Migration

Immigrants are highly represented amongst people experiencing homelessness across Europe, some cities receiving more immigrants than nationals in their homelessness services.

Both non-EU migrants, refugees and asylum seekers included, and intra-EU citizens exercising their right to free movement are pushed into situations of destitution and homelessness in many metropolitan centres as a result of continuous restrictive migration rules combined with discrimination and administrative barriers.

FEANTSA advocates for migration, asylum, and free movement policies that do not generate more homelessness. We call instead for designing and implementing policies that help prevent and alleviate homelessness in the case of migrants, in line with fundamental rights. FEANTSA’s position on migration and homelessness is firmly grounded in the principle that access to housing, including access to shelter, is a fundamental human right, not a privilege tied to residence status.

FEANTSA strongly believes that ending homelessness in Europe is not possible without also ending homelessness among migrants, irrespective of their residence status.