Since 2015, Europe has increasingly acknowledged the importance of swiftly validating refugees’ informal and non-formal skills and recognising their foreign qualifications, so they can put their skills to use in local labour markets. Matching newcomers with in-demand jobs has also resulted in numerous new and creative practices. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and global travel restrictions, several countries even relaxed travel restrictions and credential requirements for essential workers in the healthcare and agriculture industries.

Migrants are often expected to assist in addressing labour shortages. But the rapid arrival of large numbers of newcomers, incl. the 4.3 million people that have fled Ukraine and sought temporary protection in the EU, also increases the need for additional workers across numerous sectors (e.g. education and health care). In order to facilitate their access to the labour market, several countries have waived labour market restrictions for temporary protection beneficiaries and simplified employment procedures.

Against this backdrop, this webinar will look at different approaches to fast tracking the labour market integration of newcomers from Ukraine. What lessons were learnt from similar approaches in 2015-16 and during the pandemic? What are the policy and practical considerations when accelerating access to specific sectors or professions? Can ad hoc measures contribute to more flexible and adaptable policies, incl. for other displaced populations?

The webinar is organised in the framework of the EU-funded SPRING project, which gathers available research and evidence on integration in the context of the large-scale movements of refugees and other migrants to Europe since 2014.