Legal News

A scheme to repatriate immigrants who arrive in Greece is likely to help 1,300 migrants return to their home countries – at a cost of £2 million to the British taxpayer.

The Home Office says that the scheme will save money on costly legal battles – illegal immigrants detained pending deportation from the UK are entitled to Legal Aid to fight their case.

The British ambassador in Athens announced the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme two weeks ago, in a bid to try and prevent migrants entering Greece and making their way across EU member states to the UK.

The repatriation programme from Greece is being run for the Home Office by the International Organisation for Migration.

The move follows efforts by David Cameron to limit access to welfare benefits for migrants new to the UK, by imposing a three-month waiting period before new migrants can claim out-of-work benefits.

The tightening up of access to welfare to migrants in the UK has been strongly condemned by the European Commission.

David Cameron has also announced a minimum wage of £150 and a minimum working week of 24 hours for migrants before they become eligible for out-of-work welfare benefits. The limits have been set to equal the minimum wage in Britain.

Greece is known to be one of the main points of entry to European member states for migrants fleeing persecution from countries like Syria and Afghanistan. Many migrants risk their lives in vessels which are not seaworthy to reach the Greek shoreline.

The EC has increased surveillance of the Mediterranean Sea to try and prevent further tragedies involving migrants drowning before they reach Greece. Many migrants who make their way to Greece may have paid large sums to trafficking gangs to take them to EU countries.

The Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme offers free flights home at an average cost of £1,300 to migrants arriving in Greece.

The scheme is likely to target economic migrants and those considered “high-risk” by the Home Office – including migrants from India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The UN Refugee Agency recently called on countries like Britain to accept more refugees – including refugees from Syria. The UN has asked EU member states and other countries to accept up to 100,000 Syrian refugees.

Britain initially refused to accept any Syrian refugees, saying that the UK already contributes £500m in aid to Syria’s refugee camps. However, David Cameron later agreed to take some of the most vulnerable refugees.

As many as two million people in Syria may have been displaced by the ongoing political crisis.

Duncan Lewis Immigration Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of immigration solicitors and can advise migrants to the UK on issues such as welfare benefits for migrants, right to work in the UK, asylum and asylum appeals and detention.

Duncan Lewis is also a leading Legal Aid solicitor and can advise on student visas and breaches of student visas, or visa overstays in the UK and illegal entry to the UK.

For expert legal advice on immigration and asylum in the UK contact Duncan Lewis immigration solicitors on 020 7923 4020.