legal and social conditions for asylum seekers and refugees in ...

SOCIAL CONDITIONS FOR REFUGEES
Introduction/legal basis
In accordance with Section 15 of the Ordinance of 2 November 1945, recognised refugees are
entitled to a residence permit valid for ten years and renewable. Their social rights, as well as
those of all foreigners living in France, are provided for in various legal texts. There are no
distinctions between Conventional and Constitutional refugees.
Freedom of residence/movement
There are no restrictions on the freedom of movement of refugees, regardless of whether they
are accommodated in reception centres or not.
Integration programme
Housing
There is no special state-funded integration programme.
Convention refugees, asylum seekers who arrived with the prior agreement of French authorities,
and persons who came for the purpose of family reunification may find accommodation in one of
the 28 temporary reception centres (“Centre provisoire d’hébergement” – CPH) throughout the
territory. Their housing capacity is 1,018 places (as of 30 August 1999). CPHs are designed to
facilitate integration of refugees and their families.
Refugees housed in CPHs are entitled to work and receive the minimal integration income, but
they must repay 25% of their total income (including family allowances) to the centre if it is equal
to or amounts to more than the minimum integration income, or 10% if their income is lower.
Housing allowances may be granted to young couples, families with at least one dependent or
single person, under the same conditions as for French citizens. The amounts are determined
according to the income. Refugees also have access to council housing on the same terms as
French nationals.
Financial assistance
Once granted Convention or constitutional status, refugees enjoy the same rights as French
nationals. With a few exceptions mentioned below, no distinction is made between refugees who
have found their own accommodation and those housed in provisional reception centres (CPH).
The main allowances are as follows:
Minimum Integration Income (“Revenu Minimum d’Insertion”): refugees over the age of 25, who
have never worked in France or have only worked there for a short period but are at present
unemployed, are entitled to receive the monthly minimum integration income, which is granted to
nationals in the same situation.
Refugees between 18 and 25 are also eligible, provided they have at least one child living with
them in France.
The amount paid depends on the family situation and its global financial resources. All forms of
income, including family allowances but not housing allowances, are counted as global
resources. Monthly payments amount up to the following rates (as of October 1999):
98
France