Syrian refugees in Jordan : providing career guidance services and enhancing access to employment

Abstract

Although it is illegal for refugees to work without work permits in Jordan, in practice many are involved in unskilled, low-paid jobs that Jordanian citizens do not want to do. Due to their irregular status, many Syrian refugees are forced into taking jobs in the informal economy, where insurance provision is unlikely, and where workers’ rights – such as compensation for work-related injuries – may be ignored. This chapter argues that by benefiting from appropriate employment services – including career information and guidance, recognition of prior learning, and livelihood planning – Syrian refugees living in Jordan are more likely to have access to regular employment, to social protection and to decent work. This chapter also proposes a number of innovations in the organisation and delivery of a linked set of guidance services, provided through a Livelihood Centre which functions as a one-stop shop. It shows how such initiatives, if properly implanted, can improve the prospects of Syrian refugees, while ensuring that the outcomes benefit the Jordanian host community as well. Guidance can thus serve as an advocacy tool, impacting both at the grassroots level and at the level of policy development.