Humane Migration Policy Could Generate €3.3 Billion Annually for France, France terre d’asile Reports

On November 7, France terre d’asile unveiled an action plan advocating a more humane and rational migration policy, highlighting its potential to yield significant economic benefits instead of being a fiscal burden. Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, the organization’s president, emphasized that common narratives focusing on the costs of migration often overlook the financial drains caused by inadequate integration policies.

According to the report, implementing five key measures—including improving asylum accommodations, allowing asylum seekers to work earlier, reducing unnecessary deportations, and reallocating resources to process residency applications—could boost state and social security revenues by €3.3 billion annually. The OECD had earlier documented that immigration contributed 1.02% growth to France's GDP each year from 2006 to 2018, underscoring migration as an economic asset.

This proposal comes amidst tense debates in the National Assembly over the 2026 budget, where austerity measures are in focus. However, the 2026 finance bill plans increased funding for immigration enforcement, such as expanding detention capacity for undocumented migrants, while cutting back on integration programs. Moreover, a proposed decree aims to restrict access to medical aid for undocumented migrants, a move criticized by unions and NGOs as coercive and harmful to essential health services.

France terre d’asile challenges the prevailing security-focused and far-right narratives that depict migration as solely a fiscal burden. Instead, the NGO argues that with efficient management, migration is a sustainable economic opportunity that respects the rights and dignity of foreign individuals, ultimately benefiting the public finances and social security system.