Context: The European Parliament has tightened the rules on asylum in the EU. Most lawmakers backed the creation of a list of safe countries, whose citizens would have their asylum applications processed under a simplified procedure. This will increase the likelihood of rejection. Moreover, from June 2026 onwards, new rules will permit EU member states to send migrants to third safe countries while their applications are being processed.
On 13 February 2026, Maksim Kharyn, the host of the First National Channel of Belarusian Radio, expressed doubt that Europe would be able to regulate the influx of migrants, stating that “there has already been a very powerful mixing of blood.” Yulya Abukhovich, an economic analyst who was a guest on the broadcast, replied that this is not what Europeans face:
“For the most part, migrants have no intention of seeking employment or obtaining legal status. <...> They prefer to live on welfare. Recently, a video clip emerged in which someone said, ‘Look at the benefits I receive — everything is great, and you owe me anyway, because you once oppressed my country.’ <...> I mean, they don’t want to work! They just don’t want to! They are spongers,” said the expert.
Abukhovich did not specify which video she was referring to when she said that migrants live well on benefits and are not going to legalise their status. The official data does not support this claim.
Newcomers to the EU are only granted the minimum allowance after they have submitted their legalisation documents. They will only have full access to payments once they have obtained a residence permit, refugee status, temporary protection, or another legal status. Therefore, it is not possible to live on benefits without having a legal status.
Eurostat data indicate a rising trend in the number of employed migrants in Europe. From 2014 to 2024, foreign unemployment nearly halved. The employment rate has now surpassed 65%. Although this is lower than that of EU citizens, it is wrong to say that the majority are out of work — the figures show the opposite.
