ELIAMEP organized a round-table discussion on “Labor Market and Integration of Refugees: Reality and Opportunities”, which was held on 31 January 2018. The aim of the discussion was to map out the absorption capacities in the labor market as well as to identify the steps that would make the efforts to integrate refugees into the labor market operational and effective. 

For the purpose of this meeting, representatives from the Ministry of Migration Policy, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labor, representatives of companies and businesses, non-governmental organizations aiming at the connection of refugees with the labor market and representatives of professional confederations were invited to participate. The event aimed at networking among the stakeholders and highlighting good practices from the point of view of integration. 

The event was initiated and organised by the National Coordinator for the European Web Site on Integration (EWSI), Mrs Marina Nikolova, and, the discussion was moderated by Prof. Dia Anagnostou, Assistant Professor of Politics at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences and Senior Research Fellow at ELIAMEP. 

Speakers: 

  • Mrs. Panayota Dionyssopoulou, General Director of the Higher Education Department, Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs 
  • Mrs. Maria Fassari, International Relations Department, Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs (Presentation of the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees) 
  • Mr. Athanasios Vitsentzatos, Director of the Social Integration Department, Ministry of Migration Policy 
  • Mr. Vaios Kotsios, Research Assossiate of the National Institute of Labour and Human Resources 
  • Mr. Lefteris Papayannakis, Vice Mayor of Athens 
  • Presentations of project carried out by small enterprises and NGOs targeting the integration into the labour market for refugees and migrants: Mrs. Katerina Kapnisi – Career Counsellor – Coordinator at Generation 2.0, Mrs. Fiori Zafeiropoulou – Founder and CEO SOFFA Social Fashion Factory, Mr. Andreas Stefanidis – Founder, Academy of entrepreneurship 

Other participants: 

Mrs. Anastasia Sikiaridi – Livelihoods Officer, International Rescue Committee,Mrs. Ilektra Simitsi – Livelihoods Manager, International Rescue Committee, Mrs. Ioanna Porfyri – Research Fellow at Small Enterprises’ Institute of the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants (IME GSEVEE), Representative of the Ministry of Labour, Social Insurance and Social Solidarity and Representative of the Greek Council of Refugees (GCR)