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

SOCIAL CONDITIONS FOR PERSONS UNDER TEMPORARY PROTECTION
Introduction
Persons holding provisional residence permits live under different social conditions than
Convention refugees or persons granted residence permits for humanitarian reasons.
During their first year in the Netherlands, persons under temporary protection are only allowed to
study the Dutch language. In their second year they may also follow vocational training courses.
During this two-year period, they may work, but only on a short-term basis and with a work
permit.
The Kosovo Albanians who came to Holland before 16 July 1999 under UNHCR Evacuation
Programme were all granted provisional residence permits.
A special law was adopted in 1995 in order to regulate the social conditions of persons with a
provisional residence permit. According to this law, their freedom of residence is limited and they
receive less financial assistance than Convention refugees or persons with humanitarian status.
With the entry into force of the new Aliens Act in 2001, which provides for the same social rights
for all categories during a three-year period following the granting of the residence permit, this
special law will be withdrawn (see above “The new Aliens Act”).
Financial assistance
Housing
The Social Assistance Act does not provide income support for those under temporary protection.
However, they are entitled to receive a lower rate of income support per month, paid by the
municipalities as follows (as of 1 January 2000):
Under 18 years NLG 137 EUR 62.30
18 years and over NLG 450 EUR 204.55
Child benefit is available when a parent has a job.
The municipalities receive state funding to cover housing and insurance costs.
Dutch municipalities are obliged to find accommodation for a fixed number of persons under
temporary protection.
The only difference between the accommodation offered to Convention refugees or persons with
humanitarian status and that provided for persons under temporary protection is that, in the latter
case, accommodation must be equipped with basic furniture. Municipalities receive additional
state funding for this purpose.
Freedom of movement/residence
Persons under temporary protection may find their own accommodation, but, unless they receive
authorisation from the municipality in which they want to settle, they will not receive any
allowances.
Persons under temporary protection may apply for alien's passports, but seldom receive them.
221
The Netherlands