12/06/2020 Blog: Ignorance, delays and backlogs.

and backlogs. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on refugees in Amsterdam - Opinion - Universiteit Utrecht

NL

Opinion
12 May 2020

Part 2 - by Mieke Kox and Ilse van Liempt

Blog: Ignorance, delays and backlogs. The impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic on refugees in Amsterdam

COVID-19 pictograms in Arabic

Recognized and recently arrived refugees, the group in focus in this part, are
severely impacted by the current COVID-19 crisis. While some can assert
themselves by working in the health care, sewing mouth caps or cleaning
shopping carts, many others are negatively influenced by this crisis because their
language development slowed down, their work contracts are not extended and
participation in Dutch society is hampered. In part two of this series of blogs
based on ongoing research at Utrecht University among young refugees, we
discuss the impact of the corona crisis on recently arrived refugees in
Amsterdam.

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What? A crisis?
"The government seems to forget that a significant part of the Dutch does not speak Dutch
yet," as noted by a representative of an NGO committed to refugees. In the initial phase
of the crisis, the communication of the Dutch authorities was only in Dutch, English
and sign language. Languages, according to this representative, not all refugees do
adequately understand (yet). Besides, some refugees are low-literate. Therefore, it took
quite some time for a substantial group of refugees to be adequately aware of the
seriousness of the situation, according to several NGOs for refugees. Besides, this group
experiences problems with the access to health care in the Netherlands as the use of
interpreters for health services is no longer reimbursed. Consequently, these refugees
did not know for instance what they could - and should - do to prevent spreading the
virus and they were unaware of the corona crisis measures taken by the Dutch
authorities.

Several organizations have responded to the lack of information for those not
adequately understanding Dutch, English or sign-language. Already before the
authorities announced the – what they call - “intelligent lockdown” - some organized
information cafes to inform refugees about the crisis and to give them the opportunity
to ask questions. Besides, there are various initiatives that support refugees in need of
health care by mediating or translating for them in response to their needs.

About two weeks after the lockdown, Pharos - a center of expertise in the healthcare
field - translated and circulated government information about the virus, precautions
and government policies into, among others, Arabic, Tigrinya and Farsi. Since then, the
Tolk- en Vertaal Centrum Nederland (the Dutch Interpreter and Translation Center)
has been translating the government press conferences into eight languages, so that
refugees are directly informed on the developments and measures as well. This means
that, by now, most refugees have the opportunity to inform themselves about the
crisis, are aware of the measures being taken during this crisis and can- if aware - use
informal initiatives to access health care services.

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COVID-19 pictograms in Tigrinya

Complicated civic integration processes

Refugees are severely impacted by the current crisis though. It complicates for instance
their integration processes as the Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs (DUO) has postponed all
Civic Integration Exams. As a consequence, some refugees fear that they cannot pass
their mandatory exams within the set three years and that they will be fined,
something that causes a lot of uncertainty among refugees that planned their exams.
While the civic integration deadline has been extended with two months and some of
the worries have been taken away, several organizations express that other refugees
are still concerned with the consequences of not being able to pass their language
exams. These exams are not only mandatory for their integration processes, but also
one of the entry requirements for the education they hope to start after the summer.
These refugees are therefore concerned whether these measures will cause any delay in
their personal development.

A wide range of organizations currently deal with refugees’ integration processes.

Many of these organizations formed a digital community quickly after the outbreak of
the crisis. They o ered online language lessons, language cafes, information meetings,
and other types of activities for refugees, asylum seekers and unauthorized migrants.
While this seems to be really appreciated by these newcomers in the Netherlands, it

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cannot fully resolve refugees’ concerns regarding the consequences of the corona crisis
for their integration processes. Online, progress is usually slower than in the physical
classroom according to a representative of an organization Not everyone can
participate in these online lessons and part of the lesson is used for social aspects. One
of those involved in these language lessons tells for instance: "Sometimes the lessons are
more about catching up and hearing how someone is doing than it is about learning Dutch."

While this is considered important by both teachers and newcomers the situation raises
concerns as well. Will they still be able to realize the entry requirements for further
education? Are they able to accomplish the required level for civic integration within
the set time? And do they have to repay the loans if they – due to the current
circumstances – did not pass within the stipulated period? Such concerns cause stress.
Or as an employee of an NGO that o ers language lessons, theaters and cafes points
out: “People are concerned, not only with their own health, but also with the consequences.
There is still so much unclear about it, while the measures may have major consequences for
them, for their integration, their financial situation, their work, and so on.” This employee
raises the question whether enough is being done to address these concerns and to
limit the far-reaching consequences for refugees.

What about the children?

This is especially true for refugee children who cannot attend school. Refugee children
usually first participate in intensive language classes or an international transition
class to learn the language before they take the step to regular primary and secondary
education. Currently, the schools in the Netherlands are closed but homeschooling is -
as it is for some other families - extra complicated for these children since parents may
lack the right language skills, digital skills or required facilities to provide the
necessary support to their children. The municipality of Amsterdam has made laptops
and Wi-Fi hotspots available to vulnerable families through schools, but this does not
necessarily mean that children of status holders are actually able to participate.
Organizations for refugees fear that this will prevent these children from moving to a
regular class after the summer because of the delays they have incurred. Or as one of
the respondents argued:

“
I'm afraid this crisis will further widen the gap between
refugees and others.”

Refugees’ position on the labor market

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In addition, various experts are concerned about the position of refugees on the labor
market. A substantial part of the refugees works in the catering industry and/or on the
basis of temporary or flexible contracts in Amsterdam. They do not see their contracts
renewed. Prior to the crisis, refugees already faced numerous di culties in accessing
the labor market (pdf, In Dutch), something that is likely to further increase due to
this crisis and the accompanying recession that is expected. This has direct
consequences for their income and makes them worry about their situation. A resident
of a complex where young refugees and Dutch people live together says: “People have
lost their jobs in the catering industry. They are afraid that they will no longer be able to pay
the rent and that they will end up on the street.” Refugees will still feel the consequences
after the crisis, in terms of their income and their participation in society.

A helpdesk for refugees

Several (grassroots) organizations jointly established the Corona Action Committee for
Refugees (CAS) because they were concerned about the position of refugees during the
current crisis. The CAS has started a helpdesk where refugees may ask all types of
questions in Tigrinya and Arabic. These are answered by volunteers that – if necessary
- forward refugees to care providers, provide information about all kinds of procedures
and o er a helping hand. However, volunteers from this help desk experience several
problems.

One of the initiators, also a volunteer, says for instance: “Normally refugees have
someone literally standing next to their computer and helping them, but that is not possible
now. And it is very di cult for us to remotely apply for social or unemployment benefits. That
is a hell of a job. And it is not that you can say: ‘Just turn on Zoom or just turn on Skype’
because they don't have that either."

Several organizations indicate that newcomers are (again) stuck in the Dutch
bureaucracy while it is very complicated to remotely support them. Because how do you
explain by telephone how someone with an outdated computer system can fill in the
UWV forms for the emergency measures? How do you help with homeschooling if
facilities are missing? And how do you ensure that socially isolated refugees are aware
of the helpdesk? And moreover, this is all volunteer work. According to one of the
initiators, these volunteers are enthusiastically committed and convinced about the
need for the helpdesk but they are confronted with a lack of time and resources and not
receiving any formal support, in other words financing.

After the crisis

Care work, sewing mouth caps or cleaning shopping carts. For some of the recently
arrived refugees the crisis o ers a chance: the possibility to contribute and commit to
society and earn some extras. But a substantial number of refugees are – according to

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several organizations – seriously a ected by the corona crisis. The virus outbreak and
the measures taken result in delayed integration processes, educational disadvantages
and a deteriorated position on the labor market. Some organizations fear that refugees
might experience loneliness and become socially isolated, while it is – especially in the
current situation - di cult to gain insight into (the needs of) this group. Furthermore,
refugees might have to wait longer to reunite with their families who might live in
insecure countries. Finally, refugees’ access to health care services is hampered by the
lack of reimbursement for interpreters for health care services. The impact of the crisis
on permit holders is therefore already visible.

At the same time, interviewed organizations are particularly concerned about the
status of refugees after the crisis. After all, how will be dealt with the consequences of
the delayed integration processes? How will the increasing gaps in education and the
labor market be bridged? How is it ensured that children and young people can start
their desired education after the summer? How long do they have to wait before they
can reunite with their families? And how will be dealt with all these extra barriers
refugees experience in terms of participation in society? The Dutch government
currently focuses on the health care and the reduction of the economic impact. We
believe that refugees also need attention to limit problems for this group, now and after
the crisis. 

Mieke Kox
Ilse van Liempt

 
Next week: part 3, in which we discuss the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on
unauthorized migrants in the Netherlands.
If you want to publish a blog for the focus area ‘Migration and Societal Change’,
please send an email to migration@uu.nl.

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12/06/2020 Blog: Ignorance, delays and backlogs. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on refugees in Amsterdam - Opinion - Universiteit Utrecht

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