France terre d’asile Estimates €3.3 Billion Annual Savings Through Humane Asylum Policies

A new report by France terre d’asile reveals that adopting a more humane and rational asylum policy in France could yield an annual positive economic impact of €3.3 billion. This figure emerges from proposed reforms aimed at improving the integration of asylum seekers, enabling quicker access to work, and regularizing the status of those economically integrated into French society.

The organization outlines five key measures to achieve these savings: increasing the number of places in the national reception system (DNA), allowing asylum seekers to work from the beginning of their application process, reducing the issuance of Obligations to Leave French Territory (OQTF), limiting the use of administrative detention centers, and regularizing around 250,000 economically integrated asylum seekers. For example, increasing accommodation capacity in the DNA could save €14.6 million annually, and allowing asylum seekers earlier work rights could save up to €139 million annually. The regularization of workers itself is estimated to contribute €2.9 billion in savings.

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, president of France terre d’asile, emphasizes that these reforms reconcile solidarity with economic efficiency, criticizing current restrictive policies that fail to adequately accommodate asylum seekers.

These proposals, which aim to shift the narrative on asylum seekers from a public burden to a fiscal asset, will be presented to lawmakers as discussions for the 2026 budget proceed in the National Assembly. According to France terre d’asile, these reforms can be implemented quickly, promising both humanitarian and financial benefits for France.