Overview
- Saale‑Orla‑Kreis says 228 asylum seekers have been required since February 2024 to perform community work paid about €0.80 per hour for up to 25 hours weekly, including tasks like groundskeeping and snow removal.
- Ninety participants have moved into social‑insurance full‑time jobs, with the placement rate reported as rising from 20% in 2024 to 40% in 2025.
- Roughly one in ten declined to take part, payments for 20 total refusers were cut from €441 to €232, and seven people left the district or went into hiding.
- Voluntary returns reportedly increased from 30 in 2023 to 90 in 2025, a trend the district leader links to the work rule and payment card without confirmed attribution.
- Similar mandates in other counties show mixed results, with reported figures including Greiz (64 of 187 later employed, 11 refusers, one failed legal challenge), Saale‑Holzland (41 assigned, six refusers), Sankt Wendel (90 assigned, 11 refusers, five full‑time jobs, six departures) and Günzburg (255 assigned, 47 refusers), while public debate over legality and effectiveness continues.