Improving the Labour Market Integration of Migrants and Refugees: Empowering cities through better use of EU instruments
European cities are front-line integration providers, but funding constraints and governance gaps limit their impact. Smarter use of EU instruments could change that.
Cities have played a significant role in addressing Europe’s migration crisis, including by helping migrants and refugees integrate successfully into the local labor market. Cities provide a wide array of critical services to newcomers, including language training, skills assessments and orientation, mentoring and placement services, alternative pathways to employment (such as entrepreneurship), credential recognition, and vocational education and training. Yet funding constraints, differing priorities at different levels of governance, and limited capacity to evaluate and prioritize what works hamper cities’ ability to effectively deliver services.
This MPI Europe report identifies concrete actions that could be taken to better leverage European Union soft law, funding, and knowledge exchange mechanisms to support cities’ activities in this area.
The report was commissioned by the Partnership on Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees, an initiative of the Urban Agenda for the EU, to inform its action plan to improve cities’ access to and use of EU support mechanisms in the area of immigrant integration.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. How Do Cities Support the Labour Market Integration of Newcomers?
A. Distribution of Competences in Integration and Employment Policies
B. Cities’ Activities in Support of Refugee Labour Market Integration
C. Challenges Cities Face in Supporting and Sustaining Refugee Integration Initiatives
III. To What Extent Can Cities Benefit from EU Labour Market Integration Support Mechanisms?
A. Soft Law
B. Funding
C. Knowledge Exchange Mechanisms
IV. Conclusion
Appendix
About the Global Program
The Global Program bridges policy advice, research, and candid dialogue to design effective migration policies, drawing on global evidence and anticipating the forces reshaping how people move.
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