Country Fact Sheet Kosovo* 2018 Disclaimer Credit: Muse Mohammed / IOM IOM has carried out the gathering of information with great care. IOM provides information at its best knowledge and in all conscience. Nevertheless, IOM cannot assume to be held accountable for the correctness of the information provided. Furthermore, IOM shall not be liable for any conclusions made or any results, which are drawn from the information provided by IOM. *Reference to Kosovo shall in the following document be understood to be in the context of the UNSC resolution 1244 (1999) Place Country Flag here I. CHECKLIST FOR VOLUNTARY RETURN 1. Before the return 2. After the return II. HEALTH CARE 1. General information 2. Medical treatment and medication III. LABOUR MARKET AND EMPLOYMENT 1. General information 2. Ways/assistance to find employment 3. Unemployment assistance 4. Further education and trainings IV. HOUSING 1. General Information 2. Ways/assistance to find accommodation 3. Social grants for housing V. SOCIAL WELFARE 1. General Information 2. Pension system 3. Vulnerable groups VI. EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 1. General Information 2. Cost, loans and stipends 3. Approval and verification of foreign diplomas VII. CONCRETE SUPPORT FOR RETURNEES 1. Reintegration assistance programs 2. Financial and administrative support 3. Support to start income generating activities VIII. CONTACT INFORMATION AND USEFUL LINKS 1. International, Non-Governmental, Humanitarian Organizations 2. Relevant local authorities 3. Services assisting with the search for jobs, housing, etc. 4. Medical Facilities 5. Other Contacts For further information please visit the information portal on voluntary return and reintegration ReturningfromGermany: 2 https://www.returningfromgermany.de/en/countries/Kosovo I. Checklist for Voluntary Return Insert Photo here Credit: IOM/ Esat Alickaj 2017 Before the Return After the Return The returnee should The returnee should ✓ request documents from German ✓ register with relevant authorities authorities that might be needed later. first registration is conducted by the required: birth certificates of children Reintegration Department of Ministry of born in Germany (without these, serious Internal Affairs right after passing border problems may arise when entering the controls at the airport or land border country or during the registration crossings procedure), school diplomas and certificates of attended vocational Register at the Civil Matters courses and trainings. Administration Office in order to apply for IDs and to be recorded in the Civil recommended: recommendation letters Registration Books of Kosovo (if not from employers, EU driving licenses, already done). proof of affiliation with any type of business, cultural or sport association is ✓ after obtaining ID cards an employment of high importance. center should be visited. ✓ acquire information concerning the arrival ✓ apply for social welfare. Social assistance at the airport and the onward journey. offices are well-established in every town There is no part of the country which is across the country. Criteria required to not accessible, except during certain benefit from social assistance are strict and periods in winter that experience heavy only persons in extreme need will be snowfalls. supported. ✓ check vaccinations (especially for children). ✓ contact services assisting with the search for jobs and housing. Employment Offices ✓ find a temporary accommodation: Directly are located in each town throughout after return, returnees often do not have Kosovo, and returnees should visit them in anywhere to go. Accommodation up to order to register as job seekers. seven days at governmental reception centers, which is hosted and covered by the ✓ apply for child care, schools or other government, is possible. educational institutions. 3 II. Health Care (1/2) 1. General Information Costs: Depending on the service required, the patient The health care system in Kosovo is organized may incur some costs. In the primary sector, if on three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary. no exemptions is granted, the basic service fee amounts to 1 Euro. In addition, in many cases Primary health care (PHC) is provided by the medication has to be financed by the patient as Main Family Medicine Centers, which operate in medical institutions generally face supply more than 30 municipalities across Kosovo with shortages. With regard to the secondary and very limited diagnostic capabilities. Family tertiary sector, fees depend on the type of Medicine Centers and health service treatment and the medical institution. For ambulances offer basic primary care services. instance, specialized treatment in Psychiatric Clinic of Kosovo University Clinical Center Secondary health care services are provided by costs 5 Euro, some other clinic might charge a six regional hospitals located in the main cities different price. in Kosovo. All the hospitals are operational but the capacity of their laboratories and X-ray departments is limited. Regional hospitals have 2. Medical treatment and medication 450-550 beds each. Medical facilities and doctors: QKUK-KUCC (Kosovo University Clinical Tertiary health care is provided by the Center) is the main public health establishment University Clinical Center, located in Pristina. located in Pristina. KUCC is an umbrella 2,500 beds are available. organization with 15 specialized clinics operating under its supervision. Kosovo vaccination program: The private health sector also covers many Upon birth, BCG and Hepatitis B vaccines fields. Generally, services are of higher quality should be injected first, whereas DTP, compared to the UCC. Yet, prices tend to be Poliomyelitis, Hepatitis B and Hib 1 vaccines not affordable for the wider population. should be injected during the second month of a Independent clinics, such as the American child’s life. Hospital, Aloka Clinic, Bahceci, Euromed and In the third month of life the child receives DTP, Rezonanca Hospital, Royal Hospital and Lindja Poliomyelitis and Hib 2 vaccines in order to Hospital, also exist. continue with DTP, poliomyelitis, Hepatitis B and Hib 3 vaccines in the fourth month of life. The Procedure of admission: cycle is completed with an MMR vaccination Persons must first contact institutions on the which is due between the 12th and 18th month primary level of the health system, Family of life. Health Centers or Main Family Health Centers. At the age of 6-7, children receive DT, If follow-ups are needed, regional hospitals Poliomyelitis, and MMR vaccine orally. The located in the main regions of the country process is finished within a period of 12-18 should be visited. If services are not available at years when children/teenagers receive institutions of the secondary level, patients will Poliomyelitis, DTP, and TT (Tetanus) Vaccines. If receive a written recommendation to enter the this circle is not completed vaccination should tertiary level – the QKUK-KUCC clinic in be continue where it was formerly interrupted. Pristina. Benefits: Availability and costs of medication: Kosovo has not yet established a health Essential medicines are supposed to be available insurance system despite several attempts in the free of charge in every public health care center, past. Most of the private health insurance but are often out of supply and not available in companies offer comprehensive expensive public clinics. Independent pharmacies may be medical plans. However, these are not affordable able to import drugs needed, but they are likely for the wider population. to be expensive and the supply thereof may be uncertain. There exists the possibility to import medicaments from neighboring regions and countries. 4 II. Health Care (2/2) Health Care System: Access for Returnees Eligibility and requirements: Health care services are provided free of charge by public health institutions for specific groups of people. Returnees have appropriate access in all situations. There is no health insurance system established in Kosovo yet. Private companies offer health insurance, however, these schemes are very expensive. Registration procedure: As there is no health insurance in place, an exemption system has been established to support patients in the public sector. Just like residents, returnees must fall under one of the categories which are exempted from payments and participation. In that case, similar to the unemployed, children, war veterans and social assistance beneficiaries, returnees are exempted from payments. No registration is required, except for proving the respective status. Required documents: When receiving medical services in public sector, patients have to present their document to prove they fall under any of the categories exempted. Documentation of proof may include unemployment certificate, social assistance document, or any other document to prove exempted categorization. Insert Photo here Credit: Muse Mohammed / IOM 5 III. Labour Market and Employment (1/2) I. General information 3. Unemployment assistance The official number of employed people in General information on public and/or private Kosovo, in both the private and the public unemployment assistance: sectors is 357,095, whereas unemployed people There is no public unemployment assistance are listed at 156,583 (Source: Kosovo Agency of system established and no efforts can be Statistics – Labour Workforce Survey 2017). The observed in this direction. The only available employment rate in Kosovo by the end of 2017 assistance in such cases is assistance