Syrian Migration Crisis (Refugees Protection and Implementation of a Safe Resettlement Programs/Visa Programs to Reduce Illegal Immigration)

Abstract

Syrian refugees’ crisis is one of the major and prolonged refugee crises since WWII; millions of Syrian citizens were displaced and migrated as a result of the war in Syria. The migration flow of Syrian people is continuously occurring towards Europe and neighboring countries of Syria, and, to date, the crisis remains still unsolved. 2021 marked the tenth anniversary since the starting point of the Syrian war, but, a decade later, the international community’s response toward the crisis has not yet resolved the facets of the Syrian immigration crisis. The flow of Syrian migrants toward Europe is expected to sharply increase after lifting COVID-19 restrictions. European countries have to promote resettlement programs and visa programs for Syrian migrants in order to encourage a legal method of migration. Following an analysis of the background of the Syrian immigration crisis, the distribution of Syrian migrants in neighboring countries of Syria, and the rights of refugees under the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees and its Protocol, this Thesis addresses the humanitarian visa and resettlement programs of the European Union, especially focusing on the case-studies of Belgium and Canada and their programs for Syrian migrants. Then the Thesis provides an analysis of the case-law relating to the humanitarian visa of Syrian migrants in the two different European courts, the Court of Justice of the EU and the European Court of human rights.