European Migration Network Study on Approaches to unaccompanied minors following status determination examines Right to work

The author of this blog (also a legal guardian of unaccompanied minors) advocates for any measure that can facilitate access of unaccompanied minors to the labour market, without prior work permit and irrespective of legal status. All unaccompanied minors should have access to "student job/ student contract" after school or during holidays providing they are identified as unaccompanied minors and go to school and vocational education or have full access to the legal market beyond school age, while being protected with specific work contract for minors. We also strongly believe that alternative educational vocational programmes where UAM can spend the most of their time learning vocational skills should be promoted. Those programmes are highly efficient and relevant for some unaccompanied minors who would remained out of school or demotivated otherwise.  We believe that UAM who attend educational trainings in sectors exposed to labor shortage should be also taken into consideration for residence permit whenever possible. 

The European Migration Network (EMN) recently released a study which explores the situation of unaccompanied minors (UAMs) who have been granted a residence permit in the EU plus Norway (EMN Study on Approaches to Unaccompanied Minors Following StatusDetermination in the EU plus Norway).The findings of this study are the following:

Support to employment to unaccompanied minors in the EU+

 In terms of employment, all (Member) States guarantee access to the labour market for unaccompanied minors granted international protection under the same terms as for nationals, in line with the Qualification Directive.

A third of (Member) States grant unaccompanied minors in possession of a residence permit automatic access to the labour market, while others implement stricter policies, for example by requiring an authorisation to work. In line with the limitations imposed on the employment of minors in general, access to employment for unaccompanied minors is limited in all (Member) States, for example by a minimum working age, maximum working hours and the types of jobs that minors can undertake. Only a minority of (Member) States have special programmes in place to support unaccompanied minors in accessing the labour market.