More than seventy quota refugees are expected to arrive in the country in the near future. They were due to arrive last year, but their journey was delayed due to the pandemic. Thirty-nine of them will come to the country today and Thursday. They come from Syria and their trip to Iceland has been delayed due to the pandemic. In the near future, a similar number will come from different countries.
Two more families will arrive in the coming weeks, but their arrival is delayed as the composition of the family has changed from the original handling of their case. An additional six people from Syria and two from Côte d’Ivoire are also expected. Twenty people from Iran are expected on October 12, and some time later quota refugees from Kenya.
Ásmundur Einar Daðason, the minister for social affairs, says the arrival of refugees has been delayed due to the pandemic, among other reasons.
“This group will also go through a harmonized admission system and receive both community education and Icelandic language lessons. A new pairing system will be implemented with the municipalities that accept them, so they are the first groups to go through a slightly modified process ”.
Families will be accommodated in Árborg, Reykjavik, Hafnarfjörður and Akureyri. The staff of the Multicultural Center, along with the Icelandic Red Cross, pick up families from the airport and take them to a quarantine hotel in a quarantine hotel before going to their municipality.
Efforts are ongoing to pave the way for Afghan refugees and receive them in Iceland.
Quelle: Yle
