France to reward COVID-19 frontline workers with citizenship
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In addition to this, the ministry also urged the officials to reduce the residency period in cases of 'great services rendered' that is required to obtain citizenship
After battling the second wave of the novel coronavirus, the French government has decided to reward their frontline workers in a way that speaks volumes and also helps the workers.
On Tuesday, the French government announced that the hundreds of immigrants who have been working tirelessly in France for the last few months to help the country battle the pandemic will be gifted French citizenship as a 'thank you'.
"Health professionals, cleaning ladies, childcare workers, checkout staff: They all proved their commitment to the nation, and it is now the turn of the republic to take a step towards them," the interior ministry said on Tuesday.
The process for this started in September when the ministry invited all immigrant frontline and healthcare workers to apply for the fast-track naturalisation process.
After the announcement, nearly 3,000 people responded to the offer and 74 had already obtained citizenship while the nearly 693 were in the final stage of completing the process, the office of Marlene Schiappa, the junior minister for citizenship, said in a statement.
This 'thank you' gift was appreciated by many who feel this has not only given them an appreciation for their work but has also motivated them to do more for the country.
In addition to this, the ministry also urged the officials to reduce the residency period in cases of "great services rendered" that is required to obtain citizenship. As of now, the period is five years which will be reduced to two years.
The order has come at a time when France's President Emmanuel Macron is battling his personal fight against the novel coronavirus, but he claims to be "doing well".