Up to 2000 euros

Italy wants to pay migrants money to leave the country

(Bild: AFP)

Italy wants to offer a financial incentive to any migrants who voluntarily decide to return to their home country. The plan is to provide 2,000 euros per person and an additional 1,000 euros for each additional family member.

According to the Ministry of the Interior's plan, each migrant will receive 615 euros in cash before departure or immediately after arrival in their home country to cover their initial accommodation needs. A further 2,000 euros are to be made available in the form of goods and services for a socio-economic reintegration plan in the country of origin. This will be used to rent a room in their home country, set up a small business or finance their children's education.

At least 2500 migrants to leave in three years
The Italian government is providing a total of five million euros from an asylum, migration and integration fund to repatriate at least 2,500 immigrants within three years. The fund is administered by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Tunisia and Morocco in particular are to benefit from this.

In a circular letter, the Ministry of the Interior calls on the heads of migrant reception centers and humanitarian organizations in Italy to inform foreigners about the possibility of returning home. This initiative, launched in the past by some humanitarian organizations, has never produced satisfactory results: less than 2500 migrants have left Italy voluntarily in the last five years.

Focus on "assisted voluntary returns"
"The government is aware of the difficulties involved in repatriating a large number of foreigners who have arrived in Italy without being able to claim any form of international protection and is therefore focusing on assisted voluntary repatriations," reported the Roman daily "La Repubblica" on Monday.

The IOM, with its staff in Italy and in 13 different countries of origin, will offer an advisory service for the various projects that the migrants concerned can start with the funds allocated to them. IOM staff will be responsible for monitoring the actual implementation of the funded project for six months.