22/04/2019
During interviews undertaken by UNHCR with refugees, for most refugee respondents, when asked what makes them feel integrated, the first thing they think of is to have a job.
When asked what the most valuable help to achieve this is, many respondents replied that it is to be introduced to different paths that will lead to employment.
For governments, employment
is equally key for the integration of refugees. Employment is also closely related to other areas of integration, such as access to housing, family reunification, language, healthcare, a driver’s license, networks, childcare, and the asylum process itself.
According to Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, adopted at the UN General Assembly in 2016, host States have agreed to “take measures to enable refugees to make the best use of their skills and capacities, recognizing that empowered refugees are better able to contribute to their own and their communities’ well-being and to invest in building human capital, self-reliance and transferable skills as an essential step towards enabling long-term solutions.
While it is a State responsibility to create an appropriate legal framework, integration requires the close support and co-ordination of governing structures at the national, regional and municipal levels.
At the same time, private recruitment agencies have also been very active in supporting the employment of refugees. And in addition to employers themselves, employer associations have often supported their members in these efforts, and they also play a significant role in creating conditions for sustainable employment. Integration also requires coordination with all stakeholders on the ground. Specifically, the successful labour market integration of refugees can only be achieved through joint efforts of all relevant actors, i.e. employers and their associations, as well as trade unions, relevant civil society organisations, and refugees themselves.