During the job fair on Lesvos some 400 refugees had the opportunity to meet and discuss with local employers. © UNHCR/Theodoros Alexellis
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and its Reception and Identification Service, organized on 13 and 14 September a first-ever job fair for local employers and refugees in Mytilene’s Reception and Identification Centre (RIC), following interest expressed by the local business community on Lesvos.
During the two-day event, some 400 refugees from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia and other countries had the opportunity to meet and discuss with 16 local employers, including farmers, dairy and olive oil producers, recycling and construction companies. At the end of the fair, 66 people were offered a job and another 45 received offers for skills training. This is a promising result, which clearly shows that refugees can find dignified employment, contribute, and become self-reliant, in line with Greece’s National Integration Strategy. It also demonstrates that employers are interested not only to cover the existing needs in the local labour market but also to have a diverse workforce.
Deputy Migration and Asylum Minister in charge of integration Ms. Sofia Voultepsi stressed: “Employment is the epitome of the integration process. People must live with dignity and autonomy and participate in the economic and social life of the countries that offer them hospitality. UNHCR’s efforts are commendable and fully in line with the National Strategy for Integration. Besides, such efforts and initiatives also maximise the contribution of international organisations and NGOs.”
Recognized refugees with valid residence permits have full rights to work in Greece. However, they often face practical difficulties and administrative obstacles in accessing the labour market, including lack of documentation and Greek language knowledge. UNHCR is working closely with national, regional and local authorities, as well as with experienced livelihood actors, to identify these practical obstacles and propose solutions.
“The job fair in Lesvos was a great success – filled with smiles and hope. We were very pleased to see the enthusiastic response by both refugees and local employers”, said Ms. Maria Clara Martin, UNHCR Representative in Greece. “Matching refugees’ qualifications with quality jobs is a win-win situation: refugees can cover their own and family’s needs in a dignified and sustainable way; employers can benefit from the refugees’ unique skills and diversity and improve their businesses’ productivity; society as a whole can benefit from the peaceful co-existence and cohesion promoted by refugee integration and the economy benefits from more consumers and tax-payers”, she added.
At the end of the Lesvos pilot job fair, 66 people were offered a job and another 45 received offers for skills training. © UNHCR/Angelina Tsoukala
A UNHCR staff members is distributing information material to the participants of the job fair. © UNHCR/Angelina Tsoukala
Some 400 refugees attended the pilot job fair in Mytilene's RIC. © UNHCR/Angelina Tsoukala
Some 400 refugees attended the pilot job fair in Mytilene's RIC. © UNHCR/Angelina Tsoukala
Event participants going through the information material of the job fair. © UNHCR/Angelina Tsoukala
A recent survey by UNHCR had shown that refugees and asylum-seekers in Greece bring with them a diversity of skills and work experience that can represent a significant economic potential.
All participants felt the event was constructive and useful, held in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect. “I left my old self and life behind when I fled my country. Today, I am here to reclaim my future and a life in safety and dignity for me and my children. This job fair is a very good start”, said a refugee mother from Eritrea.
Several other actors and organizations, including IOM, Starfish, Caritas Hellas, METAdrasi, International Rescue Committee, Eurorelief, Boat Refugee Foundation and Movement on the Ground, contributed to the successful implementation of the job fair on Lesvos.
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