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Annex C: G20 Policy Practices for the Fair and Effective Labour Market Integration of Regular Migrants and Recognised Refugees

G20 Labour and Employment Ministers Meeting 2017
May 19, 2017, Bad Neunahr
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We recognise the importance of the challenge of migration and forced displacement in G20 countries today. We acknowledge that, in accordance with national circumstances, fair and effective labour market integration policies can contribute to realising inclusive growth and promoting social cohesion. Recognising the rights and responsibilities of states to manage and control their borders in line with paragraph 24 of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (9/2016), we have identified policy practices collected from G20 countries which can support the fair and effective integration of regular migrants, recognised refugees and returning migrants in labour markets. Noting that the needs of the target groups may differ, the following policy practices may serve as a policy development toolkit and be drawn on by countries, according to national circumstances and in line with domestic legislation.

i. Providing labour market access

In order for regular migrants, recognised refugees and returning migrants to take part in economic activity, become self-reliant and make a contribution to society, governments should be able to draw from a pool of policy practices that have proven to be effective. In this regard, we recognise a range of policy practices in G20 countries that include measures to:

  1. Provide recognised refugees with legal, transparent, fast and easily accessible pathways to labour markets while also considering the impact on the existing labour force;
  2. Facilitate access to non-discriminatory public employment services and employment promotion schemes such as wage subsidies or other incentives, public work schemes, internships, or access to temporary work agencies, as appropriate;
  3. Offer assistance, where possible, to receiving communities to adjust to the effects of migration on local labour markets, for example, through supporting public services so that they are equipped to meet increased demand and host communities are not unduly disrupted;
  4. Promote an enabling environment that incentivises rapid labour market integration of regular migrants, recognised refugees and returning migrants and supports economic growth. Coordination among national and local authorities can play an important role in creating an effective path to employment.

ii. Improving employability

Support to regular migrants, recognised refugees and returning migrants in improving their employability can help them enter and progress in the labour market and, ultimately, realise their economic potential. In this regard, we acknowledge a range of policy practices in G20 countries that encompass approaches to:

  1. Profile, recognise, develop and apply skills, bringing to bear formal and non-formal qualifications, including through skills recognition systems, access to general education, vocational training and employment counselling;
  2. Promote early access to language training and in particular to the development of occupation specific language skills;
  3. Support initiatives to advance social inclusion including through integration courses;
  4. Sustain the role of countries of origin as important actors in the process of integration of regular migrants and returning migrants for example by encouraging pre-employment orientation and pre-departure courses in these countries that focus on labour market information, cultural orientation, language, literacy and skills trainings, and by encouraging fair and effective integration strategies for returning migrants in the country of origin.

iii. Promoting decent working conditions

Application of the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and other relevant international labour standards as well as enforcement of compliance with labour market regulation is critical to avoid the exploitation of regular migrants, recognised refugees and returning migrants, and can help sustain and advance employment conditions in host countries. In this regard, we recognise a range of policy practices in G20 countries that entail measures to:

  1. Support equal working conditions between national and regular migrant workers by implementing fair recruitment practices, minimum wages, effective labour inspectorates, formalising informal work for those having a legal right to work, and providing access to remedies against discrimination and exploitation;
  2. Work to ensure that both regular migrants and recognised refugees in employment receive access to employment related social security, where appropriate, and consider ways for the coordination of social security, including portability of contributions to pension and other social security schemes between countries through bi- or multilateral agreements;
  3. Provide access to basic social welfare for recognised refugees such as minimum income systems, social protection floors or other arrangements, as applicable, that ensure basic needs are met.

iv. Promoting economic and societal acceptance

Acceptance by society as well as economic opportunities are both enabling factors for the labour market integration of regular migrants, recognised refugees and returning migrants. In this regard, we acknowledge a range of policy practices in G20 countries that comprise approaches to:

  1. Provide support to employers and employers' associations to facilitate integration of regular migrants and recognised refugees at the workplace;
  2. Involve social partners and civil society including local communities, charitable groups and diasporas, in efforts to assist regular migrants and recognised refugees to integrate in the host country in order to raise societal and economic acceptance as well as foster a feeling of belonging;
  3. Use websites, social media and other means of communication to inform migrants and refugees about opportunities, rights and obligations related to societal and labour market (re-) integration as well as raise the host society's awareness of the benefits of successful labour market integration of regular migrants and recognised refugees;
  4. Collect data on labour market needs, policies and the enforcement of labour rights to inform evidence based policy-making and contribute to the development of comparable international indicators.

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Source: Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales