00:00The fate of migrants and their families in Belgium is decided in this highly administrative building.
00:10Last week, members of parliament passed the government bill restricting access to family reunification.
00:16This scheme enables foreign nationals with a legal residence permit to bring in one or more family members.
00:22From now on, refugees will only have six months to submit their applications.
00:27Beneficiaries of subsidiary protection will have to wait two years.
00:32The minimum income required to apply has also been increased.
00:36If someone wants to bring over their partner and to kids, that person has to earn 2,700 net income per month,
00:46which is a huge amount and I would say that the average employer in Belgium does not even earn that much.
00:53The Minister for Asylum and Migration is defending these measures because she believes in the need to reduce the influx of migrants.
01:02NGOs argue that these new rules are a disguised way of making family reunification impossible
01:08and risk plunging migrants into an even more dangerous situation.
01:12The consequences for refugees in Belgium will be a prolonged separation of their families, having an impact on their integration and inclusion in Belgian society.
01:22It is difficult to learn the language if you're preoccupied with your partner in Afghanistan, for example.
01:27And then for refugees in the countries of origin, whereas previously they could use this safe and legal pathway to come to Belgium,
01:34this is no longer available. So they will turn to human smugglers to come to Europe, to Belgium.
01:40Belgium's case is not isolated.
01:43Last week, Portugal also adopted more stringent measures for granting family reunification.
01:49In Germany, lawmakers approved the suspension of the scheme for people who do not have refugee status last month.
01:56Austria has also suspended the scheme for a period of six months.
02:01Austria has also suspended the suspension of the scheme for a period of eight months.
02:03Austria has also suspended many times.
02:04Austria can to be removed from the south internet
02:08Austria has to come to other countries in Russia.
02:09Austria has to take place within the same front of the scheme for people who do not-to be 거야-like.
02:14Austria has to be a big balance in the center of the scheme for people who do not-to-to-be-to-be-to-be-to-be-to-be.
02:18Austria has to be made in the same front of the scheme for three months.
02:20Austria has to be made for people in Germany.
02:22Austria has to be viewed by October 21,eenussia the next month.
02:24Austria has to be lifted and now on an international history to our history of the quê people of the outside nation.
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