Scaling refugee employment: policy, partnerships and labour mobility

Refugee employment—whether in host countries, online or through labour mobility—remains a key driver of inclusive growth and self-reliance. While 62% of refugees have legal access to labour markets, only 47% enjoy unrestricted access in practice, highlighting persistent gaps. 

Advancing refugee employment requires coordinated, multi-stakeholder action to address legal and practical constraints, create jobs, strengthen rights at work in line with decent work and fair recruitment principles, and expand skills-based pathways.

This spotlight session, part of the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review, will explore how policies, partnerships, and financing can move from pilots to scalable solutions. It will highlight impactful practices that reinforce foundational support systems, including skills development, credential recognition, documentation, and freedom of movement.

At the Global Refugee Forum in 2023, the Multi-Stakeholder Pledges (MSP) on Economic Inclusion and Social Protection and on Skills-Based Pathways mobilized record commitments from governments, private-sector actors, development partners, civil society, and others. Many pledges contribute to both initiatives, reflecting the interconnected nature of efforts to expand refugee access to decent work—whether through local economic inclusion or international labour mobility.

Interpretation available: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish