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

Financial assistance
Work
Asylum seekers staying in reception centres receive the following monthly pocket money:
Single adult ESP 6,860 EUR 41
Couple ESP 11,435 EUR 69
Each child under 18 ESP 2,286 EUR 14
Each child above 18 ESP 4,574 EUR 27
Needy asylum seekers who are not accommodated in the reception centres may receive a basic
social allowance in order to cover their main expenses. Asylum seekers who are eligible for
accommodation in a reception centre but who stay with relatives living in Spain may also receive
this allowance as a contribution towards the household’s income.
The allowance is granted for a period of six months only, and in special cases, may be extended for
two further three-month periods. Monthly rates are fixed by IMSERSO depending on the size of the
family. For 2000, the monthly rates are as follows:
Single adult ESP 40,255 EUR 242
Couple ESP 60,362 EUR 363
Each child ESP 5,000 EUR 30
Maximum per family ESP 70,680 EUR 425
Needy asylum seekers who are able to justify their need to rent accommodation may receive a
rental allowance, which covers both the deposit and the monthly rent. Such assistance is limited to
the same duration as the basic social allowance.
In accordance with the Asylum and Aliens Regulations, asylum seekers may be allowed to work.
To do so, they must apply to the Provincial Division for Labour and Social Affairs for a special
authorisation. This is not given until they have already been in the procedure for six months, and
only after consultation with the OAR.
In practice, asylum seekers’ access to the labour market varies from province to province, and it is
easier to obtain authorisation for a temporary job in agriculture than for permanent clerical jobs.
Apart from the language and cultural barriers, the main obstacle they meet is the high
unemployment rate in Spain, which particularly affects foreigners.
Language tuition
Asylum seekers accommodated in the reception centres may attend Spanish language courses
which are provided free of charge. Other public education institutions as well as several NGOs offer
Spanish language courses for foreigners which are free of charge and may be attended by asylum
seekers.
School attendance
All children under 18, regardless of their nationality or legal status in Spain, have the right to
education under equal conditions. School attendance is compulsory and free of charge for all
children between the ages of 3 and 16. This applies also to asylum seekers, who thus attend
normal Spanish schools.
Children who do not speak Spanish may be offered special language lessons before joining an
ordinary class.
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Spain