay of 5 years a (permanent) settlement permit is issued
Comparing German and Canadian Sponsorship Models Source: Judith Kumin (2015): Welcoming Engagement. How Private Sponsorship can Strenghten Refugee Resettlement in the European Union. Migration Policy Institute Europe.
Agenda 1. Fleeing Syria: The Bigger Picture 2. Avenues of Protection in Germany 3. The Asylum Procedure 4. Humanitarian Admission 5. What do we know (yet) about Syrian Refugees in Germany?
Gender and age structure of asylum-seekers 2015 31.5% 68.5% 31.1% under 18 51.5% 18-35 Source: BAMF
Gender and age structure of Syrians in HAPs 1.7% 49.6% 48.7% 38.7% under 18 29.2% 18-35 Source: BAMF
There is no reliable data on the educational levels of refugees. Results Höchster Highest from Schulabschluss school a 2015 certificate survey among 105,000 applicants for asylum (voluntary given in the asylum procedure not representative) 17% Hochschule University/ College 30% High School/ Gymnasium A-Levels 18% 25% Technical Fachschule School 2% 3% Mittelschule Secondary School 23% 30% Grundschule Elementary School 17% 24% keine Schule None 3% 8% gesamt total Syrer Syrians Source: IAB 2015: Qualifikation und Arbeitsmarktintegration von Flüchtlingen
Similar scarcity of data with regard to professional qualifications. Register data from the Employment Administration provide initial evidence Academic Certificates Vocational/ School-based Training No certified professional qualification all countries of origin* countries of origin with war and persecution** *Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Syrien, Balkan States, Ukraine, Russia ** Excluding Balkan States, Ukraine, Russia Source: IAB 2015: Qualifikation und Arbeitsmarktintegration von Flüchtlingen
Challenges and Lessons Learned Shift from management of reception to management of integration Working towards a sound knowledge base on refugees (their qualifications, needs, ambitions) through research Harmonize and mainstream Humanitarian Admission Programs as supplement pillar to the asylum procedure; provide substantial quota for refugees in need of special protection Broaden sponsorship model a) to allow associations and corporations to sponsor; and b) to sponsor people without existing familial ties in Germany Upload HAP to the level of the European Union and come up with an agreement for burden-sharing
Thank you for your attention! schneider@svr-migration.de