Some 5,000 foreigners in an irregular situation benefited in 2021 from a "
voluntary return
" to their country of origin, in return for financial compensation in a "
difficult
" context for forced evictions, the head of the Office announced on Wednesday January 12th. French for Immigration and Integration (Ofii).
“
For voluntary departures, we had risen to 8,000 in 2019, but the stopping of air transport, health difficulties, brought us back to around 5,000 departures in 2021
”, against around 4,500 in 2020, explained Didier Leschi.
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The head of the Ofii was auditioned by the National Assembly's Law Commission before a parliamentary vote for his appointment for a new term at the head of the Ofii, which notably manages these “
voluntary returns
”. This procedure consists, for the State, in offering a flight and a sum of money (at least 1,850 euros) to encourage a foreigner who wants to leave France to return to his country. "
We are in a very difficult period from the point of view of escapes (to the border) because of the health crisis
", underlined Didier Leschi.
"
It will be one of the challenges (for the next term) to start again to have a very proactive action for voluntary departures, part of which then benefits from reintegration assistance
" in the country of origin, he said. for follow-up.
"
It seems important to me to ensure that people, once they no longer have a residence permit, return in the best conditions to their country of origin and to stabilize them by allowing them to develop an economic activity.
», Added the Director General of Ofii.
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In 2020, expulsions of illegal aliens had fallen by half (51.8%), with 9111 “
forced removals
”, against 18,906 the previous year.
