What is a refugee smuggler?

The smuggling of migrants, as defined in Article 3(a) of the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol, involves the facilitation of a person’s illegal entry into a State, for a financial or other material benefit.

Where do most refugees come from in Greece?

The large majority of immigrants to Greece come from Albania; Albanians constitute 63.7\% of the total documented migrant population in Greece, followed by Bulgarians, Georgians, Romanians, Russians, and Ukrainians.

What do asylum seekers get in Greece?

You have the right to access basic assistance including shelter, food, legal, medical and psychosocial assistance from UNHCR and other organizations. You are obliged to cooperate fully with the Greek authorities.

What challenges might an asylum seeker face in their journey to a new country?

Settlement challenges

• finding affordable housing.
• finding employment.
• language and communication barriers.
• racism and discrimination.
• community attitudes.
• impact of disrupted education on schooling.
• learning English.

How do people get smuggled?

People smuggling generally takes place with the consent of the person or persons being smuggled, and common reasons for individuals seeking to be smuggled include employment and economic opportunity, personal and/or familial betterment, and escape from persecution, violence or conflict.

How are refugees treated in Greece?

First, Greek authorities have maneuvered to physically keep people away from Greece’s shores. Second, the government has adopted laws and policies that undermine protections owed to asylum seekers. Third, it has withheld adequate integration support from those to whom it grants refugee status.

How many refugee camps are in Greece?

The number of asylum seekers on the Greek islands has fallen to just over 4,500, down from around 40,000 in April 2020. And the first of five new migration reception centres being built on the islands – with 276 million euros in EU funding – to improve living conditions opened on 18 September.

Does Greece accept refugees?

The Greek government has since declared success in bringing the movement of asylum seekers and migrants into the country under control.

Can refugees work in Greece?

Can I start my own business in Greece? Yes, if you are a recognised refugee or a beneficiary of subsidiary protection, you have the right to establish commercial and industrial companies or work as a freelance professional.

Do refugees get to choose where they go?

Refugees do not choose the country in which they would like to live. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency identifies the most vulnerable refugees for resettlement and then makes recommendations to select countries.

What happens to migrants when they are smuggled into Europe?

From there, migrants are smuggled by boat to various locations in Europe. Smuggled migrants are often subject to grave human rights abuses. While they might initially agree to be smuggled into another country, the journey can turn into anything but a consensual one.

How much does it cost to travel from Turkey to Greece?

A place on a boat from Turkey to Greece costs between €1,000 and €1,200 (£700 and £840), say migrants. Afghans pay between €10,000 and €11,000 to get to Hungary, which includes help from smugglers.

What happens when people are smuggled into another country?

While they might initially agree to be smuggled into another country, the journey can turn into anything but a consensual one. During the trip, people might be squeezed into exceptionally small spaces in trucks or onto unseaworthy boats in order for smugglers to maximize their “cargo”.

Are migrants being held to ransom by smugglers?

One of the most distressing elements of the worldwide migrant crisis is that people who have risked all for a better life should be held to ransom by smugglers. The lines between migration and human trafficking all too easily converge.