Over 65 million people worldwide are on the run. At the beginning of 2018, most asylum seekers in Germany came from Syria, followed by Iraq and Afghanistan. These people are fleeing war and violence in their home countries. Other important countries of origin are Nigeria, Iran, Turkey, Georgia and Somalia. People from these countries seek protection in Germany from persecution, human rights violations and difficult living conditions. The number of refugees shows how important it is to offer them support and a safe haven.

Around a fifth of all refugees who come to Germany are accepted in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). This is calculated according to the “Königstein key”, which takes into account the population and tax revenue of each federal state. NRW has a distribution rate of 21.2 percent and thus takes in the most refugees. This is followed by Bavaria with 15.3% and Baden-Württemberg with 12.9%. This distribution helps to ensure that the burden of taking in refugees is shared fairly across all federal states, based on their size and economic strength.

The Arnsberg district government organizes the accommodation and care of refugees in the accommodation facilities in the Arnsberg administrative district. For the whole of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the Arnsberg district government also regulates the allocation of refugees to the 396 municipalities in the state. It also supports the full-time refugee advice centers in NRW. Their task is to ensure that refugees are well housed and cared for and that each municipality takes on its share of the reception of refugees.

There are two types of accommodation facilities in NRW: Initial Reception Facilities (EAE) and Central Accommodation Facilities (ZUE). In an EAE, refugees are registered, medically examined (e.g. vaccinations) and presented to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) in order to start the asylum procedure. Asylum seekers normally stay in an EAE for a week. They are then transferred to a ZUE. They remain there until a decision has been made on their asylum procedure before they are assigned to a municipality. People from safe countries of origin can remain in a ZUE even after a negative asylum decision. The accommodation facilities in NRW are managed by the five district governments.

NRW has a three-stage procedure for the admission of refugees:

1. Registration in Bochum (LEA): Refugees first register at the state reception center in Bochum. Here they are registered and receive important initial information.

2. Initial reception center (EAE): After a few hours, they are taken to an EAE, where they undergo a medical examination and submit their asylum application to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).

3. Central accommodation facilities (ZUE): After about a week, they are transferred to a ZUE. They remain here until they are assigned to a city or municipality in NRW.

In NRW, refugees receive everything they need during their stay in state facilities, such as food, accommodation, heating, clothing, healthcare and household items as benefits in kind. Clothing can sometimes be provided through vouchers, and household items are often borrowed. Refugees also receive benefits for personal needs. Where possible, these should also be provided as benefits in kind. In NRW, personal needs are currently covered by pocket money, the amount of which is specified in the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act.

In the accommodation facilities in NRW, the refugees are looked after by a support service. The district government concludes contracts to ensure the same quality standards. The supervisors take care of the furnishing, cleaning and catering of the facilities. A private security service is used for security. Employees of the district government are also on site, pay out pocket money and organize necessary transfers, such as visits to doctors or the immigration office.

After refugees have fulfilled their residency obligation in a state accommodation facility, they are assigned to a city or municipality in NRW. Before this happens, they must be registered, health-checked and x-rayed. They must also have been informed about vaccinations and have submitted their asylum application to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). The Arnsberg district government is responsible for allocating refugees to the 396 towns and municipalities in NRW.

Whether refugees are allowed to work depends on the length of their stay and their residence status. As long as they are staying in a state accommodation facility, they are not allowed to pursue gainful employment. After being assigned to a municipality and receiving a residence permit from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), they can be permitted to work after three months. The necessary permit must be obtained from the relevant immigration authority. Recognized asylum seekers are generally allowed to work without restriction. However, refugees are not permitted to work on a self-employed basis. Further information can be obtained from the BAMF or the relevant immigration authorities.