Author
Access to the labour market is automatic and unconditional. There is no difference between refugees and subsidiary protection beneficiaries in this respect. No labour market test is applied and access is not limited to certain sectors. Beneficiaries of international protection face the usual obstacles related to lack of language knowledge and related lack of adequate state support for vocational training, if necessary or offered.
Professional qualifications obtained in the country of origin are not recognised in general. The law does not provide for a solution with respect to refugees and subsidiary protection beneficiaries except the general rules and conditions for legalization of diplomas. On its own, the latter constitutes a complicated procedure which in most of the cases requires re-taking of exams and educational levels.
In 2022, the SAR issued 302 labour permits to asylum seekers pending status determination who were looking to support themselves while their asylum claims were being processed.[1] Out of them, only 12 asylum seekers, and 5 persons granted protection were employed. Among them, only 1 person granted protection and 10 asylum seekers did so through employment programs, while the rest found work independently and on their own initiative.[2] At the same time, a total of 2,214 persons with temporary protection were employed, of whom 191 persons found work independently, 16 persons through employment programs and 2,007 persons under schemes of the EU OP Human Resources Development program.[3]
[1] SAR, reg. No. №РД05-40 from 16 January 2023.
[2] Employment Agency, reg. No.РД08-13 from 6 January 2023.
[3] Ibid.