Fedasil's 2019 Review presents the key statistics with regards to reception, voluntary return and resettlement over the past year.

Creation of places

In 2019, our reception network has gradually reached saturation point, due to the (relative) increase in asylum applications, as well as the longer time taken by the asylum authorities to process applications and the closure of many places imposed after the 2015-2016 crisis. As a result, Fedasil has been forced to open new reception centres on an emergency and temporary basis - more than 5,000 places were created in 2019.

In his foreword, our Director-General points out that Fedasil intends to keep creating places. « At the time of deconfinement, the moment has also come to anticipate the resumption of asylum applications. For this reason, Fedasil must continue to search for places in order to ensure that all those entitled to them are accommodated », writes Jean-Pierre Luxen. « In the context of the coronavirus crisis, these new places are also essential to keep the occupancy rate under control in the existing reception centres. »

Fewer voluntary returns

The number of voluntary returns from Belgium decreased in 2019. 2,500 migrants decided to return home with the assistance of the voluntary return programme. 46% of them received additional support to facilitate their reintegration into their country of origin.

The Fedasil 2019 Review is available in English, French and Dutch. It is available in the appendix (pdf) and as a dynamic version. A hardcopy version is available in French and Dutch (not in English). You can obtain it by sending a request to info@fedasil.be