The French government is offering €2,500 to refugees who “voluntarily” leave and return to their own countries if they do so before the end of the year, reports The Independent.
The Office for Immigration and Integration in France (OFII) has presented the offer as "a form of compensation” for refugees and migrants who have made the journey to Europe, saying they are eligible for the payment if they leave the country before 31 December.
The offer, branded as an "incentive" by immigration officials, reportedly comes with a series of added benefits including a paid-for air fare and the opportunity for some refugees to be granted up to €10,000 of financial aid in setting up employment when they return.
Didier Leschi, general director of OFII, told French TV channel BFM: “This measure will help people who express a need or desire to go back to the countries they came from. Between 4,000 and 4,500 or 4,700 people have benefited from this initiative in the past.
“It’s a system that allows people to establish stability in the country they came from, while also encouraging them not to return. These people have invested money into getting to Europe, so this is an incentive for them to return - it's like a form of compensation.”
It comes a month after the demolition of the ‘Jungle’ camp in Calais, which saw thousands of refugees who had been living in the slum dispersed in temporary reception centres across France.
While the operation was described by the French government as a "success", there has since been a rise in refugees and migrants sleeping rough across France, particularly in Paris and Calais, as they either wait for the slow process of seeking asylum in France or plan to try reach the UK.