Wage Employment

Iran, UNHCR livelihood project for Afghan refugees providing sewing machines for vulnerable families

Our livelihood programmes aim to increase the number and quality of jobs open to those who have fled their homes.

Jobs must suit a refugee’s particular skills and meet international labour standards. Along with our partners, we work to ensure that access to employment is fair and equitable for refugees, and does not threaten their security or wellbeing.

Refugees bring skills, experience and qualifications with them when they flee their homes. UNHCR helps match these with appropriate market opportunities, and update their skills to ensure that they are relevant.

We and our partners do this by:

Supporting them in skills development, job-matching and job placement
Ensuring employers and other stakeholders have adequate information and knowledge about their right to work
Facilitating national recognition of existing qualifications/academic certificates to enable them secure decent work