COVID-19 Pandemic: Selection of Good Practices by States and Inter-Governmental Bodies
Addendum to the Global Civil Society Statement on COVID-19 and Migrants.
Below is a non-exhaustive selection of a number of good state practices for migrants and refugees as of April 2020.
For more recent developments please consult our COVID-19 RESOURCES page.
State-led Initiatives
Austria
The Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF), the operational partner of the Federal Ministry for Women and Integration, bundles official information on measures related to containment of COVID-19 on its website, in 14 languages: http://www.integrationsfonds.at/coronainfo
Belgium
Belgium has released detained undocumented migrants during the pandemic: https://www.demorgen.be/nieuws/300-mensen-zonder-papieren-vrijgelaten-coronavirus-zet-dvz-onder-druk~bf3d626d/
Germany
The German government provides information about COVID-19 in multiple languages: https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/themen/coronavirus/coronavirus-covid
To ensure that migrant communities have access to all relevant information, German communications are shared through social media channels, through migrant organizations and other existing networks: https://handbookgermany.de/de/live/coronavirus.html
Ireland
Ireland’s Minister of Health confirmed that undocumented migrants would be able to access healthcare and social services, “…as the Minister for Health I want to provide an assurance to those people that the health service will treat them with dignity and with absolute privacy and patient confidentiality, as will their social work system, during this time of emergency. We want people to come forward to be tested.” https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/2020-03-20/8/?highlight%5B0%5D=undocumented
Italy
Italy’s Minister of Interior prolonged the temporary residence permits of migrant workers: https://www.interno.gov.it/it/notizie/cura-italia-immigrazione-e-cittadinanza-sospesi-i-termini-dei-procedimenti-amministrativi
Following that, Italy’s Minister of Agriculture called for a regularisation of migrant workers as a way to counter a likely labour shortage in the Italian fields: https://rep.repubblica.it/pwa/intervista/2020/03/26/news/coronavirus_teresa_bellanova_agricoltura_governo-252414368/?refresh_ce
The Emilia Romagna region has published a webpage with links to numerous municipalities, associations and international organizations providing information in different languages regarding COVID-19: https://sociale.regione.emilia-romagna.it/intercultura-magazine/notizie/covid-19-cosa-ce-da-sapere-in-diverse-lingue
Many Italian regions have guidance on the protection against the virus, translated in many languages: http://www.integrazionemigranti.gov.it/Attualita/Notizie/Pagine/Emergenza-Nuovo-Coronavirus-.aspx
Netherlands
The Netherlands has released detained undocumented migrants during the pandemic: https://nos.nl/artikel/2328839-vreemdelingen-vrijgelaten-uit-detentie-vanwege-coronacrisis.html
Norway
The National Center for Multicultural Education (NAFO) has gathered information about COVID-19 in several languages, as well as various online learning resources for minority language learners: https://nafo.oslomet.no/nettressurser-og-informasjon-om-korona/?fbclid=IwAR0_FnxrY2hrvJr60VWaWU92kf7CXBb3nce-CTcpMerYgtLG3zBckJ_8NPQ
Portugal
On 28 March 2020, Portugal initiated a special measure enabling undocumented people with pending residence applications to access public services and social security benefits on the same level as nationals, until at least 1 July 2020: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-portugal/portugal-to-treat-migrants-as-residents-during-coronavirus-crisis-idUSKBN21F0N7
The municipality of Odemira, Portugal prepared quarantine places for foreign agricultural workers: https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/news/portuguese-municipality-prepares-500-quarantine-places-for-foreign-agricultural-workers
Spain
Spain is gradually releasing all migrants from the detention centers and facilitating suitable accommodation arrangements: https://www.eldiario.es/desalambre/Gobierno-CIE-Madrid-Valencia-Barcelona_0_1007899646.html
Spain approves measures to cover agricultural shortfalls by authorizing the temporary hiring of specific categories of migrants (as well as unemployed people): https://elpais.com/economia/2020-04-07/el-gobierno-limita-los-casos-de-inmigrantes-que-tendran-autorizacion-de-trabajo-para-incorporarse-a-las-campanas-agricolas.html
Switzerland
Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Migration and the Office of Public Health produced multi-lingual materials on COVID-19: https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home/krankheiten/ausbrueche-epidemien-pandemien/aktuelle-ausbrueche-epidemien/novel-cov/downloads-in-verschiedenen-sprachen.html
And the Swiss Federal Administration is cooperating with migrant organizations/media to disseminate the above materials: https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/coronavirus-in-der-schweiz-so-gelangen-migranten-an-die-wichtigen-informationen
Tunisia
The Tunisian government has suspended visa expiry dates and financial implications, and has confirmed that financial and in-kind support will be specifically granted to migrants and refugees. In addition, landlords have been formally requested to postpone rentals from March and April 2020. https://ftdes.net/pour-des-mesures-durgence-de-protection-des-migrants-es-et-des-refugies-ees-contre-le-covid-19/
United Kingdom
UK Government Classifies Remittances as Essential Service
United States
The New York State Department of Health announced that all low-income immigrants, regardless of immigration status, would have access to COVID-19 testing, evaluation and treatment as services covered by the Emergency Medicaid program: https://www.nyic.org/2020/03/advocates-applaud-new-yorks-move-to-ensure-undocumented-new-yorkers-can-access-emergency-medicaid-coverage-for-covid-19-testing-evaluation-and-treatment/
The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) underlined that California law stipulates every person in the state is entitled to the health services for COVID-19, including without regard to immigration status: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/Documents/COVID-19/Joint-Bullletin-Medical-Treatment-for-COVID-19-033020.pdf
The State of California has launched a public-private partnership to provide financial support to undocumented immigrants impacted by COVID-19. California will provide $75 million in disaster relief assistance from its state public budget, and philanthropic partners have committed to raising an additional $50 million. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/04/15/governor-newsom-announces-new-initiatives-to-support-california-workers-impacted-by-covid-19/
The City of Chicago makes COVID-19 relief available to all, regardless of immigration status: https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/4/7/21212364/coronavirus-lightfoot-order-covid-19-relief-immigration-undocumented?fbclid=IwAR1Gh9Il5K2TV7Mt7IDKBWhaWlJl_TtLaOtW3jjH9x7VYMXO9LFW6fPG0iU
The State of New Jersey is allowing medical doctors who are licensed outside the US to receive a temporary emergency license to practice medicine. This will allow for refugee and migrant physicians to contribute directly to the public health response to COVID-19, in one of the US states that has been most affected by the pandemic. https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562020/approved/20200417a.shtml
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Releases Hundreds Of Immigrants As Coronavirus Spreads in Detention Centers https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/16/835886346/ice-releases-hundreds-as-coronavirus-spreads-in-detention-centers?t=1587373338007
Inter-Governmental Initiatives
Europe
The European Website on Integration (EWSI) of the European Commission, has a webpage on COVID-19-related community impact and outreach for migrant communities, including national-level initiatives: https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/news/covid-19s-impact-on-migrant-communities
The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights has issued a call for the release of immigration detainees: https://www.coe.int/en/web/commissioner/-/commissioner-calls-for-release-of-immigration-detainees-while-covid-19-crisis-continues
(Releases have been reported in several member states, including Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom)