Refugee Employment Research Articles

Refugees’ employment: Adapting a structural inequality framework for multinational corporations

Multinational corporations (MNCs), through action or inaction, directly and indirectly shape vertical, horizontal, or internal structural inequalities in labour markets. The refugee employment literature has given scant attention to the role of MNCs, and how these corporations can or do contribute to achieving equality in employment outcomes for diverse social groups such as refugees. In this paper, we explore how MNCs seek to address challenges associated with structural inequalities to achieve greater equality in employment outcomes for refugees. To do so, we draw on the refugee employment literature, industry evidence, and business reports. Our findings reveal that MNCs require global and national-level responses to address structural inequalities associated with vertical, horizontal, or internal inequalities. We synthesise these inequalities into a conceptual framework and illustrate the need for MNCs to balance standardisation vs localisation strategies in human resource and diversity management, sourcing and supply chain management, corporate social responsibility, marketing and branding, and external engagement. Such MNC strategies contribute to refugees’ ability to navigate structural factors that create employment inequalities.

Analysis of prospects and problems in the development of human resources for the employment of Ukrainian refugees

An influx of workers who have accumulated knowledge in labor markets other than the current one can have particularly large effects on the development of the host country's human resources. Other things being equal, a region with higher fluctuations in the number of highly skilled workers should be in a better position than a region with low mobility. Refugee laws are in constant evolution, reflecting the changing political, economic, and legal environments. This paper examines the situation that has developed in the Czech Republic after the arrival of a large number of refugees from Ukraine, in terms of their opportunities and prospects, as well as their ability to enter the labor market in accordance with their education and previous professional activities. The purpose of this study is to analyse the potential and obstacles to the labor integration of Ukrainian refugees, given the situation of uncertainty and the measures taken by the Czech government and state structures to receive refugees. The article considers the objective and subjective prerequisites for the labor integration of refugees, taking into account their socio-demographic characteristics and subjective intentions for the future.

Promotion of the refugee to legitimate employment through the prism of the development of the economic sector of the host country

This article aims to describe the most important aspects of refugee inclusion and adaptation in the economic sector of a prosperous democratic society. Particular attention is paid to employing refugees, as they are expected to contribute to the economic development of the host country. Various new elements of analysis are applied to demonstrate that the information is current and truthful. This act exposes some premordial aspects such as: refugee adaptation disputes in employment and the process of integration into the host community. It describes the definitive assimilation of local instruments in relation to the main moments of adaptation of the subjects, in our case refugees. The authors of several doctrinal arts convey to multiple sources of ideas where the applicable rules for the classification of refugees in different countries are described. At the end of the article are exposed defenitory factors of research on refugee employment, ending with recommendations.

Progression of Employment and Livelihoods Policies and Regulations for the Protracted Displacement of Refugees in Host Countries: Syrian Refugees in Jordan as a Case Study

Objectives: Three major research questions have been raised in this study to explain issues related to the employment and livelihood for Syrian refugees in Jordan and their experience to the existing employment and livelihood policies and regulations. Methods: To do so, the quantitative survey has been conducted with 390 respondents and qualitative interviews with 5 respondents to derive an outcome of the study. Results: The study concluded that the livelihood and employment of Syrian refugees in Jordan is a difficult problem that involves several different aspects. Conclusions: To address these difficulties, there will need to be a concerted and ongoing effort by the Jordanian government, as well as from international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and players from the private sector.

Refugees', asylum seekers' and migrants' experiences of finding meaningful work in the Australian construction industry: a Bourdieusean analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to use Bourdieu’s Theory of Capital–Field–Habitus to explore how refugees, asylum seekers and migrants accumulate and mobilise social, cultural, symbolic and economic capital to find meaningful work in the Australian construction industry.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reports the results of a survey of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who have either successfully or unsuccessfully searched for employment in the Australian construction industry.FindingsThe findings dispel widely held negative stereotypes of about this group by describing a highly capable workforce which could address significant skills shortages in the industry, while concurrently diversifying the workforce. However, it is found that refugees, asylum seekers and migrants face considerable barriers to finding meaningful employment in the construction industry. In circumventing these barriers, education institutions, charities and community-based organisations play an especially important role, alongside friends and family networks. They do this by helping refugees, asylum seekers and migrants accumulate and deploy the necessary capital to secure meaningful work in the construction industry. Disappointingly, it is also found that the construction industry does little to help facilitate capital accumulation and deployment for this group, despite the urgent need to address diversity and critical skills shortages.Originality/valueEmploying Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Capital–Field–Habitus, the findings make a number of new theoretical and practical contributions to the limited body of international research relating to the employment of refugees, asylum seekers and migrant workers in the construction. The results are important because meaningful employment is widely accepted to be the single most factor in the successful integration of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants into a host society and the construction industry represents an important source of potential employment for them.

Cross‐sector collaboration for refugee employment: An anthropology of development perspective

AbstractEmployment plays a crucial role in the successful resettlement of migrants. However, there is a paucity of research on how to facilitate refugee employment outcomes and the role of cross‐sector collaborations. Using a qualitative, multi‐layered analysis of primary and secondary data from Australian settlement service providers (SSPs) and the businesses they work with, this study explores how public service organisations co‐create value with stakeholders (i.e., public service logic) through cross‐sector collaborations. By identifying differing notional and strategic logics of both SSPs and employing businesses in supporting refugee migrants, we reveal the dynamics of cross‐sector value co‐creation in refugee management settings. We also identify four main strategic logics that SSPs use to address barriers and connect refugee migrants to employment. Our study offers theoretical contributions and practical implications for public, private, not‐for‐profit and community organisations working together to support refugee employment.

Refugee Labor Market Access Increases Support for Immigration

Does the economic integration of refugees affect public attitudes toward migration? We assess this pertinent question by examining a policy change in Germany, where the government significantly eased labor market access for refugees in the majority of the country. Using administrative employment data, we show that the policy led to a substantial increase in refugee employment, while natives’ wages and employment rates remained unaffected. The policy also had a positive effect on natives’ attitudes toward migration. Voters exposed to more refugees in the labor market were two percentage points more likely to vote for pro-migration parties across both state and federal elections. Additional survey analyses suggest that our results are driven by positive native–refugee interactions in the workplace.

The Ecosystem of Managing Refugee Employment: Complementarity and Its Microfoundations

The Ecosystem of Managing Refugee Employment: Complementarity and Its Microfoundations

Refugee economic self-reliance practices: How institutional intermediations negotiate opportunities for refugee employment and entrepreneurship

This research explores how institutional intermediations negotiate local institutional frameworks that constrain refugee (self-)employment. Drawing on the case of a Finnish non-profit organization, the findings show the construction of a labor market scaffolding, which is an analytical space wherein refugees’ institutional disadvantages are negotiated through three intermediation mechanisms: mobilizing network support, bridging the employability gap, and buffering regulatory constraints. This research contributes to scholarship on refugee workforce integration by elaborating on a comprehensive process that targets the individual, networks, and regulations to address the systemic and multilevel challenges of refugee employment. The paper also contributes to refugee governance mechanisms by suggesting that labor market scaffoldings can be productive tools for devising refugees’ self-reliance practices that are relational, temporally sensitive, and contextually relevant.

The Relationship between UK’s Refugee Legislation and Policies and the Welfare of Refugees

The aggregate of refugees to the UK has been on a sharp increase during recent years. Such a rise would put a strain on government expenditures. This substantial investment in refugees may result in the current limited refugee policy. Therefore, this paper focuses on those limited refugee policies and illustrates how they impact the welfare of refugees by collecting interviews and government documents from the point of view of refugee applications, refugee education, and refugee employment policy. From the research, the so-called "benefiting refugee" policy—Rwanda initiative not only denies refugees their right to asylum but also threatens their personal safety; the unsuitable and stricter education policy has not met the required education level for refugee children; the unfair employment policy for the majority of asylum seekers and would have a negative effect on their near future (after getting refugee status).

Refugees from Ukraine on the Polish labour market

Introduction: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, triggered the largest forced migration in Europe since World War II. By April, net migration at the Polish-Ukrainian border reached 2.1 million, including 2 million Ukrainian citizens. Objective: In this paper, we evaluate the integration and effects of the refugee inflow in the short term. Materials and methods: In this paper, we study the spatial distribution of Ukrainian refugees, the determinants of their decision on where to settle, their professional situation after arriving in Poland, and finally, the short-term consequences of the migration wave on the Polish labour market. We focus on the period between February and April 2022, as the available administrative data we use it in this study covers it.Results: First, the Ukrainian refugees in Poland largely followed the pre-war locations of Ukrainian economic migrants. Better economic opportunities, hotel accommodations availability, and public administration funding are other factors associated with higher refugee inflows at the county level. Second, the employment of refugees is relatively high, especially considering challenges related to childcare and language barriers. However, skill mismatch is an issue, as most refugees are relatively well educated, but most work in elementary occupations. Third, our econometric results show that the refugee inflow did not affect the labour market outcomes of the Polish population and other migrants.

EMPLOYMENT OF REFUGEES FROM UKRAINE DURING THE WAR: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

This paper describes the pecularities of employment of refugees from Ukraine in the European countries during the war. The main directions of migration of refugees are analyzed. It is established that the most refugees are located in Poland. The main features of the employment of Ukrainian refugees in Poland, the fields of their employment, were studied. The main trends in the development of the labor market are analyzed, taking into account the forced migration of Ukrainians. The peculiarities of the rights of Ukrainians in Poland after their arrival on February 24, 2022 were studied. The results of a survey of Ukrainians regarding the conditions of their stay in Poland, impressions of the key areas of life are presented. It was established that the influx of refugees from Ukraine to Europe is the largest wave of migration since the Second World War. It has been established that the level of education and qualifications of Ukrainian refugees is quite high, and that is why they quickly find work in Europe. As a result, this wave of migration could have a negative effect on the labour potential of Ukraine, given the high probability of non-return of Ukrainain refugees, especially for youth.

Private companies' engagement in the labour market integration of refugees: An exploratory study of the city of Stuttgart, Germany

AbstractPrivate companies of all sizes may engage in the integration of refugees into the labour market. Taking the case study of the highly industrialised German city of Stuttgart, this study explores the motivation of (a) private large‐scale international enterprises including (automotive and high‐tech companies) and (b) family‐owned small‐ to medium‐sized companies (private social enterprises, suppliers to the automotive industries, architecture, and engineering companies) to do so. The research further explores the companies' challenges, opportunities and the lessons learned throughout the process. Utilising the principles of Grounded Theory, a qualitative case study approach is applied with in‐depth interviews with private companies, civil society, public private partnerships and experts. The findings show that the arrival of a large number of refugees during 2015/2016 has increased the engagement of the companies, increased their cooperation with other sectors, and has correspondingly led to some innovative initiatives in refugees' labour market integration and policy advocacy. The call for the engagement of the private sector and the existence of employment‐related policies such as tolerated work permits (Ausbildungsduldung/Beschäftigungsduldung) were essential to create sufficient incentives for private companies to engage in the training and employment of refugees. However, the insecure residence permits and bureaucratic procedures in the public sector mostly discouraged their engagement. Our research shows that the two company types had different possibilities, different approaches towards refugees and faced different challenges while engaging in refugee labour market integration.

The labor market integration of Syrian refugees in Turkey

Although Turkey hosts the largest population of refugees globally, we know little about their labor-market outcomes at the national level. This study uses the 2018 round of the Turkey Demographic and Health Survey, which includes a representative sample of Syrian refugees for the first time, to examine refugee labor-market integration. The findings show a much smaller native–refugee gap in men’s employment in Turkey (favoring natives) than that reported for most developed countries. Moreover, the employment rate for refugee men peaks quite early, one year after arrival, and remains at the same level. By contrast, the employment rate for refugee women is initially lower and does not change much over time. Once demographic and educational differences are accounted for, the native–refugee gap in men’s (women’s) paid employment falls to 4.7 (4.0) percentage points (pp). These small gaps conceal the fact that formal-employment rates are much lower among refugees. Even when covariate differences are accounted for, the formal-employment rate for refugee men is 58 pp lower than the rate for native men. In addition, the smallest native–refugee employment gaps are in manufacturing for men and agriculture for women. The gap is also much smaller in wage employment than in self-employment or unpaid family work. Finally, significant heterogeneity exists across refugee groups. The native–refugee employment gap is wider for older and more-educated groups. Once covariates are accounted for, the gap in men’s employment vanishes for refugees whose mother tongue is Turkish but persists for refugees whose mother tongue is Arabic or Kurdish.

Workplace Factors Associated with Employment of Refugees – Evidence from a Survey Among Danish Employers

Labour market participation by refugees in their new host country is crucial both to the integration process and in terms of reducing public spending on income replacement benefits for refugees. In this article, we explore workplace factors associated with employment of refugees. For this purpose, we use a survey of Danish employers, in light of the fact that with some notable exceptions, the employer role has been somewhat neglected in existing research on labour market integration of refugees. We find that many different workplace factors are associated with employment of refugees. In addition to objective workplace characteristics, existing social responsibility practice, contacts by public employment services and the attitudes and preconceptions of employers towards refugees are of importance.

Advancing Refugee Employment through Bilateral Collaboration: The Role of Businesses

The facilitation of refugee employment is a grand challenge that requires well-coordinated action among many stakeholders. However, research on refugee employment is yet to develop recommendations on coordinating stakeholder engagement across sectors and on aligning their resources. Our paper positions businesses at the center of a multi-stakeholder effort, focusing on the creation of bilateral collaboration and reciprocal value between businesses and each of the key stakeholders engaged as the key to the sustainable response to the social issue. By providing an understanding of how businesses can work with these key stakeholders, our paper highlights that sharing of resources and knowledge across sectors enables a sustained collaborative effort. In our theorization, we explain that the stakeholders bring different resources and knowledge to the businesses (and vice versa) in a complementary way that leads to the creation of reciprocal value for both parties and contributes to achieving greater social value.

Does One Municipality Fit All?The Employment of Refugees in Norway Across Municipalities of Different Centrality and Size.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10680-022-09618-3.

A qualitative study of UNHCR’s employment and professional development programmes for refugees

The purpose of this study was to review literature on career management for refugees and identify the challenges refugees face in terms of crafting a successful career. The paper further examined career management and professional development programmes UNHCR offers to refugees to make recommendations to improve them in alignment with organizational and refugees’ needs. Semi-structured interviews were used in the qualitative research, the study population consisted of 18 individuals. Key findings suggest that UNHCR’s employment and education programmes are in high demand among the refugee community and they contribute to personal development and capacity building. However, by improving them and providing additional opportunities, the organization could make even better use of refugees’ skills and develop them to ensure their career growth. Moreover, the UN Refugee agency should serve as a good example for companies and organizations in employing and training forcibly displaced people.

In their own time: Refugee healthcare professionals’ attempts at temporal re-appropriation

Scholarship on refugee labour market participation regularly alludes to the temporal dimension of the process, yet explicit engagement with it remains limited. I argue that researching the temporalities of refugee employment re-entry is valuable as it discerns the recursive interrelation between social structure and individual agency that advances or curbs the labour market trajectories of refugees. Namely, refugees’ perceptions of time inform their integration pathways. In this article, I interrogate how highly educated refugees perceive the temporalities imposed upon them by the integration framework, their efforts of temporal re-appropriation and the ways in which institutional factors inform these re-appropriation efforts and, thus, individuals’ sense of integration. To this end, I discuss and compare 11 refugee healthcare professionals’ perceptions of licensure procedures in Oslo and Malmö based on material from semi-structured interviews. The refugee professionals reported that the licensure appropriated their time through, for instance, prolonged suspension from work and abundance of pointless waiting time. Seeing time as a precious commodity, they deemed the imposed temporalities as problematic, employing different attempts of temporal agency to speed up the licensure process. When comparing the attempts of temporal re-appropriation between the licensure procedures in Oslo and Malmö, I find that the perceived clarity of the licensure requirements and process, accessibility of support structures and existence of tailored qualification programmes lend licensure a quality of institutional plasticity. This fosters individuals’ attempts to accelerate their licensure endeavours, thereby promoting their re-entry into the labour market. However, rather than disrupting the underlying power relations determining the relative value of foreign healthcare qualifications, temporal re-appropriation maintained the established institutional rationale.

Restricting access to employment as a human rights violation: a case study of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon

ABSTRACT Palestinian refugees in Lebanon face many human rights violations, including heavy restrictions of the right to employment. While the detrimental ramifications of the lack of access to employment for Palestinian refugees have been well documented in policy reports and scholarship, few have assessed Palestinian refugees’ perspectives on this issue. Our study offers insights on Palestinian refugees’ perceptions of restricted employment access, especially as it pertains to their standard of living, emotional and mental well-being, interpretation of the right to work, and integration into Lebanese society. Using a mixed-methods study design with a heavy qualitative component, we assess Palestinian’s perceptions and examine the consequences of work restrictions for the situation of Palestinians in Lebanon. Our results indicate that Palestinian refugees’ restricted access to employment negatively affects their everyday life, with some nuances regarding work inside and outside of refugee camps. Further, unlike pervasive findings in the literature stating that lack of access to high-level occupations negatively impacts refugees, we found that availability of any employment is considered positive by the participants in our study. Further, we found that several of the participants used human rights language in their responses, highlighting that there is awareness of employment as a human right.