Arriving safely in Italy or Greece after risking your life in the desert and on the sea leaves you with an important decision: which country in Europe should you go to in order to ask for asylum?
The countries at the top of the list are Sweden, Germany and the UK. You want to go there, but you might be caught by the authorities on the way and have your fingerprints taken. The Dublin trap closes, forcing you to stay for ever in a country you don’t want to be in. But are you sure that you want to live in Germany? Why would you try so hard going from Calais to Dover? Do you need to go so far north as Sweden?
You don’t know much about the European countries, and their governments don’t know much about you. They think that you want welfare benefits, but when we asked you in a recent survey, your main concerns were human rights and family.
I often think of a sentence that my Swedish friend posted on Facebook one day: “I am happy to live in a country which people flee to.”
That makes sense. I should be proud, and grateful that people like you – in need and in danger – are coming to my country for protection and peace.
I should be proud, and grateful that people like you are coming to my country for protection and peace
But in my country, Denmark, the government takes the opposite view.. The minister of integration has recently launched an advertising campaign in English that warns asylum seekers not to come to Denmark.
However, we will not give in to this narrative without a fight. Denmark is not a xenophobic country – we are known to be happy, easygoing and generous. The Danish government – and, it seems, the British government – see you only as a burden. I know from my meetings with hundreds of refugees over the years that this is not true. You want to work, educate yourself and you come with a lot of resources. But our countries are not easy places to live in if you were not born here – it takes time to learn the language and the customs, and to develop a support network. We should try to figure out how to make this easier, instead of closing our borders to people in danger.
First of all, I’d like to issue an invitation: please come to Denmark. Why? I will list the reasons:
• Denmark is one of the richest and most stable countries in Europe, and we have capacity for more than the 5,000 we have granted asylum to so far this year.
• Denmark has one of the highest recognition rates for refugees in Europe: 90% are granted a permit to stay in the first instance (mostly Syrians and Eritreans).
• The case-processing time is among the fastest in Europe. Syrians and Eritreans are usually granted asylum after 3-4 months, and the waiting time for family reunification is between 3 and 7 months, depending on the circumstances of the case. Most refugees move out of the camps to their municipality one month after being granted asylum.
• Education is free in Denmark, and we even pay students an allowance while studying. In Germany there is no allowance, in Sweden it is lower.
• Starting wages are high in Denmark, and the unions are strong. This makes it hard to get a job as a newcomer, but in the long run refugees will not be “the working poor”, as they are in Germany and Britain.
• Most refugees describe Danes as being very friendly, open minded and helpful. A new civil movement has evolved as a result of government policy. Its name translates more or less as “friendly citizens”. Its members arrange dinner parties, collect second-hand furniture, offer language support and a lot more for refugees all over the country.
• We need you! Our population is ageing, and there are not enough young people to take over. Industry and employers constantly warn about this. So, very soon it will be much easier to get a good job in Denmark than in our neighbouring countries.
I hope you will find peace of mind and a good new life in my small country, where we know nothing about wars, starvation and oppression. I know you did not leave your own country voluntarily, but only because you were forced to. You are welcome!
Read story: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/03/denmark-refugees-immigrants-welcome-asylum