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Arrival centres and AnkER facilities ,
Größer darstellen
Source: BAMF
Arrival centres
The arrival centres are the central entry point when it comes to the asylum procedure. It is in the arrival centres that all the steps are carried out which are necessary for the asylum procedure. This includes the medical examination by the Länder, the recording of the personal data and the identity check, the application, the interview and the Federal Office’s decision on the asylum application, as well as initial integration measures, such as "initial orientation courses". The local employment agency also provides initial advice on access to the labour market.
Integrated refugee management is used to store the processes of the authorities involved – from registration in the respective Federal Land, examining the state of health through to the notice on the decision – in a nationwide core data system, and hence to improve cooperation.
Integration courses and access to the labour market
Asylum-seekers are counselled whilst their applications are being processed with regard to attending the Federal Office’s integration courses where they live.
They also receive advice on the potential for access to the labour market. Counsellors from the Federal Employment Agency collect the applicants’ personal data on the spot in the arrival centres. These data are then available to the employment agencies and job centres all over the country.
AnkER and functionally equivalent facilities
The fundamental concept underlying arrival centres was further enhanced with the AnkER and functionally equivalent facilities (the acronym AnkER stands for arrival, decision and return facilities) The key element of the AnkER concept is the bundling of all the functions and responsibilities from the asylum application and the decision to the allocation to municipalities as well as the initial measures to prepare for the integration or the return of asylum applicants. All the role players directly involved in the asylum process are present in the AnkER facilities. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees currently has branch offices in nine AnkER facilities and eight functionally equivalent facilities. In the coalition agreement for the 20th legislative period of the German parliament, the SPD, the Alliance 90/The Greens and the FDP have decided to not continue with the AnkER concept.
Asylum procedure advice
Asylum seekers face special challenges. Pursuant to section 12a AsylG (German Asylum Procedure Act), asylum procedure advice is intended to ensure that asylum seekers receive advice and support already before their hearing and, if required, until the incontestable conclusion of their asylum procedure in the form of confidential individual consultations on their individual asylum procedure. Asylum procedure advice is implemented by non-statutory welfare organisations and other civil society role players. It is provided independently of the authorities, open-ended, free of charge, individually and voluntarily. The funds required for the implementation are provided by the Federal government in the form of grants as part of a funding programme. BAMF (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees) is responsible for the execution of the funding programme.