Social Assistance

Social assistance to foreigners applying for granting the refugee status

According to the Act of 13 ^th June 2003 on granting protection to foreigners within the territory of the Republic of Poland, an applicant and a person on behalf of whom he/she made an application may be granted social assistance.

1.The social assistance shall include:

a) assistance granted in the centre, including:

- accommodation,

- full board or financial equivalent instead of food (the amount of the equivalent is 9 zloty per day - paid to 15 ^th day of every month),

- pocket money for personal expenses in the amount of 50 zloty per month (paid to 15 ^th day of every month); in case of doing social work for the centre by an alien, translations facilitating communication between employees of the centre and aliens or conducting cultural-educational classes for other aliens staying in the centre, the amount of the pocket money may increase up to 100 zloty,

- permanent financial help for purchase cleansers and personal hygiene in the amount of 20 zloty per month (paid to 15 ^th day of every month),

- one-time financial help or vouchers for purchase clothes and footwear in the amount of 140 zloty; one-time financial help is paid, and vouchers are issued, to 15 ^th day of month after month in which an alien was placed in the centre,

- course of Polish and basic materials necessary for learning this language,

- teaching materials for children enjoying education and care of public institutions, primary schools, secondary schools or post-secondary schools,

- covering, as far as possible, expenses of extracurricular classes and recreational or sports classes of children,

- financing the travel by means of public transport:

* in order to take part in the proceeding for granting the refugee status,

* in order to undergo medical treatment or prophylactic vaccinations,

* in other peculiarly justified circumstances.

b) assistance granted out of the centre in the form of payment of financial benefit (25 zloty per day) for covering by an alien costs of his/her stay on the territory of the Republic of Poland, with exception of costs of medical care. If an alien stays on the territory of the Republic of Poland with his/her spouse or minor children, the amount of financial benefit for every member of family is, in case of family composed of: 2 members - 20 zloty, 3 members - 15 zloty, 4 members and more- 12,5 zloty per day. Financial benefit is paid to 15 ^th day of every month.

Social assistance may be granted in the form of financial benefit, in case of organizational reasons or when it is necessary to:

- ensure safety to the alien, including special situation of single mothers,

- secure public order,

- protect and maintain family relations,

- prepare an alien for conducting independent life outside the centre, after receiving decision on granting the refugee status or decision refusing granting the refugee status, in which the supplementary  protection or permit for tolerated stay was granted.

Social assistance and medical care are provided during the time of conducting proceedings for granting the refugee status and for the period of 2 months from the date of delivery a final decision in this matter. In the event in which the proceedings for granting the refugee status was discontinued – within the period of 14 days from the date of delivery a final decision on discontinuation of the proceedings.

In case of pending separate proceedings for granting the refugee status towards spouses staying in the centre, periods of granted assistance to the spouses and minor children accompanying them shall expire simultaneously with the lapse of longer period of granting assistance.

An alien who has grossly violated the rules of social coexistence in the centre, shall be deprived of social assistance.

In case when an alien benefiting from social assistance in the centre, stays outside the centre for the period exceeding 3 days, such assistance is withheld by law until the moment of his/her return.

Social assistance for aliens who have been granted the refugee status or the supplementary protection in the Republic of Poland

Social assistance for alien who has been granted the refugee status or the supplementary protection in the Republic of Poland aiming at supporting the process of his/her integration.

Assistance for an alien is granted upon an alien’s request by a district administrator who has a jurisdiction over the place of his/her residence, by hand of poviat centre for family support, in period of 60 days from the day of receiving the refugee status or the supplementary protection in the Republic of Poland. The application covers minor children of an alien and his/her spouse if they were granted the refugee status or the supplementary protection in the Republic of Poland.

The application should contain:

-          written declaration including intention of residing on the area of specified voivodeship,

-          written statement confirming that an alien did not turn to another voivod with written request,

-          written statement confirming willingness to participate in integration program.

An alien who has been granted the refugee status in the Republic of Poland, should enclose copies of following documents:

-          decision on granting the refugee status;

-          travel document specified in the Geneva Convention;

-          residence card, issued in connection with granting the refugee status.

An alien who has been granted supplementary protection on the territory of the Republic of Poland,  should enclose copies of following documents:

-          decision refusing granting the refugee status, in which the supplementary protection was granted,

-          residence card, issued in connection with granting the supplementary protection.

An alien is entitled to assistance beginning from the calendar month, in which the alien submitted an application.

An alien staying in the reception centre for asylum seekers is entitled to assistance beginning from the calendar month, in which an alien left the centre.

An alien who is a spouse of Polish citizen is not entitled to assistance.

A minor alien who stays on the territory of the Republic of Poland without statutory guardian, and has been granted the refugee status or supplementary protection, is provided with assistance by a district administrator having jurisdiction over the place of minor residence of stay.

An alien is granted assistance for period not exceeding 12 months.

Assistance includes:

-          financial benefit in the amount from 446 zloty to 1.175 zloty per month on person which shall cover:

• living expenses, in particular for covering the expenses of food, clothes, footwear, cleansers and personal hygiene and house payments,
• expenses connected with course of Polish,

-          insurance premium,

-          social work,

-          specialist counseling, including psychological, legal and family assistance,

-          giving information and supporting in contacts with other institutions, in particular with institutions of labour market, with local environment and with non-governmental organizations,

-          other activities supporting the integration process of an alien.

Assistance for an alien is realized in the form of the individual integration program (IPI), appointed between poviat centre for family support and an alien, determining the amount, scope and form of assistance depending on the individual situation of an alien and his/her family. Poviat centre for family support conveys the program to the voivod with all predicted costs of its realization. After approval of the program, the voivod conveys the means for its realization.

Total amount of benefits for living and for covering expenses connected with the course of Polish to which an alien is entitled comes to:

1. in period of first 6 months:

a. for person alone maintaining domestic establishment - to 1.175 zloty per month,

b. in family composed of 2 members - to 70 % of 1.175 zloty per capita ,

c. in family composed of 3 members - to 60 % of 1.175 zloty per capita,

d. in family composed of 4 members and more - to 50 % of 1.175 zloty per capita,

2. in period from 7 to 12 month:

a. for person alone maintaining domestic establishment - to 90 % of amount which is stipulated in 1a,

b. in family composed of 2 members - to 70 % of amount which is stipulated in 1b (per capita),

c. in family composed of 3 members - to 60 % of amount which is stipulated in 1c (per capita),

d. in family composed of 4 members and more - to 50 % of amount which is stipulated in 1d per capita.

Legal basis:

Act of 13 ^th June 2003 on granting protection to foreigners within the territory of the Republic of Poland,

Act of 12 ^th March 2004 on social assistance,

Ordinance of the Minister of Interior and Administration of 26 ^th May 2009 on the amount of assistance for aliens applying for the refugee status,

Ordinance of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 9 ^th March 2009 on providing assistance to aliens who have been granted the refugee status or supplementary protection in the Republic of Poland.