A charter plane landed in France for a human trafficking investigation reached Mumbai early on Tuesday (December 26) with 276 Indians on board. The passengers had been en route to Nicaragua, but their flight was stopped at Varty Airport in France, where it had stopped to refuel en route from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to Managua, Nicaragua.
It is not yet clear why the Indians flew to Nicaragua and whether their final destination was the United States or Canada, where people often enter illegally from South American countries. 25 of the passengers did not return to India but sought asylum in France. They were moved to a special zone for asylum seekers at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport.
What benefits does France offer asylum seekers?
France has a generous system for asylum seekers, giving them up to 300 euros a month while they wait for their applications to be processed. You can apply for housing in the hundreds of asylum seeker housing projects across the country, and cheap meals are often available at food banks. According to Euronews, they will also receive free health insurance while their application is being reviewed.
Foreign residents receive social benefits, including assistance with paying rent, childcare, etc.
However, all this is set to change with a new, stricter immigration law approved by Parliament on December 19th.
What does the new law say?
The new law has deepened fault lines in the centrist coalition led by President Emmanuel Macron. France's left-leaning parties said the bill reflected the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the far right. Macron's far-right challenger Marine Le Pen described the bill as a “major ideological victory” for her Rassemblement National party. Health Minister Aurelien Rousseau resigned in protest.
An earlier version of the bill had to be rejected and some of its provisions tightened to ensure it was passed by Parliament.
The key changes brought by the bill include:
Longer wait for social assistance for non-EU migrants: People who are not from European Union countries and work in France must prove that they have been in the country for 30 months before they can receive social assistance benefits. If you don't work, you have to wait five years.
Review of access to medical care: Over the next year, the government will review current legislation that allows illegal residents full access to government-funded medical care, Portal reported.
Asylum seekers can be detained: Asylum seekers whose behavior poses a threat to public order may be placed in preventive detention, particularly if there is a risk that the asylum seeker will flee, Portal reported.
Stricter citizenship rules: Children of foreigners born in France no longer automatically receive French citizenship. Once they turn 16, they must apply for citizenship. Dual nationals can have their French nationality revoked if they are convicted of intentionally killing a police officer or government representative.
Students must pay a deposit: Foreign students applying for a student residence permit are required to pay a refundable deposit to cover possible “return costs” unless they have financial resources or excellent academic results. This is a provision that Maron himself has said he “doesn’t like” and will consider revising.
“Simpler” permits for industries with labor shortages: One measure touted by the government to support migrants is to allow non-EU foreigners working in labor shortage sectors, such as hospitality, construction and agriculture, to apply for residence and work permits. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said this would allow 7,000 to 10,000 undocumented migrant workers per year to obtain residence permits.
When does the law come into force?
The bill will be submitted to the Constitutional Council, which will examine whether it is compatible with the French constitution. It can repeal provisions that it considers unconstitutional. Only then will Macron put it into effect.
With input from agencies