The images of these thousands of people trying by all means to reach Europe are moving or worrying. Here is an overview of the main clichés circulating in France about asylum seekers fleeing war or dictatorship.
Common misconception #1: They are going to invade France
In 2015, as in 2014, France will receive 65,000 asylum seekers. This amounts to 980 people per million inhabitants. Proportionally, France ranks 17th in Europe, behind countries like Switzerland, Belgium, or Luxembourg. Furthermore, not all these asylum seekers will become refugees, and therefore legal migrants.
In 2014, less than 22% obtained their status, while the European average is 45%. Finally, France has committed to welcoming 33,000 more refugees over two years.
Common misconception #2: They come to seek France’s generous social benefits
Migrants aim to reach Sweden or Germany, where the social benefits are equivalent to those offered by France, but also the United Kingdom, where these benefits are very low. This shows that the attraction effect of benefits is minor.
Moreover, as long as they do not have refugee status, which is granted on average after nine months, asylum seekers do not have access to the same social benefits as nationals and they are also not allowed to work.
During this period, they must live with 91 euros per month if they are housed in a center or 343 euros if they do not have accommodation. This is less than the RSA (524 euros for a single person) or the minimum old-age pension (800 euros). Finally, when they become refugees, thus legal migrants with the right to work, studies show that they contribute more to social security than they cost.
Common misconception #3: They are here to take our jobs
The arrival of migrants can only affect those who are most immediately substitutable, that is, immigrants from previous generations and the least qualified natives. These are exactly the people affected by mass unemployment, as the unemployment rate for unskilled workers reaches 20%.
Nevertheless, a 10% increase in the labor force is required to cause a 3% decrease in the employment rate of the least qualified. In other words, France would need to host 300,000 refugees for the impact to be measurable, while less than 15,000 migrants obtain refugee status, and thus the right to work, each year.
Common misconception #4: They should just migrate to “Muslim” countries
They do: of the 4.3 million Syrians who have fled their country since 2011, only 270,000, just over 6%, have reached Europe. The remaining 94% have found refuge in Turkey (1.8 million people), Lebanon (1.2 million), Jordan (630,000), Egypt (130,000), North Africa (24,000)… and even in Iraq (250,000).
However, they do not go to the wealthy Gulf countries, which close their doors to them for fear of importing their aspirations for freedom, rights, and social justice.
In any case, Syrians do not want to go to countries where migrant workers are extremely poorly treated. If they are fleeing a dictatorship, it is not to join another authoritarian regime… They aspire to live in a democracy.
Indeed, it was for this ideal they fought in 2011.
