Download LMO_2016-02-22_Conclusions_Public hearing_Integrating refugees

European Economic and Social Committee
Section on Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship
Labour Market Observatory
CONCLUSIONS
Public seminar on
"Integrating refugees into the labour market: turning the crisis into an opportunity"
22 February 2016, 2.30 – 6 p.m., EESC
The Labour Market Observatory (LMO) organised a public seminar on "Integrating refugees into the
labour market: turning the crisis into an opportunity" on Monday, 22 February 2016. The event was
conceived as an integral part of a coherent EESC activity on the issue of refugees and integration
– such as the opinion on Integration of refugees in the EU, the opinion on Social economy enterprises
as a driver for migrant integration and the European Migration Forum of 6–7 April 2016. The seminar
was an occasion to cooperate with Eurofound, which has just started working on a project to assess
Member States' policies for refugees' integration.
The public seminar featured experts, MEPs, EESC members and several representatives of civil society
organisations, who showcased a series of good practices from the grassroots level. It attracted a large
number of participants and interest from several journalists who came from several Member States to
attend the event.
Detailed minutes will soon be published on the LMO's web pages, though the key conclusions and
recommendations of the event can be summarised as follows:


In 2015, the number of asylum applications exceeded 1 250 000 in the EU and the number is
expected to rise. Asylum applicants come mainly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of
them will be granted asylum. For example, the asylum recognition rate for Syrians in the third
quarter of 2015 reached 98%.
It is not easy to have reliable data, but IOM research shows that refugees are extremely young.
70% of them are men. The vast majority of them is low skilled, which is normal given the age.
According to German assessments, only 10% of asylum seekers have some formal
qualification; 90% of them do not have any formal qualification, but might have skills acquired
in an informal way.
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
Many obstacles can hinder refugees' fast and good integration into the labour market. Past
experience shows that after five years, less than 50% of refugees are in employment (OECD
data). One should not expect these people to be operational from day one.
- First of all, their mental health might be affected by war and the long and dangerous journey
to Europe.
- Other barriers relate to lack of language knowledge, discrimination, housing instability, the
recognition of skills and qualifications, immobility, lack of networks (social, family or work
networks), childcare issues, administrative barriers and the length of the asylum process as
such.
- Official access to the labour market is not fast. In line with the Reception Directive, Member
States should give asylum seekers access to the labour market no later than nine months after
their application is lodged (exceptions: UK, DK, IE). National laws vary from immediate access
(EL, PT, SE), to access after three months (AT, DE), six months (BE, CY, CZ, EE, ES, FI, IT,
NL, PL, DK) or nine months (BG, HR, FR, HU, LV, LU, SK, SI). These laws are not always
applied and many other barriers hinder refugees' employment: the need for a work permit,
preference given to natives/EU citizens, recognised refugees ("labour market check"); restricted
access to certain professions; restriction to work only in certain sectors/types of
jobs/occupations (e.g. sectors facing workers shortages).
- The trend of giving protection for a limited time instead of asylum is demotivating and
detrimental to integration.

Faced with an unprecedented influx of refugees, public authorities still struggle to provide an
adequate reception to people in terms of accommodation, schooling and health care.
Volunteers, donors and civil society organisations play a key role to help in this situation.

Beyond responding to these immediate needs, Member States need to step up efforts to integrate
refugees into the labour market – as employees or entrepreneurs. That is a "must", and should
be seen as an investment in the future, to avoid long-term dependency and marginalisation of
refugees and to give a positive image of them to the public. The current crisis is also an
opportunity: refugees can be part of the solution to challenges such as demographic ageing or
lack of specific skills.

Integration is a two-way process. Refugees should receive both information on their rights and
on their duties in the host countries and on the values that need to be respected (gender equality,
for example). Both refugees and local populations should receive civic education, which
currently exists only in a few countries (AT, BE, DK, PT, ES).

Support measures for asylum seekers (language training, adult education, civic education, jobrelated training) need to be improved. This requires adequate funding, and putting in place a
financial translation tax could be of help.
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
Partnerships between social partners, public employment services, local authorities and civil
society organisations have proved very useful in adopting a coherent approach and helping
refugees all the way through the system.

Placing refugees on the labour market should not be done at the expense of other disadvantaged
groups such as young and long-term unemployed. Job creation must be encouraged.

Self-employment and entrepreneurship among refugees need to be encouraged and
microfinance institutions should be better used.

Stability and adequate housing are prerequisites for refugees' work integration.

Assessments must be carried out as soon as possible. These can include personality tests, skill
assessments and consideration of interests. A good practice is to carry out these tests in
languages that are known by refugees, such as Arabic, Persian or English.

Regarding recognition of qualifications, thinking "out of the box" and more flexibility are
needed; work needs to be done with social partners for the validation of skills.

Refugees need to be offered education and training opportunities. However, a difficulty seen
on the ground is that many young people do not want to be educated, but want to work
immediately to earn money. Placing refugees on apprenticeships for at least three months can
bring positive results.

Investing in language training is key; language learning is easier and more motivating when
combined with work.

Social networks must be built around refugees and with refugees. Sports clubs can play an
important role in this respect.

Refugees need help to understand the functioning of national labour markets; The role of public
employment services is key and their staff needs to be trained. Social partners also play a core
role and mentoring has proved efficient in this field.

Brain waste needs to be avoided; we need to avoid deskilling of refugees and care about their
personal development.

More work needs to be done with local communities to bring down barriers and prevent
misunderstandings between refugees and the local population. Awareness campaigns are
important and the role of the media is key. More energy and work need to be put into tackling
discrimination and managing Europe's very rich diversity.
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
Family reunification helps integration and local populations tend to accept families more easily
than young male refugees. Reunification needs to be organised, to avoid family members
coming to Europe with the help of smugglers.

Mentoring has proved to be very useful; it helps refugees in finding a job, and the mentor also
gives advice on practical issues. It improves inter-cultural and inter-generational understanding.
It is an occasion for the refugee to practice a national language and is also valorising for the
mentor.

Asylum procedures need to be shorter.
Speakers' presentations and other information on the event are available on the event's web page
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