Refugees globally face significant barriers to employment, which can create a vicious cycle. This was recently underscored during an interview conducted with the aforementioned trio of advocates, artists and academics. These challenges are driven by persistent legal, social, and economic barriers. These challenges create real barriers for them to plug back into state and local labor markets. As host countries continue to deal with these challenges, the demand for holistic solutions has never been more critical.
Often, refugees enter their new countries bringing a wealth of skills and experience. They often encounter challenges such as language discrimination and failure to credit their credentials. On top of that, they have a hard time accessing training programs. These reasons heavily diminish their opportunities to find consistent work. This story was contributed by a Syrian refugee. She told us how prospective employers in her new home country did not accept her engineering degree, leaving her to seek work well below her level of expertise.
As important as this economic context is, our legal landscape has a tremendous impact on the on-the-ground experience of refugees’ employment. In many areas, state-level restrictions on immigration do not allow refugees to receive work permits. Beyond inhibiting their recovery, this places them in a perpetual state of vulnerability and dependence on aid. One refugee from Afghanistan described how he waited for permission to work for months. He struggled to feed his family.
Social integration makes the employment situation almost impossible for many refugees. Instead, they endure loneliness and discrimination, robbing them of the ability to develop business networks or acquire hometown references. One young Eritrean refugee described how ready and willing he was to do a job real opportunity. Despite these successes, he faced discrimination by employers who did not want to hire an employee with refugee status.
Major tests arise from economic ups and downs in host countries. Most importantly, they directly impact immediate job accessibility for refugees. In recessions, the competition for every job becomes more intense. Refugees are usually the first to be released and passed over for new jobs. A recent Refugees in the EU report shows that refugees’ unemployment rates are 9 times higher than the host populations. This cultural and linguistic lack of access exacerbates their already vulnerable circumstances.
While these struggles certainly exist, there are many organizations and initiatives on the scene working to advance refugee employment. Nonprofits and community groups are fighting the good fight. Their services include language training, job placement services, and mentorship programs specifically designed for refugees. These initiatives strive to close the disconnect between refugees and employment opportunities within the labor market. They prepare refugees with the skills and confidence to find and sustain gainful employment in their communities.
In addition, more and more companies are seeing the distinct value that refugees add to their workforce. By prioritizing a range of experiences and perspectives, companies can unlock creativity and bring their most innovative solutions to market. This helps to create a more inclusive society. A small business owner recently described how hiring refugees has improved their workplace culture, made employees more adaptable, and helped them attract a larger and more diverse customer base.
