An important area of work is the provision of policy guidance to ILO tripartite constituents on facilitating access to labor markets for refugees and internally displaced persons. Refugees and displaced persons working outside their home countries are considered migrant workers and are covered by the ILO Migrant Workers Conventions. Although the 1951 UN Refugee Convention requires signatories to the UN Refugee Convention to allow refugees access to “gainful employment” and to grant them the right to freedom of movement, a large number of host countries restrict the freedom of movement of refugees and most internally displaced persons and limit their access to the labor market. This situation often leads to unfair competition for unauthorized and unprotected jobs in the informal economy.
In providing technical assistance to host countries, the ILO takes into account existing/structural economic deficiencies in the host country’s economy (e.g. high poverty levels), labor market problems (e.g. unemployment and underemployment, large informal economies, large number of low-skilled and low-paid jobs) Operational and procedural problems (e.g., special criteria or requirements for work permits, payment of fees, available labor supply, quotas), outdated legislation, administrative problems (e.g., weak labor market institutions), and an unfavorable policy environment.
For example, the ILO’s Refugee Intervention Framework (RIF) has adopted a development- and employment-oriented strategy to support host communities and refugees. Access to employment and livelihoods has become a link between humanitarian action and development cooperation, and in this context, the ILO continues to play its role in supporting critical response programs, including by strengthening its own policy framework to be able to respond more quickly and effectively in these situations.
In 2016-2017, ILO member States adopted a comprehensive set of Guidelines on the Access to the Labor Market for Refugees and Other Forcibly Displaced Persons. This tool assists Members and other national and international partners in formulating sustainable labor markets and livelihoods responses to these movements.
In addition, a new landmark standard, the Recommendation on Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience, 2017, was recently adopted. See Sections X on migrants affected by crisis situations; and XI. Refugees and Returnees, provide legal and technical frameworks and specialized knowledge to respond to labor market challenges that host communities may face in relation to refugees’ and IDPs’ access to the labor market and other employment-related issues.
