Voluntary return

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In The Return from Egypt by James Tissot, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph voluntarily leave Egypt to go to Nazareth after King Herod's death. Brooklyn Museum - The Return from Egypt (Retour d'Egypte) - James Tissot - overall.jpg
In The Return from Egypt by James Tissot, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph voluntarily leave Egypt to go to Nazareth after King Herod's death.

Voluntary return or voluntary repatriation is usually the return of an illegal immigrant or over-stayer, a rejected asylum seeker, a refugee or displaced person, or an unaccompanied minor; sometimes it is the emigration of a second-generation immigrant [1] who makes an autonomous decision to return to their ethnic homeland when they are unable or unwilling to remain in the host country.

Contents

Overview

The terms are used in slightly different contexts and can refer to:

Some voluntary return programmes offer assisted voluntary return (AVR) and some voluntary return is spontaneous and independent without assistance.

Voluntary return of refugees

The concept of voluntary repatriation was first developed in the 1969 Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. It was agreed that:

"The sending state, in collaboration with the receiving state, must make adequate arrangements for the safe return of refugees who request repatriation, while the country of origin must facilitate their resettlement and grant them the full rights and privileges of nationals of the country, and subject them to the same obligations." [3]

Controversies

Support offered

The UNHCR and the IOM offer assistance to refugees who want to return voluntarily and to other people in need of support for returning to their home countries. This includes administrative, logistical, financial and reintegration support. Many developed countries also provide assistance and voluntary return programmes independent from the IOM and the UNHCR. Support includes making travel arrangements and paying for the journey. Support may also include financial support so that returnees can make sustainable investments and can build their lives again. Connecting people with networks and groups in the country of origin so that they will get support from local organisations.[ citation needed ]

When one takes part in assisted voluntary return programs (AVR), the applicant is giving up their claim as a refugee or asylum-seeker. Many times this includes a five-year travel ban restricting the individual from returning to the host country, [6] similar to deportation. According to interviews with IOM workers and files on return migrants who took part in their program, it is not uncommon for return migrants to feel pressured into applying to AVR programs due to financial hardships, lack of employment, fear of deportation, etc. [7]

Government policies and incentives

Europe

Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium – Return and Emigration of Asylum Seekers Ex Belgium programme: This program is open to asylum seekers and third-country nationals who want to return to their country of origin or to voluntarily emigrate to a third world country. As this program is voluntary, one can retract their application if ever they change their mind. Applicants are offered travel support, including counselling prior to departure, assistance during their flight and travel cost. Applicants are also offered some monetary compensation to get them to their home from the airport. Financial support is also offered to aid in the reintegration process, partially funded by the European Return Fund. [8]

Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark – with a history of financially incentivising the voluntary return of immigrants, [9] Denmark raised the amount to 100,000 kroner per person (around €13,000 EUR or US$20,000 [10] ) in 2009. [11] Peter Skaarup, deputy leader of the Danish People's Party, explained the scheme was aimed at immigrants from outside the EU and non-Nordic nations, targeting "nationals from non-Western countries who are struggling to adapt to Danish society". The Danish government also allocated 20 million kroner for city councils, to "motivate foreigners to return home". [12]

Flag of France.svg France – from 2005 around 3,000 immigrant families were paid to voluntarily leave France. By 2007, under newly elected President Nicolas Sarkozy, the French government started an enhanced scheme offering €6,000 per immigrant family to return to their country of origin. Brice Hortefeux, Immigration Minister, stated that France "must increase this measure to help voluntary return". [13] In 2016, in response to the European migrant crisis, the government had rapidly risen the offer from €350 to €2,500 per individual. [14] In 2017, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb reconfirmed the commitment to raise the monetary offer for immigrants to leave France.[ citation needed ]

Flag of Germany.svg Germany – with 35,000 voluntary returns in 2015, Germany allocated an extra €150 million over three years for migrants willing to return to their homelands. [15] The policy saw an increase to 55,000 repatriations in the first year. [16] In February 2017, under the 'Starthilfe Plus' scheme, immigrants were offered up to €1,000 each, or €3,000 to families, to leave the country and withdraw applications for asylum or residency. [17] As of October 2017, 8,639 immigrants had returned home via the government program. [18] [19] In December 2017, under the slogan "Your country. Your future. Now!", [20] the German government began offering grants for new kitchens and bathrooms, as well as one year's worth of paid rent, in the country of origin of an immigrant choosing to return home. [21]

Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland – in 2009, the Republic of Ireland government began offering repatriations grants to immigrants from nations outside the European Union to return home. The move was motivated by the Irish economic recession, with the EU-funded project attempting to "persuade foreign workers and asylum seekers to return to their country of origin". [22]

Flag of Italy.svg Italy – in 2013, the Italian government offered African migrants, mainly from Ghana, Libya and Togo, up to €500 to leave the country and travel onwards to Germany, France or northern European nations. Detlef Scheele, Hamburgs social affairs minister, dealing with multiple arrivals from Italy, declared that the immigrants had "no legal right to stay" and would return to Italy or back to their home countries. [23] [24]

Flag of Norway.svg Norway – in 2016 the Norwegian government offered the first 500 asylum seekers to take a 10,000 kroner "bonus" to leave the country voluntarily, in addition to the 20,000 kroner already offered per person. [25] Sylvi Listhaug, Integration Minister of Norway, claimed the move might "entice" immigrants to "voluntarily travel back by giving them a bit more money on their way out". [26]

Flag of Spain.svg Spain – in 2008, struggling from recession and with unemployment towards 30%, the Spanish government proposed a 'Voluntary Return Plan'. Mainly targeting immigrants from South America, the Spanish labour ministry identified around 100,000 individuals from 19 countries which would be eligible for the scheme. [27] In 2011, Anna Terrón, Secretary of State for Immigration, claimed the scheme "helps everyone if those who want to return to their country of origin are able to." [28]

Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden – in August 2007, the Swedish government began offering asylum seekers who were rejected permanent residency the equivalent of £3,500 per immigrant for a voluntary return to their country of origin. [29] [30] This resulted in a record 4,542 immigrants taking part in the scheme, and returning home in the first 8 months of 2016. [31]

Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland – the Swiss government, following in the footsteps of Denmark, began a policy of confiscating any property of illegal immigrants with a value over 1,000 Swiss francs. However, the 2016 policy included an incentive for migrants to return to their country of origin, with the SEM stating that "if someone leaves voluntarily within seven months this person can get the money back and take it with them." [32] [33]

Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom – in 2006, asylum seekers and illegal immigrants were offered up to £3,000 per individual to leave the country. Job training, education as well as travel costs were included in the scheme, with an expected uptake of 3,000 people, costing the British taxpayer an estimated £6.2 million. [34] By 2010, the annual cost had risen to £16 million, with Immigration Minister Damian Green announcing a reduction from the 5-year delay on re-entry applications, to further incentivise quick voluntary repatriations.[ citation needed ]

North America

Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada – the Canadian government opted to not renew their 'Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration' pilot program in early 2015, after an evaluation by the Canada Border Services Agency. The program sought to reduce the number of failed asylum appeals and incentivize voluntarily leaving the country, but did not achieve all its objectives. [37]

Flag of the United States.svg United States – in 2018, the American government announced the end of temporary protected status (TPS) for 200,000 Salvadoran immigrants. The decision, implemented by President Donald Trump, gave an 18-month period for immigrants to find a legal route to staying in the U.S. or to return to their country of origin. The termination of TPS comes into effect on September 9, 2019, granting immigrants a grace period for voluntarily repatriation, before facing deportation beyond that date. [38]

Rest of world

Flag of Israel.svg Israel – the Israeli government withhold 20 percent of asylum seekers' wages, in an attempt to encourage individuals to leave the country, where they will have access to the funds upon return to their homeland. The scheme was launched from May 2016, and currently applies to asylum seekers from Sudan and Eritrea. [39]

Flag of Japan.svg Japan – after the 2008 recession, Japan initiated a policy of paying unemployed workers to leave the country, mainly targeting the Latin American Dekasegi population for voluntary return. [40] The incentivised scheme offered $3,000 (USD), plus $2,000 per dependent, and came with additional clauses that children of the returnee (second-generation immigrants) would not be able to later emigrate to Japan regardless of circumstance. [1]

UNHCR refugee return statistics

Voluntary return movements of refugees between 2014 and 1998 [41]
End-year199820002002200420062008201020122014
Returned refugees1,016,400767,5002,426,0001,434,400733,700603,800197,700525,900126,800
Voluntary return movements of refugees by country between 2014 and 2010
Returning fromReturning to20142013 [42] 2012 [43] 2011 [44] 2010 [45]
TotalUNHCR assistedTotalUNHCR assistedTotalUNHCR assistedTotalUNHCR assistedTotalUNHCR assisted
AfghanistanIndia2101601207011050
AfghanistanIran4,5104,5108,2508,25015,04015,04018,85018,8508,4908,490
AfghanistanPakistan12,99012,26031,22030,39083,42080,00052,10049,160109,380109,380
AngolaBotswana430430
AngolaCongo180180190190
Angola DRC 12,48012,48015,57015,5701,5401,540
AngolaNamibia2,8102,810
AngolaZambia1,6201,6201,1601,1601,0909802,3702,370400400
Bosnia Germany1800
Bosnia Sweden2000
Burundi DRC 9009001,5001,5004804803,9403,9403,6403,640
BurundiKenya290290
BurundiTanzania51051035,20035,2003403401,0101,010
CameroonNigeria390390
CAR Cameroon3503502,5002,500
CAR Chad1,9701,9706,4706,470
ChadCameroon3803801,7101,710
Chad CAR 270270
CongoGabon710710
Côte d'IvoireBenin100100110110
Côte d'IvoireGuinea390390
Côte d'IvoireLiberia12,21012,20018,72018,27071,9907,110135,110135,110
Côte d'IvoireMali160160
Côte d'IvoireTogo660660460410
Croatia Bosnia 160160230230400110
CroatiaSerbia120120410410200200
DRC Burundi2902902602604904901,1001,100
DRC CAR 6,9706,97031010790011,6400
DRC Congo10,07010,07062,87062,87046,39046,39076020
DRC South Sudan2,5102,510
DRC Sudan4,47002,4400
DRC Uganda5,5405,5403201021,910107,99006,18010
DRC Tanzania100100
DRC Zambia1301309,2709,270
EthiopiaSouth Sudan440440
IraqAustria360360
IraqEgypt100100
IraqFrance100100
IraqGermany320320
IraqGreece450450
IraqIndonesia960960
IraqIran280280
IraqItaly350350
IraqJordan750750
IraqKazakhstan2,3102,310
IraqLebanon110110
IraqLibya240240
IraqNew Zealand370370
IraqNorway250250
IraqSyria1,9601,960
IraqTurkey120120
Iraq UAE 430430
Iraq UK 740740
Iraqvarious/unknown60,88048,19082,27040,46067,09067,09028,82025,180
KenyaUganda320320
LiberiaCôte d'Ivoire17,59017,5901,1701,170920920
LiberiaGambia330330
LiberiaGhana4,7104,710470470180180
LiberiaGuinea5,5505,550120120
LiberiaNigeria170170
LiberiaSierra Leone1,0301,030
LibyaTunisia1,0500148,9500
MaliAlgeria2,3702,3709200
MaliBurkina Faso7,7407,7403,760110
MaliMauritania4,5504,5503,9002,050
MaliNiger6,3006,3005,6902,760
MauritaniaSenegal6,2106,2101,3701,3701,3901,390
MyanmarThailand3,0000
PakistanAfghanistan3,4500
Rwanda DRC 5,6505,6507,2007,20010,78010,7808,3508,35010,81010,810
RwandaUganda410410380380
SerbiaMacedonia250210160150
SerbiaMontenegro130130120120200200
SomaliaEthiopia4,4800
SomaliaEthiopia49049028,8300
SomaliaSudan1300
SomaliaYemen1,99002,62030110110
South SudanIsrael330160
South SudanUganda2802801,9101,910890890
Sri LankaIndia5004009107101,4501,2602,3101,6705,0405,040
SudanChad13,11013,11016,94016,94017,66017,66030,89014,6704,0000
SudanEgypt150150140120250250
SudanEthiopia270270
SudanIsrael100100
SudanLibya17,82017,820
SudanUganda1,6701,6708108102,6702,670
SyriaTurkey140,760068,5700
TogoBenin100100
TurkeyIraq2400
ZimbabweSouth Africa10060

Voluntary return of other migrants

Voluntary return statistics

Voluntary returns via IOM AVRR between 2014 and 2010 [46]
Country/Territorydeparted from country/territoryreturned to country/territory
20112012201320142011201220132014
Afghanistan 178342,0191,6241,304
Albania 2853303261,239
Algeria 11817614041
Angola 108696976
Antigua and Barbuda 11
Argentina 231231407789
Armenia 504532448435
Australia4784286998002242
Austria2,8802,6012,8962,2991127
Azerbaijan 180220216249
Bahamas 51
Bahrain 1
Bangladesh 1261,2082,0001,334
Barbados 101
Belarus 88281269188159
Belgium3,3584,6944,3883,4592511
Belize 211
Benin 200937197319
Bermuda 4
Bhutan 21
Bolivia 300256225183
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1642215009351,511
Botswana 18123
Brazil 1,9031,8021,418881
Bulgaria 675114733076908275
Burkina Faso 214620891
Burundi 1031333429
Cambodia 8315306430
Cameroon 5211190159345
Canada8622,0241,244136727
Cape Verde 18192525
CAR 11
Chad 16942315
Chile 113183169120
China1873674657519
Colombia 207346320293
Comoros 526
Congo 26142674
DRC 8218710996
Costa Rica 93212917
Ivory Coast 15481215316
Croatia 4276140120
Cuba 1391520
Czech Republic 2022231461737608264
Denmark646621911081923
Dominican Republic 1,209171813934
Ecuador 2752780356276
Egypt 5429618517393221366501
El Salvador 219479079
Equatorial Guinea 4312
Eritrea 11131113
Estonia 829172381169
Eswatini 32
Ethiopia 1,1271,5155421,610
Fiji 16101116
Finland 3043273423181
France638611108
Gabon 21
Gambia 5622130076
Georgia 45957061,1571,874
Germany6,3197,54610,25113,574162296
Ghana 1710226324355222
Greece 7607,2909,3257,35738715
Grenada 21
Guatemala 219282825
Guinea 1021312161142244270
Guinea-Bissau 15556833
Guyana 4132
Haiti 1,2116751
Honduras 3357395113
Hong Kong 37114469
Hungary365414353491303471,099517
India68515415604530
Indonesia 297955561175145184139
Iran 4315501,3461,219
Iraq 2,6672,4721,9301,280
Ireland40235934018810191512
Israel39336415
Italy5068489938672617721
Jamaica 14171317
Japan472472
Jordan 2551666899
Kazakhstan 58207182147
Kenya 543153756848
Kiribati 1
South Korea 241164557
Kosovo 1,5691,3341,5421,546
Kuwait 122
Kyrgyzstan 8011912381
Laos 1412
Latvia 7389829425516
Lebanon 1039560143
Liberia 19153418
Libya 17284721827508082
Liechtenstein 5
Lithuania 476543661211415
Luxembourg 10197116186
Macau 7
Macedonia 1,9611,8722,5262,387
Madagascar 59115
Malawi 3831512
Malaysia 36231144422021
Mali 21875532173126
Malta 2939557213
Mauretania 18183514
Mauritius 232377375831
Mexico1,1418971725201905645
Moldova 387310248199213149
Mongolia 14632527458541
Montenegro 2612783174
Morocco 440894981,158135523482416
Mozambique 121197
Myanmar 1154872137
Namibia 223417
Nepal 147202205136
Nauru 501746
Netherlands 3,4732,9052,4892,269111085
New Zealand2332
Nicaragua 1213414232535
Niger 7882615483130
Nigeria 2623689914609
Norway1,8131,7531,8991,6225414
Oman 1
Pakistan 5864,3245,6063,860
Palestinian territories 84604121
Panama 115733
Papua New Guinea 53177278312213
Paraguay 474604975
Peru 23149149183207
Philippines 192132244198
Poland 1,1497531,9491,46334655244
Portugal 594753692412231516
Puerto Rico 1
Qatar 1
Réunion 1
Romania 131312197113198168140776
Russia12117102,5612,6075,0484,538
Rwanda 32403521
Saint Kitts and Nevis 1
Saint Lucia 1133923
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5212
Samoa 1411
São Tomé and Príncipe 1623147
Saudi Arabia 145
Senegal 11124201328283
Serbia 2,9213,9173,9334,570
Seychelles 111
Sierra Leone 625293723
Singapore 34111
Slovakia 9554505751141181188
Slovenia 1111201611101
Solomon Islands 11
Somalia 99011,0051413
South Africa 19724748362038
South Sudan 1512074
Spain8237857588891412921
Sri Lanka 1205847409374
Sudan 66276161216
Suriname 32465658
Sweden789898638141210
Switzerland1,1302,2891,65547853
Syria 7713
Taiwan 14
Tajikistan 74454977
Tanzania 91258958475035
Thailand 491325172422
East Timor 11
Togo 1832521267431
Tonga 621
Trinidad and Tobago 485
Tunisia 925199278451609139
Turkey 200569618495384371256276
Turkmenistan 1889744
Turks and Caicos 3
Uganda 47625170
Ukraine 1597221699677789970
UAE 7182
UK 874253415950
United States761373241
Uruguay 107394233
Uzbekistan 148200159190
Vanuatu 15
Venezuela 34344534
Vietnam 1371215251179
Yemen 12879433582711404629
Zambia 3420844
Zimbabwe 9035512

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The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency mandated to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a third country. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with over 18,879 staff working in 138 countries as of 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Refugee</span> Displaced person

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