Committee deals with a large number of cases at once in each session [Table 4] Timing and Frequency of Refugee Committee Year/Month March May June Sept. Oct. Dec. Total 2015 306 - 462 658 - 590 2,016 2016 777 563 459 501 896 1,151 4,347 81. Therefore, at every stage of the refugee status screening process, appropriate interpretation service with expertise in refugee issues and culture of the country concerned as well as political and religious neutrality must be provided. In the long term, it is also necessary to ensure the deliberation on objection by a permanent refugee judge with expertise and independence and guarantee a hearing process where the refugee applicants attend and speak for themselves. 13-3. Improvement of treatment for refugee applicants, humanitarian status holders, and recognized refugees 82. Refugee applicants are not allowed to be employed for six months from the date of submission of the application, but they are eligible for receiving a living allowance. However, the average period that takes to receive the allowance is three months and ten days. This is because it takes at least 50 days to complete the procedures including obtaining the documents necessary for applying for living expenses (alien registration card and bankbook with the applicant’s name), receiving examination and getting actual payment. 83. In addition, the ratio of people applied for a living allowance accounts for around 10% of all refugee applicants. There are many cases where the applicant found out the information on provision of a living allowance too late to apply for it. [Table 5] Applicants and Beneficiaries of Living Expenses compared to Refugee Applicants Living Beneficiaries Ratio of Refugee allowance of living beneficiaries Year/classification Applicants applicants allowance among refuge (person) (person) (person) applicants 19