Refugee crisis
Addressing the labour market integration of refugees
ILO-Brussels Director Claire Courteille presented the ILO perspective on the EU refugee crisis at a seminar jointly organised by the European Public Service Union (EPSU), ETUI and Public Services International (PSI).
15 March 2016
The seminar entitled “Public services welcoming migrants: Strengthening the role of public service trade unions in the protection of human rights and delivery of public services to migrants, asylum seekers and refugees” brought together the social partners and speakers from the European Commission and the European Parliament.
Ms Courteille stressed the need to revisit the international and the European framework responding to forced displacement, in order to better integrate the humanitarian, development and labour market perspectives. “Forced displacement is no longer purely an emergency or humanitarian issue: we are dealing with long-term trends requiring long-term solutions,” she explained.
Within the limits of its mandate, the ILO is committed to address the labour market integration aspects of the current refugee crisis, including through the creation of decent jobs.
The ILO has developed cooperation programmes in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan focussing on the labour market integration of refugees and migrants, addressing the needs of both refugees and host communities through programmes targeting job creation, education, vocational training and skills development. ILO research in these countries has shown that a lack of access to the labour market leads to a growth in the informalization of employment, and an increase in labour exploitation.
In November 2015, the ILO-Brussels office hosted an event in the European Parliament on the integration of refugees in EU labour markets, which gave rise to a number of key findings. Labour market integration is one of the most effective ways to facilitate the integration and social inclusion of refugees in host societies. The earlier refugees are encouraged and assisted in entering the labour market, the better for their human dignity and livelihood, the host community, and the public purse.
In concluding, Ms Courteille pointed to the key role representative employers’ and workers’ organizations play in assisting this integration process, in particular through collective bargaining. She also stressed the need to increase cooperation between the public entities concerned, which would enable a rapid assessment of refugees’ skills to match labour supply and demand.
Ms Courteille stressed the need to revisit the international and the European framework responding to forced displacement, in order to better integrate the humanitarian, development and labour market perspectives. “Forced displacement is no longer purely an emergency or humanitarian issue: we are dealing with long-term trends requiring long-term solutions,” she explained.
Within the limits of its mandate, the ILO is committed to address the labour market integration aspects of the current refugee crisis, including through the creation of decent jobs.
The ILO has developed cooperation programmes in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan focussing on the labour market integration of refugees and migrants, addressing the needs of both refugees and host communities through programmes targeting job creation, education, vocational training and skills development. ILO research in these countries has shown that a lack of access to the labour market leads to a growth in the informalization of employment, and an increase in labour exploitation.
In November 2015, the ILO-Brussels office hosted an event in the European Parliament on the integration of refugees in EU labour markets, which gave rise to a number of key findings. Labour market integration is one of the most effective ways to facilitate the integration and social inclusion of refugees in host societies. The earlier refugees are encouraged and assisted in entering the labour market, the better for their human dignity and livelihood, the host community, and the public purse.
In concluding, Ms Courteille pointed to the key role representative employers’ and workers’ organizations play in assisting this integration process, in particular through collective bargaining. She also stressed the need to increase cooperation between the public entities concerned, which would enable a rapid assessment of refugees’ skills to match labour supply and demand.