PERCO
Platform for European Red Cross Cooperation
on Refugees, Asylum-seekers and Migrants
1. Facts and figures about asylum:
Main countries of origin of asylum-seekers year 2005:
Place / Country / Number of asylum applicants1 / Romania / 22
2 / Russia / 9
3 / Afghanistan / 6
4 / Bulgaria / 5
5 / Moldova / 5
6 / Iran / 4
7 / Kazakhstan / 3
8 / Algeria / 3
9 / Georgia / 3
10 / Ukraine / 3
Country / 2004 / Country / 2003 / Country / 2002
Bulgaria / 7 / Romania / 16 / Romania / 40
Nigeria / 7 / Albania / 11 / Russia / 15
Iraq / 6 / Poland / 5 / Albania / 10
Evolution of the number of asylum applications in 2005
2005 / 2004 / Difference +/-First applications / 88 / 76 / +11
Rejections / 51 / n/a
Removals / n/a / n/a
Recognitions / 1 / 3 / -2
Withdrawal/disappearances / 8 / 14 / -6
Number of Dublin cases sent back (from Iceland)[1] / 21 / 13 / +8
Number of Dublin cases received (to Iceland) / 1 / 3 / -2
Number of cases still being processed. / 13 / 1
Source: The Icelandic Red Cross. As 1 October 2006.
2. Political and legal developments
No major political and legal developments took place in Iceland in 2005. Asylum issues are not widely discussed in Icelandic media. The media was however, very interested in the Columbian and Kosovar resettlement refugees who came to Iceland in 2005.
The Icelandic government decided to invite 31 resettlement refugees to Iceland in cooperation with UNHCR. Seven are from Kosovo while 24 are single women and single mothers from Columbia (from the Women-at-Risk project). A resettlement program is offered for a period of 12 months. By the end of the resettlement program all the refugees were either in school or working except from three who were not fit to work due to health and/or age.
Reception centre:
All asylum seekers in Iceland are accommodated in a Reception Centre run by the Municipality of Reykjanesbær which is located close to Keflavik International Airport. All asylum seekers stay there unless they know someone who is willing to accommodate them or they have been granted temporary permission to stay and work while their case is being processed.[2] Asylum seekers cook for themselves.
Asylum seekers are provided with ISK 2000 (25 EURO) a week as a pocket money after being in the country for four weeks. The Icelandic Red Cross has access to the Reception Centre at all times.
Rejected asylum seekers:
Asylum seekers who have received final rejection but can not be deported to their country of origin or another state may be asked to leave the Reception Centre after a certain period of time. They can, however, often apply for temporary permission to stay and work in order to support themselves. Most asylum seekers are eventually deported.
Voluntary return:
Not applicable.
Assistance to asylum seekers who are granted some sort of protection:
Those who are granted permission to stay in Iceland on humanitarian grounds are not offered similar assistance as is offered to the resettlement refugees. Neither are they provided with accommodation or given assistance to find employment.
Education for children:
Children of asylum-seekers are required to stay in Iceland for three months before gaining access to primary school or kindergarten.
3. Asylum-seekers/migrants issues raised in your country
· Lack of language courses for immigrants.
· Mass influx of immigrants.
· Difficult for foreigners to have their education evaluated in Iceland.
· Concerns over many foreign teenagers dropping out of high school and seeking higher education.
· Many foreigners do not understand their employment contracts
· Concerns about trafficking in human beings in Iceland.
· Debate on work permits of foreign workers.
4. Red Cross activities in the field of migration (asylum, migration, irregular migration)
The Icelandic Red Cross is representing the UNHCR in Iceland.
· Informal agreement with the Ministry of Justice: The Ministry of Justice has agreed to allow the Icelandic Red Cross (IRC) to monitor the procedure of asylum applications lodged in Iceland and to monitor the accommodation and the facilities in general. The IRC is also allowed to comment on the asylum procedure, either in individual case or the category as a whole.
· Different role of the IRC in the area of asylum seekers: From January 2004, the IRC has not provided accommodation nor material assistance to asylum seekers since that role moved from the IRC to the Social Service of Reykjanesbær (small town near to the international airport). The role of the IRC has therefore changed and now the focus is on the role of advocacy and monitoring. The IRC inter alia provides the following services to asylum seekers:
· Monitoring the accommodation and facilities of asylum seekers.
· The IRC is present during interviews of asylum seekers with the police and is also present when rulings are delivered to asylum seekers. The IRC also guards the rights of asylum seekers.
· Provide information to asylum seekers about the procedure of their application in Iceland – assist asylum seekers to receive information regarding their case.
· Provides lawyer to asylum seekers in exceptional cases.
· Advocacy:
o General information to the media regarding asylum issues
o Campaigns against intolerance and xenophobia.
o Training/education about asylum seekers/refugees
§ In cooperation with the UNHCR field office in Stockholm, the Icelandic Red Cross has provided an annual workshop for government officials and NGO staff members who work with asylum seekers.
· International tracing and message service.
· Working closely with the government in selecting and integrating resettlement refugees. The Icelandic Red Cross has a representative in the Refugee Committee along with a representative from the Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
· In 2005 the Reykjavik branch of the Red Cross still owned the Intercultural Center in Reykjavik. The Intercultural Center is an expert knowledge and information base, provides translation and interpretation services, education, and supports and conducts research, with the aim being to ease the transition into Icelandic society and to help all to enjoy the benefits of our multicultural society.
· The Icelandic Red Cross offers resettlement refugees interviews with a psychologist and is planning to widen that service to asylum seekers in desperate need.
· In 2006, Red Cross volunteers will start to visit asylum seekers in Reykjanesbær once a week to promote social inclusion.
Mapping of Red Cross / Red Crescent activities
In the field of migration
ICELAND 2006
PERCO – Platform for European Red Cross Cooperation on Refugees Asylum Seekers and Migrants
Target Group / Title of Activity / Short Description of Activity / Provider of activity within RC (National Headquarter, regional / local Branch, etc.)Asylum-Seekers / Training on refugee law and asylum law in cooperation with UNHCR FO Stockholm. Discussion with authorities in Iceland. / Once a year, a seminar is held for lawyers, RC volunteers and staff in cooperation with UNHCR FO Stockholm. Also a meeting is organised with the authorities. / HQ, UNHCR, authorities.
Protection/Advocacy/
Monitoring / Red Cross staff or RC volunteers are present during the asylum seeker’s interview with the police/immigration. Also when a decision is delivered. According to an agreement with the Ministry of Justice, the RC is entitled to monitor the procedure and accommodation and to make comments. Counselling and advice to asylum seekers. / National HQ, local branch. Lawyers.
Social support. / Red Cross volunteers visit asylum seekers once a week to chat, play cards, assist with learning Icelandic or English or to share information about Icelandic society. / Red Cross branch in Hafnarfjordur.
Study on legal and social conditions for asylum seekers in Iceland. / Study is being done on legal and social conditions for asylum seekers in Iceland. Expected to be published in 2007. / HQ and the Icelandic Centre for Human Rights.
Volunteer work / Asylum seekers can do voluntary work at the Red Cross clothing centre in Hafnarfjordur. / Red Cross clothing centre.
Assistance to asylum seekers who are allowed to stay in Iceland. / Assistance in making CV’s, getting social security number, communications with Directorate of Immigration, Social Service etc. Give information about the employment market and how to find accommodation and employment. / HQ
Other assistance: counselling and support for individual asylum seekers. / The IRC provides information to asylum seekers about the asylum system in Iceland, how to contact the authorities in order to recieve information about their cases and how to submit additional information to the authorities. / HQ
Refugees / Refugee-guiding / Resettlement refugees are offered the chance to have support from RC volunteers (families/individuals) who will guide them into their new society. This support is officially offered for a period of 12 months. Together refugees and their support guides build a social network. They learn the language better, and get easier access to the local community. Good method to look for a job and to get into contact with local people. / Local Branches and volunteers, together with the Headquarters.
Information service / To all foreigners approaching us for help and guidance due to immigration law, social and welfare questions. / Headquarters and Inter Cultural Centre.
Committee on resettlement refugees / The Icelandic Red Cross is a member of a committee on resettlement refugees along with representatives of the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Social Affairs. In cooperation with UNHCR, the committee recommends to the government to accept refugees for resettlement in Iceland. The Red Cross organises the selection mission and has usually one representative on that mission. / HQ, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Social Affairs, and the Ministry of Justice.
Role-play “On the run” / During the role play participants acquire over the course of one day being a refugee as realistic as possible. / Red Cross Youth, with the Local branches and the Headquarters.
Psycho social support. / Individual interview. / HQ
Migrants, immigrants and others / Committee on Foreigners in Iceland / Meets once a month to share experience, knowledge, and to exchange with opinions. / The Red Cross, Inter Cultural Centre, Police, Municipality of Reykjavik, Directorate of Immigration, Social Welfare people, authorities etc.
Promotion of humanitarian values: / Has not been launched yet.
Support for foreign children / Lesson and Icelandic training for children in the centres. Homework assistance. / Local Branches, together with volunteers.
Prevention and information / Diversity and dialogue – a training course. / HQ, local branches.
Counselling/Advice / The Reykjavik branch of the Icelandic Red Cross is running a centre for immigrants/migrants. Assistance to make CV’s. Advocacy. Fight against discrimination, awareness raising, training, equal treatment, migrant’s voice, labor counselling and advising, handbooks, integration, education, language classes, legal counseling/advice, cultural and leisure activities / The Inter Cultural Centre (The Reykjavik branch of the Icelandic Red Cross)
Take off to the future / Support to Vietnamese young people 15-25, educational support, community support / Icelandic Red Cross, Municipality of Reykjavik, Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Education, Inter Cultural Centre, The Children’s Well being foundation.
Tracing / Tracing family members internationally where the family has been separated and has lost contact due to war or disasters. / Headquarter
Administrative
assistance / Information about family reunification and other immigrant issues, how the welfare system in Iceland functions. / Headquarter and local Branches.
Nations Festival and Nations Exibition Nights / Once a year this kind of festival is held to provide people from different countries living in Iceland opportunity to share their culture, customs and habits with other people from other countries. Education, awareness raising, fight against discrimination, migrant’s voice, mutual integration, participation, cultural and leisure activities. / Local branch, HQ, RC volunteers and immigrants/migrants.
Name and coordinates of the contact person for asylum/refugee/migration matters within your National Society:
Atli Vidar Thorstensen
Icelandic Red Cross
Efstaleiti 9, 103 Reykjavik
Iceland
TEL: + 354 570 4000
FAX: + 354 570 4010
Email:
[1] Including Nordic Passport Control Agreement returns.
[2] Those who can prove their identity by submitting passport or other credible ID cards are eligible for applying for such permissions.