Italy: Information on the treatment of Sri Lankan refugee claimants, particularly with regard to the issuance of work permits and the policy of return
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 April 1993 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ITA13760 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Italy: Information on the treatment of Sri Lankan refugee claimants, particularly with regard to the issuance of work permits and the policy of return, 1 April 1993, ITA13760, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aaca64.html [accessed 17 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Information specifically related to the treatment of Sri Lankan refugee claimants by the Italian government could not be found among the sources currently available to the DIRB.
According to a representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Ottawa, the practice with respect to the exercise of economic, social and cultural rights is the same for refugees as it is for Italian nationals (23 Apr. 1993). As for Italians nationals, refugees can work both as employees and as self-employed (Ibid.). Refugees have access to the liberal professions, including registration in professional bodies. They are excluded from government employment, however, for which Italian nationality is essential, and they cannot be elected to Parliament (Ibid.).
Concerning the policy of return of refugee claimants, the representative stated that in principle, rejected asylum seekers must leave Italy within 15 days (Ibid.). In actual practice, however, the obligation to leave Italy has not been enforced and corresponding expulsion orders have not been implemented, so the large majority of rejected asylum seekers actually remain in the country (Ibid.). The same source added that the present legislation does not contemplate granting any form of humanitarian status, but under the principle of non-refoulement, as laid down in the law, the reasons for fearing persecution have been extended to include sex, language and personal or social conditions (Ibid.). However, these provisions do not protect against expulsion, and those persons who cannot be "forcibly" returned to their country of origin and who are unable to find another country to admit them are only "tolerated" (Ibid.). To date these people have been unable to obtain any legal status in Italy (Ibid.).
Additional and/or corroborating information on the requested subject could not be found among the sources currently available to the DIRB.
Reference
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Ottawa. 23 April 1993. Telephone interview with representative.
