Information for employers
Benefits of employing refugees and asylum seekers
more highly skilled and qualified on average than the UK population
strongly motivated to work
resourceful and resilient
diversity in the workplace
new perspectives on old practices.
Challenges in employing refugees and asylum seekers
existing recruitment practices may need amending
induction programme may need adapting
cultural and language differences can take effort to understand
colleague attitudes may need monitoring
asylum seekers (not those with refugee status) may be deported.
Who may work and how do you know?
Barriers to work – how employers can help
| Barriers seen by refugees | Solutions employers can offer |
| Need to learn more English | Start someone in unskilled work and watch them for promotion |
| Lack of work experience in the UK | Offer a work placement; offer an extended induction |
| No proof of qualifications or experience from another country | Have flexible recruitment requirements; offer a work trial |
| No references | Have flexible recruitment requirements; offer an extended probation |
| Lack of relevant skills | Offer a work placement; offer on-the-job training |
| Experience or qualifications not recognised here | Have flexible recruitment requirements; ask Refugee Resource about overseas qualifications |
| Lack of self confidence | Offer a work placement; provide a workplace mentor |
| Racial discrimination by employers | Examine recruitment procedures; treat people as individuals not ‘refugees’; train colleagues in race awareness |
(barriers in priority order as seen by refugees and asylum seekers in Oxfordshire - 2002)
Other points to consider
understand that job application forms are alien to much of the world
acknowledge overseas qualifications and experience
recognise that some bright motivated people have not had access to much education
use induction to bridge gaps in knowledge, e.g. about leave procedures
spot talent and be ready to promote
offer an unpaid work placement to someone committed to working in your field (Refugee Resource Employment Service can help with this).