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Executive summaryConverging policy response. The 94 REFMISMES identifiedour REFMISMES inventory particularly difficult. In anyand analysed in the nine country case studies (see Appendixcase, there is a desperate need for coordination across10 of Volume II for details on each of them) suggest thegovernment levels and between actors.emergence of a kind of “standard” package, the emerging“conventional wisdom” perhaps, in the field of labourNeed for specific, tailor-made measures. One consensualmarket integration support measures for refugees andfinding emerging from the discussion of the country caseasylum seekers. The four key elements of this package are:studies is that asylum seekers and refugees have specific1) early skills assessment; 2) “introduction” programmeneeds, profiles and incentive structures which explainincluding general cultural orientation, but sometimes alsotheir systematic underperformance in the labour marketsocio-professional orientation and even some training; 3)in relation not only to the population in general, butintensive language courses; and 4) access to general jobalso to other migrants. Their labour market integrationintermediation services. This “model of intervention” isrequires, therefore, targeted, specific support measures.rarely questioned, and should be subject to testing andThe “mainstreaming” of refugees, i.e. their referral tocloser analysis to ensure that there are no better policythe general active labour market policies and supportoptions or policy mixes. One recurrent issue, however, ismeasures offered by public institutions to national workerswhether REFMISMES are more supply-driven or outcome-is not enough, even if this is the most widespread policyoriented, i.e. to determine the extent to which they areimplemented so far in this field.offered and implemented regardless of any evidence of theiractual impact.Early intervention has a positive impact on labour marketintegration. At the same time, in line with all formerSuccess factors difficult to identify. As noted before, theresearch and unanimous expert opinion, the country casechallenges and policy-response patterns across the surveyedstudies endorse the principle that the sooner supportEU Member States are structurally similar. However, it ismeasures occur, the faster labour market integrationdifficult to draw any conclusion or lesson on the effectivenesswill take place. The legal obstacles to the labour marketof different kinds of REFMISMES or the failure or successparticipation of asylum seekers in many Member States is,factors that emerge from policy practice. The first reason isthen, counterproductive. It is important, instead, to removethat, in most cases, the REFMISMES are too recent for anythe administrative and objective obstacles which preventconclusions about their implementation to be drawn. To thismany refugees from joining the labour market, even onceextent, only Sweden and to a lesser extent Denmark (and in athey are legally entitled to do so. In particular, the labourminor way Germany and Austria) provide a sufficient body ofmarket tests that asylum seekers must pass to take a job intime-tested evidence allowing for policy recommendations.some countries (like France and the UK) run counter to theIn this regard, the analysis of the literature on formerrationale of considering them as part of the national labourresearch of these experiences is crucial (see Section I.4market.and, at greater length, Volume II of this study). But evenwhen REFMISMES have already been implemented overa reasonable period of time, in most countries there is nosystematic follow-up and impact evaluation of those policyPolicy pointersinterventions, preventing researchers and policymakersfrom drawing policy conclusions. This points to anotherPolicy recommendations hard to draw, but mutualclear need: the systematic generation and the collection oflearning possible. The nine-country REFMISMES inventoryinformation and the evaluation of policies should be the firstcannot translate into clear-cut policy recommendations atstep for an evidence-based policy – something which hasthis stage. It is too early (in most of the countries analysed,rarely been attempted for these projects.systematic implementation of labour market integrationsupport measures is less than a year old), and too littleFragmentation of REFMISMES. The general overview ofis known about them. But there is comparability, bothREFMISMES, described in each of the countries studied,in terms of the structural challenges faced (see Sectionshows a high degree of fragmentation and a thorough lackII.1) and in terms of the policy response to them (Sectionof coordination in their implementation. There are tooII.2). This policy convergence allows for mutual cross-many actors taking initiatives and intervening at a local,country learning at least at two levels: first, learning fromregional and national level without any kind of coherentthose countries, in particular Sweden and Denmark, whichstrategy or actual exchange of information. This has madehave a long track record of labour market integration9

Executive summarysupport measures for refugees; second, putting in placeknowledge and exchange platform might work not onlymechanisms which allow for the rapid dissemination ofas a lever for exchanges among practitioners, but it couldpromising initiatives.also serve as a disseminator of information and analysisinitiatives in this field including the evaluation of practicesMore information required. Another common element toand the development of policy guides. In addition, in someall country case studies is the emphasis on the gap betweenfields, such as the recognition of qualifications or the freeavailable and collected information on refugees (bothmovement of workers, the EU legal framework provides aindividually and as a group) and the information requiredpotential venue for EU-wide initiatives. Last but not least,to design effective labour market integration measures andthough EU funding covers only a small part of the total costpolicies. In order to ensure a learning curve across Europeof the refugee crisis (including labour market integrationon this key development, more systematic collection ofmeasures), the European Commission has a leverage ininformation on actions is needed. However, there is also aspreading basic standards on policy practices, the collectionneed for the more systematic evaluation (in terms of impactof information and evaluation of programmes andand cost-effectiveness) of all those actions, and a specificfollow-up on beneficiaries. These are all key dimensionsfollow-up of labour market outcomes for this specific groupfor an effective and efficient labour market integrationof workers.equation for refugees.Increase of resources commensurate with the social andFurther research needs. As stated in the introduction, theeconomic stakes required. In any case, some preliminarypresent study was conceived only as a first step aiming toconclusions can be drawn from this exercise. First, moreinventory existing REFMISMES in a number of EU Memberresources – financial, human and institutional – need toStates and for undertaking a very preliminary analysis ofbe dedicated to promoting the labour market integrationthe same. But there is much that can be done in terms ofof refugees and asylum seekers. Even if all countries haveresearch to better policies in this field:approved successive budget increases in the last year or so,the available resources are not up to the magnitude of the There is an acute need for more data and more informationeconomic, social and even political stakes. Extraordinaryon refugees and asylum seekers, on their qualificationschallenges require extraordinary responses.and skills as well as on their personal and professionalprofile and on their spatial distribution (in relation to theNeed for multilevel governance mechanisms. Thedistribution of labour demand across the labour market).dispersion and fragmentation of labour market integrationThis can only be done through representative surveys ofsupport measures for refugees and asylum seekerscurrent and past refugees: the surveys carried out to datehighlights the need for powerful multilevel governanceamong refugees have been too partial and too scattered.mechanisms to deal with current challenges in anintegrated way (and this might also include the European There is also a need for more tracking studies oflevel). Labour market and more generally social integrationrefugees, following up their professional records andof refugees and asylum seekers takes place at a local level,their labour market outcomes over time.and initiatives to facilitate that process are often taken andimplemented by local and regional actors. However, asylum Finally, there is a need for more REFMISMESpolicy is largely national, and this creates a tension that has(comparative) case studies, deeper and wider analysisto be addressed with appropriate exchange of information,and more detailed analysis of different kinds of labourcoordination mechanisms and integration across actions.market integration support measures. It would beextremely useful to extend the comparative country caseScope for EU-wide action. Integration is definitely aapproach of these studies to more EU Member States,local process and labour markets largely operate at localbut also to non-EU countries with different but relevantor national level, rather than at EU level (even if there isexperiences of integrating refugees into their laboura trend in this direction). However, from the analysis andmarket.discussion carried out throughout this study, a few linesof potential EU action emerged. Indeed, the EU is theREFMISMES and their impact on labour market integrationappropriate level to establish an information exchangeof refugees may seem technical but it will prove key inplatform and to develop a pool of knowledge to improveEurope’s future.policy practice for all Member States. This EU-wide10

I. Introduction1. A European Challengethem have secondary education and between 30 and 40% areilliterate or have only primary schooling.According to Eurostatfigures1,1.3 million men, women andchildren (1,260,000 of them first-time asylum seekers)In terms of country of application, Figure 1 provides aclaimed asylum in Europe in 2015, more than double thesummary for the main EU Member States for 2015. A totalnumber in 2014, more than three times the number inof 476,510 applied for asylum in Germany (36%). Next came2013 and a by far the highest in the last 70 years. WhetherHungary and Sweden with more than 177,000 and moreor not this trend will continue (and there are indicationsthan 160,000 applications respectively, Austria and Italythat, in one way or another, it will for some time), allwith more than 80,000 and France with more than 75,000.analysts agree that a large share of these asylum seekerswill settle in Europe for good (in 2015, 52% of total asylumOf course, the degree of pressure varies greatly dependingapplications resulted in positive outcomes, and a standardon total population. In terms of ratio between asylumpolicy assumption is that at least half of the total number ofapplications received and the population, the averageasylum seekers will remain). There is also a wide consensusEU ratio was 260 per 100,000 habitants for the wholethat the way they integrate into the labour market, andEU. However, in terms of individual countries, Hungarythe time they take to do so, will determine the long-termreceived 1,799 applications per 100,000 habitants (1.8%),impact of this inflow of migrants on the European economySweden 1,667 (1.67%), Austria 1,027 (1%), Finland 591 and(whether they are ultimately an injection of fresh blood orGermany 587 per 100,000 habitants, against 32 for Spainlargely a burden for European economies), as well as theand Poland and 60 for the UK, 114 for France and 120 forchances of social and economic integration in EuropeanItaly and Greece (see Figure 2). Of course, in terms of thesocieties.labour market’s absorption capacity, other variables suchas the unemployment rate, the demographic dynamics inParadoxically, despite the high stakes, not much is knowneach country and the number of refugees and migrantsabout these asylum seekers. In terms of nationality,already present in the country, but also social attitudesaccording to Eurostat, the largest groups come from Syriatowards migration should be taken into account. However,(29% of the total), Afghanistan (14%) and Iraq (10%); 83%the choice of country of application seems to be determinedof them were under 35, i.e. with the largest part of theirlargely by the perceived chances of finding a job in theactive life ahead of them, with 53% being between 18 and 34respective countries and by refugee acceptance policiesyears of age; 80% of this younger group were men, whereas– social attitudes towards emigration in the differentamong older applicants (35–64) men made up roughly twocountries (as measured, for instance, in the European Socialthirds and women one third. But, as this study and theSurvey) seems not to be a factor.country case studies suggest, there is no systematic dataon their level of education or professional experience, a keyIn any case, regardless of the geographical distributionvariable for planning any labour market integration supportof asylum applications, it is clear that this is largely ameasure. Available evidence indicates that up to 15% of theEuropean challenge, even if the first order policy responsenew asylum seekers have tertiary education, around 50% ofto it is largely national and sub-national, as seen in the ninecountry case studies carried out for this study. The ained/index.php/File:Asylum applications (non-EU) in the EU-28 MemberStates, 2005-15 (%C2%B9) (thousands) YB16.png.section of the study will also touch upon the extent to whichthere is scope for a Europe-wide answer not only in relation11

IntroductionFIGURE 1 Asylum applications received in 2015 (total number and % of total 000.120.110.50.280.060.030.120.030.010Total number of applications (left FinlandUnited triaSwedenHungaryGermany0.0% of total population (right axis)Source: Eurostat /index.php/Asylum statistics).to flow management (the arrival and reception of asylumObjectives. The study is based on nine brief country caseseekers), but also in relation to labour market integrationstudies of EU Member States selected on the basis ofpolicies.the number of refugees hosted and their proportion as apercentage of total population, but also of country sizeAfter the first shock of the arrival and reception of more(and hence participation in the ongoing EU relocationthan one million new immigrants, in 2015 (whateverscheme), tradition of integration of refugees and balancetheir legal status), governments and societies had toof countries across the EU. The countries selected were:face the much more lasting challenge of facilitating theirAustria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands,smooth integration in their societies. Here, labour marketSpain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Because of resourceintegration is the key lever for it. As this report will show,limitations and a tight deadline (the whole study has beenmany initiatives have already been taken and substantialimplemented in four months), this is just a first approachresources mobilised, often without the necessary planningto the issue identifying directions and requirements foror knowledge to ensure their success. A first stocktakingfurther research, as well as first lessons in this relativelyof the impact and effectiveness of these measures andnew policy area.the search for good practices would markedly increase thechances of succeeding in this European challenge.More specifically, the study aims to: review the legal and policy framework concerning labourmarket access of recent refugees and asylum seekers;2. Scope and aims of the study provide an up-to-date and structured overview ofIn this context, the overall objective of the study is todifferent types of labour market integration supportidentify the policies and practices being implemented inmeasures for refugees (REFMISMES), programmes anddifferent EU Member States to facilitate the labour marketinitiatives for refugees and asylum seekers, includingintegration of recent refugees and asylum seekers (i.e.measures by civil society and private actors (such asthose who have arrived in the country in the last year) andNGOs, employers, etc.);to analyse them in a comparative perspective.12

Introduction identify and discuss good practices and lessons learnedmeasures clearly have an impact on the labour marketin the different countries, as well as contextual factorsintegration of refugees and asylum seekers, but they areaffecting the effectiveness of different measures.more concerned with their legal and social integrationrather than their labour market integration.Target group. In terms of the group analysed, the study willcover all phases of international protection:Types of REFMISMES Refugees, i.e. beneficiaries of international protectionwho have been granted refugee status or subsidiaryFor the sake of analysis, labour market integrationprotection status. According to the EU recastsupport measures for refugees and asylum seekers haveQualification Directive, those persons are authorised “tobeen classified, in relation to their field of intervention, inengage in employed or self-employed activities subjectthe following categories:to rules generally applicable to the profession and the public service, immediately after protection has beenSKILLS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENTgranted”2. Asylum seekers who have applied for internationalSKILLS DEVELOPMENTprotection. According to the 2013 recast of the Reception Language coursesConditions Directive, “Member States shall ensure that Access to vocational education and training (VET) andfurther educationapplicants have access to the labour market no laterthan 9 months from the date when the application for Persons in need of international protection. To Access to traineeships, apprenticeships andinternshipsand the delay cannot be attributed to the applicant”3. Specific professional skills development programmesfor labour market integrationinternational protection was lodged if a first instancedecision by the competent authority has not been taken Skills and qualifications assessment and profiling Promotion of entrepreneurship Mentoringthe extent applicable, prospective applicants forinternational protection (for instance those temporarilyJOB INTERMEDIATIONin transit in a Member State) who may benefit from Labour counselling and professional orientationsome form of tolerated access to the labour market, Access to labour market information, job matchingand placement serviceseven in the informal sector, or some support measurethat might contribute to their future labour marketintegration.RECOGNITION OF SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS returnable” refused asylum seekers who remain legally Validation and certification of skills (includinginformal and non-formal skills) “Tolerated” (in Germany) or other categories of “non- Recognition of qualificationsin the State’s territory.INCENTIVES FOR ECONOMIC INTEGRATIONDefinition of REFMISMES. For the purposes of our study, or future labour market integration of refugees or asylumseekers. REFMISMES here do not include support measures Support for self-employment and entrepreneurshipamong refugeesREFMISMES are measures aimed at supporting the current Incentives for employment of refugees or asylumseekerssuch as housing provision, cash

Alessandra Venturini, Hermine Vidovic, Inge van der Welle, Michael Windisch, Rebecca Wolffberg, Aslan Zorlu. This study has been produced by the Migration Policy Centre (MPC) at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies of the European Universi