Beneficiaries are allowed to stay in accommdation centres 3 months following their protection grant.1 This period can be renewed for another 3 months with the express agreement of OFII.2 During their stay in the accommodation centre, beneficiaries are supported to find accommodation according to the mechanisms adopted by the local authorities. They can also be chanelled to temporary accommodation centres (Centre provisoire d’hébergement, CPH) upon an OFII decision. They will be then allowed to stay there for 9 months. This stay can be renewed for a 3-month period.3
The implemenation of integration mechanims relies on Prefectures and local authorities. They sign in fact an agreement with the stakeholders to support and assist beneficiaries with their integration.4 Beneficiaires have to sign a republican integration covenant in which they commit to respect French fundamental values and to comply with French legal obligations.5 The agreement between Prefectures and local stakeholders determines the role of each actor and their obligations towards the beneficiaries.6 The organisations running these centres have to house the beneficiaries but also support them in their integration process. They have to assist them in getting access to French classes, funded by the French State, and accompany them in determining their professionnal orientation. At the end of their stay in CPH, beneficiaries fall under the general rules applicable to foreigners and have to integrate in the private market to get housing.
The actions implemented to facilitate beneficiaries integration vary from an area to another. 12 months, in case the initial duration of stay has been extended, may not be enough for beneficiairies to get integrated. France terre d’asile and Forum réfugiés – Cosi manage systems intending to facilitate this access to integration. These mechanisms are focused on beneficiaries’ integration but are based on the French general provisions dedicated to access to housing for insecure populations.
France terre d’asile runs three centres :
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A temporary accommodation scheme dedicated only to refugees from Paris (Dispositif provisoire d’hébergement des réfugiés statutaires de Paris, DPHRSP). Families of refugees, previsouly accommodated in centres in Paris, are accommodated in this scheme. Referrals are made by the aforementioned centres. This scheme includes 350 places. In 2015, 510 persons have benefited from it.7
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A one-place temporary accommodation centre in Angers : this centre is open to all beneficiaries and aims to facilitate their integration.
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The Réseau pour l’emploi et le logement des réfugiés (RELOREF) : an accommodation scheme composed by 29 apartments and offering 139 places. This mechanism aims to facilitate the access to housing and the labour market for refugees.8
Forum réfugies – Cosi runs the Accelair programme. This programme is dedicated to refugees living in Lyon area and who have been granted asylum for less than one year. On the basis of this programme, places are saved for refugees within the real estates managed by providers of social housing. Refugees registered in this programme are supported from 6 to 18 months. The duration of the support may depend on the individualised project of each beneficiary. This assistance aims to make refugees autnomous and to ensure their integration.9
- 1. Article R.744-12(I)(1) Ceseda.
- 2. Ibid.
- 3. Article R.349-1 Code of Social Action and Families as amended by Decree n. 2016-253 of 2 March 2016 relating to temporary accommodation centres for refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, available in French at: http://bit.ly/2jNt1xD.
- 4. Article L.751-1 Ceseda, as amended by Law n. 2016-274 of 7 March 2016.
- 5. Article L.311-9 Ceseda, as amended by Law n. 2016-274 of 7 March 2016.
- 6. This agreement is attached by to Decree n. 2016-253 of 2 March 2016.
- 7. France terre d’asile, DPHRS de Paris, available at: http://bit.ly/2jv6pAQ.
- 8. France terre d’asile, RELOREF, available at: http://bit.ly/2ljVMlN.
- 9. Forum réfugiés – Cosi, Programme d'intégration des réfugiés – Accelair, available at: http://bit.ly/1TCowBy.