Just Half of Asylum Seekers Hold Down Work Linked to Benefits in German Trial Program

In Saarland, Germany, only about half of asylum seekers required to take part in a new mandatory work program have consistently shown up for their jobs, according to the first results from the initiative.

The program, launched in April in the St. Wendel district, links welfare benefits to participation in community service roles such as repairing playgrounds and maintaining cemeteries.

Asylum seekers who report to work every day for a month are rewarded with priority access to language and integration courses. Those who refuse face strict sanctions, including reduced or fully cut-off social benefits.

District Administrator Udo Recktenwald of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) revealed to Bild that of the 56 asylum seekers required to take part during the first three months, only about half stayed in the program and have now been fast-tracked for integration classes. The others either quit or repeatedly failed to attend.

Several participants reportedly called in sick or failed to provide any excuse for missing work. Six asylum seekers who disappeared from the program have already had their benefits completely revoked, while seven others have faced reductions. The district office says more sanctions are being prepared for others who continue to skip their assignments.

Four asylum seekers were formally excused from the work program for personal reasons, such as childcare.

“We’re seeing a clear effect,” Recktenwald said. “We’re identifying who truly wants to integrate and who refuses to work despite the new incentives.” He also confirmed plans to recommend the program to other districts across Saarland.

The program mainly affects Syrian asylum seekers, who make up 90 percent of those eligible for the work requirement. Many have been blocked from language courses due to their uncertain residency status after Germany’s federal migration office suspended their asylum proceedings in December following the fall of the Assad regime.

The initiative, called “Together At Work,” has a budget of €150,000 and aims to create around 200 jobs for asylum seekers during its first year.

The CDU in Saarland has called it a model for a potential state-wide policy that combines strict work requirements with targeted integration support.

Similar programs have been rolled out in other states, much to the fury of some asylum seekers reluctant to cooperate.

In Thuringia in May, a court rejected for the second time an appeal from an Iraqi asylum seeker who had been ordered to work as an assistant in the IT department of his local hospital. The job was for 17 hours a week and linked to his benefits.

As he refused to undertake the work, despite possessing the required skills, including a good command of the English language and professional experience as a programmer, his benefits were cut in half, a move he contested.

The court dismissed his objections, ruling that the job requirement was reasonable and emphasizing the importance of employment in integration and honing language skills, as well as providing routine and well-being.