GA EAPN Limassol 10.-12.6.2010 1 Contributing to ending poverty amongst migrants in Czech Republic Between state and clients using Ministry of Interior

GA EAPN Limassol 10.-12.6.2010 GA EAPN Limassol 10.-12.6.2010 11

Contributing to ending poverty Contributing to ending poverty amongst migrants in amongst migrants in

Czech RepublicCzech Republic

Between state and clientsBetween state and clientsusing Ministry of Interior CR and NGOs´ using Ministry of Interior CR and NGOs´

materialsmaterialsby Milena Černáby Milena Černá


IntroductionIntroduction

EAPN Czech Republic presentsEAPN Czech Republic presents::

a survey of migrants/immigrants situationa survey of migrants/immigrants situation

trends and basic legislativetrends and basic legislative

NGOs providing information and support to NGOs providing information and support to refugees and migrants in Czech Republic refugees and migrants in Czech Republic

GA EAPN GA EAPN LimassolLimassol 10.-12.6.2010 10.-12.6.2010 33

Reasons of migration Reasons of migration

migration voluntary (study, job) and forced (to migration voluntary (study, job) and forced (to avoid repression, disasters, war or violence)avoid repression, disasters, war or violence)

migration legal (manpower) and illegal migration legal (manpower) and illegal

(criminality)(criminality)

now, the most frequent reason of migration is now, the most frequent reason of migration is looking for better life conditions; there is a big looking for better life conditions; there is a big difference between richness of certain difference between richness of certain countries, their powerful economics and level countries, their powerful economics and level of livingof living


Basic legislativeBasic legislative

Asylum law 1992/2007;Asylum law 1992/2007;

Law on stay of foreigners in the territory of Law on stay of foreigners in the territory of Czech Republic 1999/2008;Czech Republic 1999/2008;

Government Decree on integration of Government Decree on integration of foreigners, 2003foreigners, 2003


Asylum centers in CRAsylum centers in CR

AdmissionAdmission centers: 2 centers: 2

Accommodation Accommodation centers: 4 centers: 4

Integration centers: Integration centers: 55

Total capacity Total capacity 1 5381 538

Vyšní Lhoty,Vyšní Lhoty,

Prague Prague Ruzyně Ruzyně airportairport

Capacity Capacity

630630

Zastávka, Zastávka, Havířov, Havířov, Kostelec nad Kostelec nad O.,Stráž pod O.,Stráž pod R.R.

CapacityCapacity

649649

Havířov, Havířov, Jaroměř, Jaroměř, Předlice, Stráž Předlice, Stráž p. R., p. R., ZastávkaZastávka

CapacityCapacity

259259


Children from accommodation center Kostelec in the Castle Children from accommodation center Kostelec in the Castle Garden ČastoloviceGarden Častolovice


Politics of Czech government in Politics of Czech government in the the field of foreigner´s field of foreigner´s

migration migration Changing approach: from the passive Changing approach: from the passive

„protection“ to active utilization of „protection“ to active utilization of migration or immigrationmigration or immigration

Co-operation all actorsCo-operation all actors

The role of NGOs is to clear up the general The role of NGOs is to clear up the general aversion to foreigners and to help aversion to foreigners and to help migrants to understand Czech habits and migrants to understand Czech habits and culture culture


Asylums Policy in the Czech Asylums Policy in the Czech Republic Republic

Czech Republic is considered as a transit and Czech Republic is considered as a transit and continually target country as wellcontinually target country as well

In 2009, Ministry of Interior CR registered In 2009, Ministry of Interior CR registered 1 268 requests of international protection, while 1 268 requests of international protection, while

633 new and 625 repeated633 new and 625 repeated

The most represented country was Ukraine, The most represented country was Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Turkey and Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Turkey and VietnamVietnam

Asylum has been given to 7% of requested onlyAsylum has been given to 7% of requested only


Czech Republic and EUCzech Republic and EU

Persons requesting visa longer than 90 Persons requesting visa longer than 90 days create potential target group for days create potential target group for legal migration legal migration

Participation of the Czech Republic on the Participation of the Czech Republic on the number of international protection number of international protection requests in EU states is lowrequests in EU states is low

Czech Republic with its 0,7 % requests Czech Republic with its 0,7 % requests among 27 states of EU ranks 18th placeamong 27 states of EU ranks 18th place


Visa over 90 days requests 2008Visa over 90 days requests 2008

StateState Number of Number of requestsrequests

SatisfiedSatisfied %%

RussiaRussia 320 048320 048 310 770310 770 97,197,1

UkraineUkraine 214 314214 314 193 245193 245 90,190,1

VietnamVietnam 33 74233 742 29 10429 104 86,386,3

Serbia and M. N.Serbia and M. N. 27 59527 595 26 42326 423 95,895,8

ByelorussiaByelorussia 23 19923 199 22 10722 107 95,395,3

Tchai-wanTchai-wan 16 46316 463 16 16716 167 98,298,2

MoldaviaMoldavia 15 23015 230 13 01113 011 85,485,4

MongoliaMongolia 13 64613 646 10 28610 286 75,475,4


Where migrants are going from the Where migrants are going from the Czech Republic? Czech Republic? Data from 2008Data from 2008

StateState PolandPoland AustriaAustria SlovakiaSlovakia GermanyGermany TotalTotal

PolandPoland 1515 11 1616

UkraineUkraine 1616 1616

RussiaRussia 99 99

VietnamVietnam 33 66 99

Bosnia Bosnia 44 44

AfghanistanAfghanistan 33 33

GruziaGruzia 33 33

JordanJordan 11 22 33

SerbiaSerbia 22 11 33


Labour migrationLabour migration

This group of migrants works in Czech Republic sending This group of migrants works in Czech Republic sending money to their families at home. They are Vietnamese, money to their families at home. They are Vietnamese, Mongolians etc. They have big problems. At home they Mongolians etc. They have big problems. At home they are indebted because they must pay back for travel are indebted because they must pay back for travel costs. If they have no job they have no food no health costs. If they have no job they have no food no health insurance and are not able to send money home. They insurance and are not able to send money home. They can´t accept the repatriation program from CR because can´t accept the repatriation program from CR because they are not able to pay debts when they work at home. they are not able to pay debts when they work at home. So, they live in poverty in CR, work illegally and are So, they live in poverty in CR, work illegally and are misused by mafia. The worst is that they were drawn on misused by mafia. The worst is that they were drawn on to the CR by domestic or strange agencies promising to the CR by domestic or strange agencies promising them high incomes.them high incomes.

System where mother or father (or both) work in CR and System where mother or father (or both) work in CR and send money home is problematic. It concerns mostly send money home is problematic. It concerns mostly Ukraine and Moldavia. They have children at home in Ukraine and Moldavia. They have children at home in care of grandparents. Obviously, it would be better to care of grandparents. Obviously, it would be better to support economic development in those countries in support economic development in those countries in order to let children live in entire families. order to let children live in entire families.

Economic crisis 2008 reflected at Economic crisis 2008 reflected at migrantsmigrants

Although CR has not been touched on Although CR has not been touched on economic crisis very much there were 6 to economic crisis very much there were 6 to 8 thousand migrants released.8 thousand migrants released.

Loosing job foreigners lose legality of their Loosing job foreigners lose legality of their stay.stay.

At the same time police strengthened At the same time police strengthened

actions to reveal people without stay right. actions to reveal people without stay right.



Problems with illegal migrationsProblems with illegal migrations

The general problem is that illegal The general problem is that illegal migration is not enough discussed.migration is not enough discussed.

People are forced to work for few People are forced to work for few money. Experiencing poverty they money. Experiencing poverty they take to criminality, prostitution etc.take to criminality, prostitution etc.

NGOs tried repeatedly to win NGOs tried repeatedly to win government to a general amnesty for government to a general amnesty for illegal migrants but stil without any illegal migrants but stil without any success. success.


Integration of foreigners in CR is Integration of foreigners in CR is mostly declared mostly declared

Families they want to include themselves Families they want to include themselves collide with unwillingness of public collide with unwillingness of public administration, discrimination, problems administration, discrimination, problems with foreigners policy.with foreigners policy.

NGOs they will help them are limited in NGOs they will help them are limited in financial support from the side of the state. financial support from the side of the state. Central administration will control and Central administration will control and regulate families by themselves.regulate families by themselves.

Ministry of Interior divides finances even Ministry of Interior divides finances even from EU prefering restrictive measures. It from EU prefering restrictive measures. It doesn´t favour civic initiatives. doesn´t favour civic initiatives.

Problems of migrants´familiesProblems of migrants´families

Even families having job experience Even families having job experience poverty. They pay high rents, health poverty. They pay high rents, health insurance and are not able to save money insurance and are not able to save money for future. Their children feel to be for future. Their children feel to be discriminated and live in poverty. discriminated and live in poverty.

To obtain durable permission for stay is To obtain durable permission for stay is

difficult and only few foreigners obtain difficult and only few foreigners obtain citizenship. This uncertainty reflects in citizenship. This uncertainty reflects in psychic and health problems of foreigners´psychic and health problems of foreigners´ families. families.



PrejudicesPrejudices

„„Foreigners take work Foreigners take work of our people“of our people“

„„I don´t trust to I don´t trust to foreigners because foreigners because they are different“they are different“

„„We have not enough We have not enough for our purposes“for our purposes“

Demographic Demographic development shows development shows decreasing of productive decreasing of productive populationpopulation

People have not People have not experience with culture experience with culture and history of other and history of other nationsnations

The absorption capacity The absorption capacity of CR is 10 % whereas of CR is 10 % whereas migrants constitute migrants constitute about 2,5 % of about 2,5 % of populationpopulation


Ministry of Interior tends to Ministry of Interior tends to substitute NGOs by state substitute NGOs by state

administrationadministration State administrative suppose NGOs should beState administrative suppose NGOs should becomecome its its

extended hand.extended hand.

NGOs should play the role predicated by Ministry of NGOs should play the role predicated by Ministry of Interior and authorities responsible for migration Interior and authorities responsible for migration politic. According NGOs migrants need support and politic. According NGOs migrants need support and advocacy. advocacy.

The tension between NGOs and state administrative The tension between NGOs and state administrative isn´t new but is worseningisn´t new but is worsening..


EAPN CREAPN CR

formulates clear opinion to the state policy formulates clear opinion to the state policy which might act in favour of migrants they which might act in favour of migrants they come to CR seeking work and security for come to CR seeking work and security for their familiestheir families

makes poverty of migrants visible to enhance makes poverty of migrants visible to enhance solidarity and tolerance at the majoritysolidarity and tolerance at the majority

let NGOs do their best to facilitate relationship let NGOs do their best to facilitate relationship between state administrative and migrants between state administrative and migrants


Milena Černá, president EAPN Milena Černá, president EAPN Czech RepublicCzech Republic [email protected], , [email protected]

Documents

GA EAPN Limassol 10.-12.6.2010 1 Contributing to ending poverty amongst migrants in Czech Republic Between state and clients using Ministry of Interior