Better integration of refugees could lead to savings in Denmark

In the press article 'Better integration could lead to massive savings for councils' dating from the 8th of January, Peter Stanners in the Copenhagen Post highlights the fact that local programmes favoring the integration of refugees into the local labor market make sound economic sense.

Another interesting article, not related to refugees but concerning the lack of right to work of  family members of persons living as a mixed- couple for years without being authorized to stay permanently in Denmark- caught up our attention. Call it our "billet d'humeur" of the day: 

Join Asylum Access Refugee work Rights Coalition, fill in their Survey!

Asylum Access is conducting a survey on the right to work of refugees and asylum seekers and is initiating the Refugee work Rights Coalition. We invite all individuals and organisations active on this topic to fill in Asylum Access' questionnaire and to join the Coalition. 
Who should fill out the survey?  Academics, service providers and those generally familiar with the refugee population in their area of residence are invited to answer this short survey. 

Why you should join the Coalition? NGOs, academics, advocates and service providers committed to advocating for and facilitating access to safe, lawful employment for refugees are welcome to join this international forum. Together we can put this issue on the agenda, make informed recommendations, and help refugees access their right to work around the world. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be a part of this discussion.

Interested in being a part of the movement? Sign up for updates and meeting notices by joining the Refugee Work Rights Coalition Google group.To obtain more information on Asylum Access campaign and survey: click here. To fill in Asylum Access survey on the right to work in English (click here) or in Spanish (click here)

Joint Colloquium on the Right to Work for Refugees in Europe

The Council of Europe hold a Joint Colloquium on the Right to Work for Refugees in Europe (the 27th September 2012) in Strasbourg. The programme is available, as well as the opening remarks speech by Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe. We reproduce the following excerpts of the opening speech: 

The topic of today's Colloquium, the right to work for refugees, is of paramount importance. The UNHCR estimates that there are about one and a half million recognised refugees in Council of Europe member states. There are no accurate estimates as to how many refugees are in formal employment in member states, but as we will hear today, the reality is that many refugees face many barriers in exercising this right which is guaranteed by the European Social Charter.

Reworking the Relationship between Asylum-Seekers and Employment

We would like to add to our thematic bibliography on the right to work of refugees the following book: Reworking the Relationship between Asylum and Employment, By Penelope Mathew, Published 3rd May 2012 by Routledge:

Refugee Livelihood and the Humanitarian Innovation project

 The Forced Migration Current Awareness blog has brought to our attention the Humanitarian Innovation Project (HIP) website where we found the following excerpts: 

“It is unacceptable that many refugees are left indefinitely dependent on international assistance, deprived of the right to work or freedom of movement. By developing a bottom-up approach to humanitarian innovation, the Humanitarian Innovation Projects aims to support sustainable, market-based solutions that build upon refugees’ own skills, aspirations and entrepreneurship” declared Alexander Betts, director of the Humanitarian Innovation Project. 

State of play, Common European Asylum System

At its meeting on 25-26 October 2012, the Justice and Home Affairs Council confirmed the agreement reached between the Council and the European Parliament on the recast of the Reception Conditions Directive (containing disposals allowing asylum seekers to access the labour market- see our previous posts- on that topic for more information on the content of article 15 of the Reception Conditions Directive). The adoption of the revised ("second phase") version of the Reception Conditions Directive is expected at the end of the year 2012 according to the deadlines set by the Stockholm Programme, but has not been adopted yet, despite political agreement between the European Parliament and the Member States (in the Justice and Home Affairs Council).

Steeve Peers in its latest State- of play update of the Common European System Statewatch Analysis interestingly mentions: