The challenges refugees face in the labor market are well known, whether due to a lack of connections, an unfamiliarity with how labor markets work, or the unrecognized status of their credentials. Despite these barriers, many refugees do find stable work. Research from Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam suggests this can occur when employers, agencies, and refugee support organizations work effectively together.

“They step in and fill in gaps, building on those activities that are performed by others,” the researchers explain. “This complementarity is happening because of highly motivated individuals who are very responsive to what happens around them. They see where the need is, and they persevere in this context that is, frankly, full of barriers.”

Into work

The researchers quizzed a number of people involved in helping refugees into work from the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria. Between them, these countries received nearly 2 million asylum applications between 2015 and 2018.

Refugees in these countries are provided with a range of support, including the provision of food and housing, language and integration courses, and job center assistance. The research highlights some unexpected means of support, such as employers going beyond merely providing good employment and welcoming refugees into their homes.

“We were really impressed by how people go out of their way to really help and to step in, and that includes refugees,” the researchers explain. “These complementary activities make this whole system work.”

Supportive ecosystem

The authors showcase the ecosystem of support offered to help refugees find reliable work. This ecosystem operates across three levels: the individual, organizations, and society and government.

The study highlights three key factors that underpin whether the different parts of the ecosystem work effectively together and help refugees into work:

• Individual motives.  When it comes to supporting refugees in finding jobs, different people have different reasons. Some employers need workers in a tight job market, so they hire refugees. Some support workers believe that everyone should be treated equally, so they help refugees. And some refugees want to improve their language skills and volunteer as translators.

• Responsiveness.  People in this effort pay attention to what others are good at, what they struggle with, and what they need. For example, refugees sometimes hide their nationality on job applications or change how they present themselves to deal with job discrimination. Employers help refugees by offering tutoring or childcare, and government agencies teach refugees basic language skills and connect them with job opportunities.

• Perseverance.  The story of refugee employment is one of determination and creativity. Refugees work hard to learn the local language, even when they face rejection. They take internships or jobs that might not match their qualifications just to gain experience and make local connections. Employers also play a long-term role by actively fighting stereotypes and discrimination. They train their employees to be more aware of biases and differences, or they simply lead by example and create an inclusive workplace for refugees.

The authors have some ideas to help refugees find jobs, and they’re pretty straightforward:

1. Teamwork: To make things work, everyone involved should agree on the same goals. Even if they have different reasons for doing it, having a common purpose helps. So, they suggest making clear agreements about what they want to achieve, how they’ll do it, and what each person or group should do.
2. Talk More: To make sure everyone is on the same page, they should talk to each other more. They could have meetings or events where they can share ideas and learn from each other.
3. Learn and Care: People in charge of helping refugees get jobs should learn more about what it’s like for refugees. This will help them understand what’s needed for everyone to succeed.
4. Recognize Sacrifices: Sometimes, refugees, volunteers, and support workers give up a lot to help others. Governments and organizations should figure out when this is happening and give them some credit or support, like money or other help, to make sure they keep doing their important work.

“Being aware of this complementarity mechanism allows us to find ways to improve the current processes,” they conclude. “We have a point of departure here for mapping how these ecosystems might look in practice, so people who are working in this field could more easily detect roles that are vacant or responsibilities that are currently not met. This complementarity makes the whole system work. Without it, we would see a lot less refugee employment and a lower quality of it.”