Advancing social justice, promoting decent work
ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations
English
The impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on the labour market: a preliminary analysis
The report focuses on the pre-existing employment and labour market challenges in Jordan, which have been exacerbated by the Syrian refugee crisis. Addressing the Syrian refugee crisis needs to take a holistic and comprehensive approach that addresses Jordan’s pre-existing labour market challenges as well as the rights of Syrian refugees to a livelihood that allows them to live in dignity.
This report finds that the Syrian refugee crisis is taking a heavy toll on Jordanians. In particular, it is affecting the most vulnerable segments of the population in the northern part of the country; competition over livelihoods and incomes is increasing, especially irregular jobs requiring unskilled labour. Evidence also suggests that increased Syrian labour market activity has put a downward pressure on wages in the informal private sector, where wages were already low. Evidence suggests that Jordanian women at the lower end of the labour market (e.g. the home-based informal sector) are losing their jobs and income opportunities to Syrian women.
