On 19 April 2017 IOM Slovenia organized a round table on private sector engagement and the involvement of employers in the process of labour market integration of refugees in Slovenia. The round table was also the final event of the project “Refugee and Migrants Emergency Response” funded by the Council of Europe Development Bank – Migrant and Refugee Fund in the period December 2015 - April 2017. The project’s achievements and implemented activities were presented to representatives of governmental institutions, civil society organizations and employers, followed by a discussion about the role and importance of private sector engagement and further steps to be taken in partnership with employers to strengthen access to employers for asylum seekers and refugees. The informational brochure for employers, which IOM has prepared in 2017 to better inform potential employers of the free access to the labour market which refugees are entitled to by law, was presented and distributed to participants. The electronic version of the brochure is available under the Publications tab of the web site.  

The EU perspective, policy and practises were presented by Ms Geertrui Lanneau from the IOM Regional Office in Brussels. Ms Sonja Belec presented the activities of the Employment Service of Slovenia, which has been developing several new initiatives to better support the inclusion of refugees in the workplace. Innovative practises from The Netherlands and Germany were presented by Mr Rober Blaauw of the TVcN - Interpretation and translation centre and Mr Jan Dannenbring of the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts. Mr Goran Lukić of the Counselling Office for Workers from Slovenia and Mr Safiullah Ebadi, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, spoke about challenges related to potential abuses of workers' rights and the limitations asylum seekers are faced as they are not allowed to work during the first 9 months of their asylum procedure. 

While asylum seekers and refugees face similar obstacles across the EU, such as language barriers and lack of certificates proving their working experience and educational attainment, they are highly motivated to enter the labour market and bring diverse skills and knowledge. Participants agreed that employers are generally very interested in employing refugees, however might be reluctant to do so due to long and cumbersome administrative procedures. Employers might also not be aware about the legal right to work for refugees, who are also entitled to the same support measures that are available to citizens of Slovenia, for example the programmes of the Active Policy for Employment. Participants discussed innovative solutions, such as job fairs and more opportunities for internships which would enable refugees and potential employers to meet face to face.  

The event was carried out with funding from a MRF grant received through the COUNCIL OF EUROPE DEVELOPMENT BANK.