Scores of forced migrants who have lost their job due to the COVID-19 pandemic risk destitution because they are not entitled to aid benefits, an NGO has warned.

Forced migrants include those granted residence in Malta as asylum seekers, victims of trafficking or holders of statuses like Temporary Humanitarian Protection (THP).

Going on figures available at the end of 2019, they number in the thousands.

Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, the Jesuit Refugee Service has already received 52 requests for food assistance, nine requests for help to find accommodation and 25 requests for support with rent payments.

Financial aid is being given to people who have lost their jobs as a result of the virus, under a massive government rescue package, however, many forced migrants are not entitled to this support.

“Like many other people, forced migrants in Malta have been hard hit by the economic fallout of the pandemic and although they live, work and pay taxes, they are unable to access financial help from the state,” JRS said.

Only migrants with refugee status are legally entitled to unemployment benefits, director Katrine Camilleri explained.

Although they live, work and pay taxes, they are unable to access financial help from the state

Victims of trafficking or holders of TCP are not eligible to any form of financial support, she pointed out.

Asylum seekers are, at most, entitled to a per diem allowance of €130 per month and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection are entitled to assistance of around €300 a month, she said.

Neither are they able to claim any more help if they have lost their jobs because of COVID-19.

While unable to give an accurate estimate of how many forced migrants live in Malta are holders of these statuses, and therefore unable to receive COVID-19 unemployment assistance, a spokesperson for the UNHCR said that at the end of 2019, the number of asylum seekers on the island was around 3,600.

The figure is based on data of pending asylum applications at the office of the refugee commissioner.

In addition, between 2014-2019, a total of 3,385 were granted subsidiary protection and 430 THP, the spokesperson added. However, some were resettled under the former US resettlement programme and others could have moved on.

JRS has launched an appeal for donations to help these vulnerable individuals and their families with medication, accommodation costs, necessities for babies and children and emergency living expenses.

“Jobs losses and wage cuts make it very difficult for people to pay rent and put food on the table, dealing a further blow to those who were already struggling to survive.

“Some are at additional risk because of underlying health conditions, and a limited ability to practise social isolation where they live,” JRS said.

A family's story

When Luis Belandria and his family fled political persecution in Venezeula, they quickly learnt their survival depended on their ability to adapt.

Once in Malta, Luis took a job cleaning and teaching swimming, before landing work in his field as an architect, and Mariana Chacon, who had a career in management found work in a kindergarten.

They were used to hardship, they had lost everything in their country and had been separated for a year before Luis had enough saved to bring them all to Malta.

Then there was the language barrier, numerous difficulties with job contracts and making ends meet.

But nothing prepared them for the COVID-19 shutdown, which threw them both out of work, with two children to feed and rent to pay.

Mariana, who had been working in the kindergarten for over a year, quickly found some casual work as a cleaner and Luis thought up a menu and started cooking food and delivering it to a few people he knew.

But it wasn’t enough.

“We have learnt to be warriors. We don’t stop and keep are arms crossed waiting. We know only one way to make money and that is to work,” Marianna told Times of Malta.

“Luis is trying everyday. He is so fantastic. It’s not because he is my husband, he is such a hard worker. But right now we need help.”

Even though both have been paying taxes in Malta, they do not qualify for employment benefits since they are asylum seekers.

Thankfully, their landlord has been extremely supportive and reduced their rent by 40%, and they have been receiving food each week from the Jesuit Refugee Service.

But they are desperate for work and continue reaching out to the community for help.