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

Work
Convention refugees, including those accommodated in CPHs, are allowed to work without
restriction, except in specific cases where qualifications equivalent to a French university degree
are required (notably for the medical profession). No work permit is required.
Access to the adult educational system
Vocational training: recognised refugees are entitled to free vocational training. If they can prove
that they have worked for at least six months in France and if they already receive unemployment
benefit, they will continue to receive it during their training. Refugees who do not receive
unemployment benefit receive a state-allowance whilst following the training programme. If they
can prove that they have worked for at least six months out of the last 12, or 12 months of the last
24 in a foreign country (including their country of origin), they will receive FRF 4,070 [EUR 620.4]
a month. Otherwise, they will receive FRF 2,000 [EUR 304.9] a month.
Subject to their ability in French, refugees can benefit from any of the programmes set up for
unemployed persons. In addition, various programmes exist for migrants and refugees
comprising both language courses and vocational training.
Further education: refugees are exempted from pre-registration with the French embassy in their
country of origin, which is normally required for foreign students. Like French citizens, they are
allowed to study in the university of their choice, according to the courses and places available
there. However, universities have the authority to reject or accept applications at their discretion.
The recognition of foreign degrees is decided by a special committee at each university and is
only valid there.
Scholarships: refugees have the same rights as French students. In addition, some private
organisations (like the Entraide Universitaire Française) grant scholarships to foreign students,
particularly to refugees.
Language tuition
Convention refugees accommodated in the CPHs have to attend compulsory language courses
lasting at least 520 hours, financed by the Ministry for Employment and Solidarity. These
programmes comprise French language lessons and other educational programmes designed to
facilitate integration into France.
Refugees who are not housed in centres, may attend free courses organised by the nongovernmental
agency CIMADE (an NGO specialising in development aid) which is financed by
the Ministry for Social Affairs and Integration. Since 1995, additional special training in French
language has been financed by the European Social Fund in order to facilitate the professional
integration of refugees living outside the reception centres.
School attendance
School attendance is compulsory until the age of 16 for all children in France. Foreign children
attend the same schools as French children. Special “adaptation classes” for migrants and
refugees are sometimes specially organised within schools by the Ministry of Education.
Mother language tuition
The children of refugees are not entitled to mother tongue tuition.
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France