The right to material assistance and accommodation starts the moment a newcomer applies for asylum, until the moment the asylum procedure is completed. This examination is conducted by the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees and Stateless Persons. Most asylum seekers receive an answer within six months indicating whether or not they can stay in Belgium. They receive a letter notifying them of the decision, which can be either positive or negative.Positive: The asylum seeker receives refugee status or temporary protection, and therefore receives a residence permit so that he may live and work in Belgium.Negative: The asylum seeker is not recognised as a refugee and receives an “order to leave the territory”. He is given another few days to make practical preparations for his return.In 2015, Belgium and the EU received twice as many asylum applications as the year before. The level of protection also increased considerably: more than half of the asylum seekers received protection in our country.Looking for a homeOnce recognised as refugee, residents of a reception centre have two months to find a home. A home is an important first step for the integration in our country. Unfortunately, it is not easy for them to navigate the housing market (due to language difficulties, high housing prices, waiting lists for social housing, etc.). Therefore, numerous organisations such as Caritas and Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen help refugees in the search for housing via many different projects.In in the reception centres of Fedasil, dozens of volunteers are also active, assisting the residents in their search for an apartment or a house and in their first steps in a new country.