Engaging with Employers in the Hiring of Refugees: An Action Plan

UNHCR and OECD

Launched April 2018

When asked by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) what makes them feel a part into their host countries, most refugees responded, “a job”. But finding a job isn’t always easy when you’re a refugee. Qualifications may not be recognised, language may be a barrier, job seeking and workplace norms can be different.

To help host countries benefit from the skills and talents of refugees and help refugees better integrate into their new societies, the UNHCR and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have developed an innovative Action Plan to expand employment opportunities for refugees. The plan identifies the challenges, opportunities and best practices in the integration of refugees to the labour market and offers a list of concrete actions to support the successful employment of refugees.

The Action Plan draws on extensive consultations with those who play a key role in promoting the integration of refugees in local and national labour markets - employers and their employers and their associations, trade unions, relevant civil society organisations – as well as refugees themselves.

Find out more about this Action Plan for Employers, Refugees, Governments and Civil Society

“We participated in several OECD and UNHCR dialogues on ‘Employing Refugees’. It is great that the joint endeavours by these two organizations with many other stakeholders has resulted in this broad, but concrete, multi-stakeholder ‘Action Plan’. It will have positive impact.”

Lorenz Isler

Sustainability Manager, IKEA Switzerland