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Norway is offering its asylum seekers a £840 “bonus” if they agree to leave the country voluntarily.
The Norwegain Directorate of Immigration (UDI) said the measure had been brought in as a cheaper alternative to paying for refugees to stay in immigration centres in the country.
Launched on Monday, the “offer” will run for six weeks and is paid on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.
Applicants must have arrived in Norway before 1 April this year and only the first 500 asylum seekers who apply will receive the extra funds.
“We need to entice more [people] to voluntarily travel back by giving them a bit more money on their way out,” she said. “This will save us a lot of money because it is expensive to have people in the asylum centres.”
“There are also many who are not entitled to asylum and are going to be rejected,” she added. “It's better for us to encourage them to travel back.”
The 10,000 kroner “expenses bonus” will be paid in addition to the 20,000 kroner already offered to migrants and refugees who choose to leave Norway, as part of a financial incentive brought in by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) last year.
Norway offers refugees £840 'bonus' to leave the country | News | The Independent
The Norwegain Directorate of Immigration (UDI) said the measure had been brought in as a cheaper alternative to paying for refugees to stay in immigration centres in the country.
Launched on Monday, the “offer” will run for six weeks and is paid on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.
Applicants must have arrived in Norway before 1 April this year and only the first 500 asylum seekers who apply will receive the extra funds.
“We need to entice more [people] to voluntarily travel back by giving them a bit more money on their way out,” she said. “This will save us a lot of money because it is expensive to have people in the asylum centres.”
“There are also many who are not entitled to asylum and are going to be rejected,” she added. “It's better for us to encourage them to travel back.”
The 10,000 kroner “expenses bonus” will be paid in addition to the 20,000 kroner already offered to migrants and refugees who choose to leave Norway, as part of a financial incentive brought in by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) last year.
Norway offers refugees £840 'bonus' to leave the country | News | The Independent
