While the discussion around refugees in Europe often centres around their plight, the potential they bring to our societies – ambitions, education, skills – often remains unrecognised. With an eye on the mutual benefits for refugees, host employers, economies, and countries of first asylum, ICMPD’s Policy Unit puts a spotlight on these talents and advocates for their recognition through complementary labour pathways.
Summary
Complementary pathways to protection have seen increasing interest from policymakers and civil society as a way to enhance international responses to rising, and in many cases long-lasting, displacement. Complementary pathways to protection provide alternative routes for refugees to access protection, alongside the three traditional durable solutions (repatriation, local integration, and resettlement). Despite their considerable promise, complementary pathways remain small in scale.
This project will examine how the potential of complementary pathways can be further tapped, for the benefit of refugees and EU labour markets alike. ICMPD will support the EU and its Member States in understanding the intricacies of complementary pathways, including legal prerequisites, challenges, and opportunities. ICMPD will also map current initiatives, gauge government and private sector interest, and identify good practices.
This project builds on ICMPD's past work on complementary pathways and skills-based relocation (see our previous publications here).
Countries
*European Union
Status
Completed
Duration
May 2022
to
May 2023
Donors
European Commission (DG HOME) through the Migration Partnership Facility
Project Team
Martin Wagner
Senior Policy Advisor for Asylum and Project Manager
Caitlin Katsiaficas
Policy Analyst