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News 
More than 2200 Third Country Nationals Counselled by IOM and Apel over 16 Months
Alexandra Mănăilă - Reporter
24 January 2014
The project "National Coordination of Third Country National (TCN) Integration in Romania", developed by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in partnership with the Apel Service Association in Bucharest, is currently at its second implementation stage.
The project started in July 2012 and develops over a 3 year period, until June 2015. 15 cities in Romania participate in the project: Bucharest (including Ilfov), Bacău, Braşov, Cluj – Napoca, Constanţa, Craiova, Galaţi, Iaşi, Oradea, Piteşti, Ploieşti, Sibiu, Suceava, Târgu Mureş, Timişoara. The overall project budget is more than 3 million RON, with 1,617,884 RON being allocated only for the second stage. The funding comes from the European Union through the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) - Ministry of the Interior, within the European Fund for Third Country Nationals' Integration, annual programme 2012.
The project objective is to support social, economic and cultural integration of third country nationals in the Romanian society, by providing information, specific services, support adapted to their needs and by improving collaboration and dialogue with the institutions responsible for TCN integration in Romania. The main project beneficiaries are third country nationals who stay legally in Romania. These persons are informed and receive support according to their needs by means of the 15 Information Centres for Foreigners (CIS). "Within the project counsellors talk to the migrants who come to the office or whom they identify in the territory and offer them information on employment, where they can enroll their children at school, how they can register with a family doctor", says Maria Voica, Coordinator of IOM projects in Romania, during the press conference held on 23 January 2014.
More than 1500 third country nationals informed in the first stage
The first project stage developed between July 2012 - June 2013. The results of this stage were made public within the press conference. During 11 months 1542 migrants from 58 third countries were informed and counselled. The top countries of origin of these third country nationals includes: Republic of Moldova, Turkey, Syria, China and India. 604 persons were informed on how to access medical services and 435 persons on how to access the education system. 134 vulnerable third country nationals received material, medical and legal support. The top countries of origin of those who benefited from material, medical and legal support are Syria (24%), Republic of Moldova (18%) and Pakistan (6%). 68% of the project beneficiaries are in Romania for studying. Only 7% are here for labour purposes, 6% as family members of Romanian citizens and 3% for family reunification. In general the migrants who approach Apel Association are urgently in need of finding a job. ,,80% want a job and look for employment, particularly in the trade sector, and 10% of those with whom I worked managed to find employment’’, said Ana Maria Oteanu, Project Coordinator at APEL.
716 more third country nationals counselled by 15 January 2014
The second project stage started in August 2013 and will be completed on 30 June 2014. During the first 5 months 715 nationals from 58 third countries were informed and counselled. The top of origin countries has changed now as compared to the first stage, in that Nigeria and Tunisia are now also on the list in addition to the Republic of Moldova, Turkey and Syria. 217 migrants were informed on the access to medical services, 219 on the access to the educational system and 70 vulnerable third country nationals received material, medical and legal support. The top countries of origin of those who benefited from material, medical and legal support includes the Republic of Moldova (25%), Syria (15%) and Jordan (11%). Most of the third country nationals counselled are in Romania for studies (about 61%). 16% of them are family members of Romanian citizens and 4% came for family reunification. Only 4% of migrants came for labour purposes. According to Ana Neamţu from the Asylum and Integration Direction (IGI), 2130 work permits were issued in 2013. In the second project stage the two partner organisations aim to counsel 2000 immigrants.
Romania is at home
During the same press conference held on 23 January 2013, IOM - Romanian Office launched a contest for journalists called "Romania is at home". Its aim is to promote the best articles, reports and press materials on foreigners’ integration in the Romanian society. The contest is part of the second stage of the project "National Coordination of Third Country National (TCN) Integration in Romania" and is aimed at journalists from local and central media, representing all media channels, as well as at representatives of migrant communities in Romania. Articles, testimonials, reports and/or investigations published or broadcast in Romanian or English language between 1 August 2013 - 30 April 2014 may participate in the contest. There are three prizes at stake, of 1,500 lei each, for: (a) written media (print or online); (b) audio-visual media; (c) testimonials/evidence from migrant communities representatives. Details about the contest can be found on the site: http://www.romaniaeacasa.ro/attachments/article/1149/Regulament%20concurs.pdf.
The project started in July 2012 and develops over a 3 year period, until June 2015. 15 cities in Romania participate in the project: Bucharest (including Ilfov), Bacău, Braşov, Cluj – Napoca, Constanţa, Craiova, Galaţi, Iaşi, Oradea, Piteşti, Ploieşti, Sibiu, Suceava, Târgu Mureş, Timişoara. The overall project budget is more than 3 million RON, with 1,617,884 RON being allocated only for the second stage. The funding comes from the European Union through the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) - Ministry of the Interior, within the European Fund for Third Country Nationals' Integration, annual programme 2012.
The project objective is to support social, economic and cultural integration of third country nationals in the Romanian society, by providing information, specific services, support adapted to their needs and by improving collaboration and dialogue with the institutions responsible for TCN integration in Romania. The main project beneficiaries are third country nationals who stay legally in Romania. These persons are informed and receive support according to their needs by means of the 15 Information Centres for Foreigners (CIS). "Within the project counsellors talk to the migrants who come to the office or whom they identify in the territory and offer them information on employment, where they can enroll their children at school, how they can register with a family doctor", says Maria Voica, Coordinator of IOM projects in Romania, during the press conference held on 23 January 2014.
More than 1500 third country nationals informed in the first stage
The first project stage developed between July 2012 - June 2013. The results of this stage were made public within the press conference. During 11 months 1542 migrants from 58 third countries were informed and counselled. The top countries of origin of these third country nationals includes: Republic of Moldova, Turkey, Syria, China and India. 604 persons were informed on how to access medical services and 435 persons on how to access the education system. 134 vulnerable third country nationals received material, medical and legal support. The top countries of origin of those who benefited from material, medical and legal support are Syria (24%), Republic of Moldova (18%) and Pakistan (6%). 68% of the project beneficiaries are in Romania for studying. Only 7% are here for labour purposes, 6% as family members of Romanian citizens and 3% for family reunification. In general the migrants who approach Apel Association are urgently in need of finding a job. ,,80% want a job and look for employment, particularly in the trade sector, and 10% of those with whom I worked managed to find employment’’, said Ana Maria Oteanu, Project Coordinator at APEL.
716 more third country nationals counselled by 15 January 2014
The second project stage started in August 2013 and will be completed on 30 June 2014. During the first 5 months 715 nationals from 58 third countries were informed and counselled. The top of origin countries has changed now as compared to the first stage, in that Nigeria and Tunisia are now also on the list in addition to the Republic of Moldova, Turkey and Syria. 217 migrants were informed on the access to medical services, 219 on the access to the educational system and 70 vulnerable third country nationals received material, medical and legal support. The top countries of origin of those who benefited from material, medical and legal support includes the Republic of Moldova (25%), Syria (15%) and Jordan (11%). Most of the third country nationals counselled are in Romania for studies (about 61%). 16% of them are family members of Romanian citizens and 4% came for family reunification. Only 4% of migrants came for labour purposes. According to Ana Neamţu from the Asylum and Integration Direction (IGI), 2130 work permits were issued in 2013. In the second project stage the two partner organisations aim to counsel 2000 immigrants.
Romania is at home
During the same press conference held on 23 January 2013, IOM - Romanian Office launched a contest for journalists called "Romania is at home". Its aim is to promote the best articles, reports and press materials on foreigners’ integration in the Romanian society. The contest is part of the second stage of the project "National Coordination of Third Country National (TCN) Integration in Romania" and is aimed at journalists from local and central media, representing all media channels, as well as at representatives of migrant communities in Romania. Articles, testimonials, reports and/or investigations published or broadcast in Romanian or English language between 1 August 2013 - 30 April 2014 may participate in the contest. There are three prizes at stake, of 1,500 lei each, for: (a) written media (print or online); (b) audio-visual media; (c) testimonials/evidence from migrant communities representatives. Details about the contest can be found on the site: http://www.romaniaeacasa.ro/attachments/article/1149/Regulament%20concurs.pdf.
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