As the global refugee crisis continues to deepen—with the number of displaced people tripling between the early 2010s and 2022 to 36 million—Europe has become a primary destination, hosting roughly one-third of the world’s refugees by 2023. While many newcomers aim to rebuild their lives, they often face significant barriers to employment: language difficulties, delays in obtaining work permits, and a lack of recognition for previous education or work experience. These early obstacles can lead to prolonged joblessness or informal, low-skilled employment, resulting in skill loss, stalled careers, and limited social inclusion.
Targeted approach: Early, individualized support
In response to these pressing issues, an IZA discussion paper by Giovanni Abbiati, Erich Battistin, Paola Monti, and Paolo Pinotti evaluates FORWORK, an innovative program in Italy designed to support asylum seekers during the critical early stages of their stay. This group, typically facing bleak job prospects and limited access to services, was the focus of an intervention offering personalized job mentoring, assistance with job searches, and access to subsidized internships.
The effectiveness of FORWORK was rigorously assessed through a randomized controlled trial conducted across 260 reception centers in Northern Italy, with half implementing the program and the other half continuing with existing services. The results, eighteen months after the program’s inception, demonstrate significant positive impacts on both employment and broader integration outcomes.
Participants in FORWORK were 20 percentage points more likely to be employed than those in the control group, representing an impressive 61 percent increase over the baseline employment rate of 33 percent. Even excluding subsidized internships, the employment boost remained substantial at 10 percentage points, a 30 percent increase over baseline. The quality of employment also saw marked improvement, with participants more likely to secure fixed-term or open-ended contracts, offering enhanced security and legal protections compared to informal work. These gains in job quality translated into a 30 percent increase in labor earnings over 18 months.
Beyond jobs: Language skills, social trust, and inclusion
While both men and women benefited, women experienced particularly significant relative gains, with their employment rising by 67 percent compared to a 39 percent increase for men, albeit from a lower starting point. Beyond employment, the program fostered wider social and economic integration. Participants doubled their baseline Italian language scores and reported three times more interactions with Italian residents, alongside increased trust in the host community. These findings suggest that integrating work and social support can yield complementary benefits extending beyond the labor market.
The success of FORWORK can be attributed to three key elements: early intervention to prevent prolonged inactivity and skill loss; individualized support tailored to participants’ specific needs; and an emphasis on practical work experience over traditional classroom-based training. With a cost ranging between €2,080 and €3,171 per person, comparable to other European active labor market programs, FORWORK offers a scalable solution without excessive financial burden. Furthermore, by reducing reliance on informal work, the program mitigates the risk of exploitation, improves job stability, and may even ease community tensions by promoting smoother integration.
For countries like Italy, often serving as the first point of arrival for refugees and asylum seekers, programs like FORWORK represent a promising strategy for building more inclusive and resilient societies. The study provides compelling evidence that early, personalized labor market support can profoundly impact the lives of asylum seekers, offering a practical and replicable model for enhancing refugee integration across Europe and beyond.