Investing time in people for safe, legal and dignified work

Many asylum seekers end up in illegal work, where dignified treatment, fair pay and health and safety are not guaranteed. They take the risk and get into such jobs out of financial necessity, if not mere desperation. Some need the money in order to leave the open centres, and in some cases, to send money back home. Some of them simply do not have a choice.

The policies in place have created an environment where it is impossible, or at least incredibly difficult to work regularly and legally: Those coming from so-called “safe countries” cannot access the labour market for 9 months after lodging their asylum claim, during which time their claim is likely to be rejected; asylum seekers and rejected asylum seekers are only issued with very short-term work permits (3 to 6 months) which often discourages employers from hiring them; and the work permits themselves can sometimes take several months to be issued, during which time they cannot work legally.

This means that many individuals have no option but to work in the shadow economy, to survive. They often work without contracts and can lose their jobs at a moment’s notice. They work in sectors such as cleaning and construction, where there is always demand, but often very little regard for the individuals themselves. It has become quite a common occurrence to hear of foreign construction workers getting injured, or even dying, in their place of work, and despite the temporary shock felt by the public, things remain the same.

JRS believes in the importance of safe, legal and dignified work. Working closely with our clients and supporting them to carve a path towards a better life, a life with dignity, is something that is very much at the forefront of what we do, and our employment support is a big part of this. We have been running the CV service and supporting clients to find work for a number of years. Through our employment-focused projects (funded by US Embassy Julia Taft Refugee Fund and the European Social Fund), we have also had the opportunity to explore the potential of alternative ways of working, such as cooperatives.

Photo: JRS conducting information sessions on employment together with Integra Foundation

Additionally, we have been focused on fostering and sustaining relationships with employers with the aim of having a pool of employers willing to offer quality jobs to asylum seekers.  This effort to sustain these relationships comes with the goal of retaining the asylum seeker in work, but also with the wider objective of asylum seekers becoming financially self-sufficient and working in a job that gives them dignity, fulfilment and room for growth. We support employers in obtaining an employment licence, ensuring that there is a contract, and that the pay is legal, as well as fair for the job in question. We support our clients to understand their contract, the employment licence, to obtain a social security and tax number and make sure that they understand their rights and obligations. We also continue to support them with any other needs, such as help to access English language courses. We aim to maintain this relationship with both the employer and the client so they know that we are there and available to help them with whatever they may need.

There have been employers that made the effort to invest time in their employee with training and other forms of support, and it pays off for both parties – they stay in the job longer because they’re working in something they want to do, they have all their documents in place and are regularised and thus feel more secure. For instance, we met one individual, who had taken cleaning job after cleaning job, hoping for someone to take a chance on him, to showcase his skills and learn something new: he really wanted to work in electrics, and then through a relationship we have a large electricity company, he was offered an opportunity as an electrician’s assistant, complete with training and a contract with favourable working conditions.

Another client who spoke very little English when we first met him was struggling to find work until a Maltese employer took a chance on him and offered him a job helping out with his new landscape gardening business. One year later, they are still working together. His spoken English has significantly improved and he is confident in his work. They have taken a Maltese rubble wall repair course together and supported each other as the business grew. The employer would contact us regularly for support with various documents and was always checking in about his employee’s asylum status and his accommodation situation, with genuine interest and care.

Being treated well by the employer means they feel part of that workplace, are encouraged to stay and contribute their time and skills to the company. Having a boss who believes in you and your personal development is something we all aspire to have, something we value and is not to be underestimated.  Should asylum seekers not expect the same?

Asylum seekers, refugees and other beneficiaries of protection are the same as all other employees: with the same rights, the same goals and the same wish to be treated with respect and grow as a person and in their place of work. An investment into the employee ultimately benefits everyone: the asylum seeker has a better quality of life and a more fulfilling job, as well as support to sustain this; the employer retains a trained and dedicated employee, and this is reflected in society by way of demonstrating that asylum seekers and migrants are not disposable labour but can form a valuable part of Maltese society.

Words by Beth Cachia, Employment Projects Coordinator at JRS Malta