Skills & Employment for Returning Migrants International MP Conference

1. TARGETED INITIATIVE FOR GEORGIASupport Reintegration of Georgian Returning Migrants and the Implementation of EU-Georgia Readmission Agreement Skills & Employment for Returning Migrants International MP Conference 16-17 October 2012, Yerevan

2. BACKGROUND EU – Georgia Mobility Partnership – November 2009 Focused EU funded Project – Targeted Initiative Duration of the Action – 36 months(15/12/2010 – 15/12/2014) Budget – 3,02 million EUR Implementation: Consortium of 15 State Authorities of 9 EU MS (CZ,BE, FR, DE, IT, NL, PL, RO and SE) and IOM under the leadership of the CZ - Ministry of Interior GEO Counterparts: 8 ministries, MRA, SCMI + IO (ILO,IOM), CSO`s and Social Partners

3. GENERAL OBJECTIVE Promotion of legal migration, prevention of illegal migration and enhancement of return and reintegration assistance programmes

4. 3 MAIN COMPONENTS/PROJECT OBJECTIVES CAPACITY BUILDING Capacity building of the responsible authorities in the field of return migration and readmission management, including legal and policy development; INDIVIDUAL REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE Social & economic reintegration of Georgian returning migrants; INFORMATION DISSEMINATION Address the Georgian population, both in Georgia and abroad with information on legalmigration opportunities towards Europe and risks related to irregular migration as well as reintegration assistance available in the country.

5. CAPACITY BUILDING – achievements Legal and policy base development - cooperation with State Commission on Migration Issues – Strategy WG – final draft of the National Migration Strategy presented on 2 August 2012 – work on its Action Plan – ongoing - approval of GoG pending Establishment of the Mobility Centre Establishment of 2 new Job and Counseling Centers in Tbilisi and Kutaisi 4 labour market surveys- information on labor market demand and supply in 4 regions od Georgia – completed Labour market consultations – 2 seminars on labor market management Micro-business plan development – training on trainers for relevant partners including MC and JCPs staff on assistance in micro – business development

6. STATE OF PLAY Mobility Centre premises - official opening – 13th May 2011 • 936 returnees registered in Mobility Centre • 629 returnees received general counseling • 169 beneficiaries referred to JCPs • 316 beneficiaries referred to vocational training • 163 beneficiaries completed business start-up training • 40 beneficiaries provided with business grant • 17 beneficiaries assisted with medical treatment • 10 beneficiaries assisted with temporary accommodation

7. Vocational Education and JCPs Assistance 400 in kind contributions foreseen by the project (EUR 600) 205 beneficiaries registered in JCP database 50 completed/ongoing training 49 employed (34 direct referrals + 15 after VET)

8. LABOR MARKET SURVEY RESULTS www.jcp.ge; http://www.jcp.ge/pdf/IOM&TIG_SurveyENG.pdf • MAIN FINDINGS & CONCLUSIONS • Low skilled staff as one of the key factor limiting further development of businesses (mainly in agriculture, insurance, IT, construction and tourism) • Problems in recruiting staff with required profession and level of qualification • Problems in recruitment of specialists with higher education and skilled workers • Lack of candidates with both the practical experience and theoretical knowledge • Specific professionals not trained in the country/in particular region (mobility of work force) • Majority of employers consider the need of further development of human resources mainly in a form of vocational retraining – lack of funds and lack of appropriate training providers – leading to prevailing use of on-the-job-training

9. LABOR MARKET SURVEY RESULTS www.jcp.ge; http://www.jcp.ge/pdf/IOM&TIG_SurveyENG.pdf • MAIN FINDINGS & CONCLUSIONS - migration related • Russia, Greece, Turkey and Azerbaijan – prevailing countries of return • 42% - hired on position requiring higher education • 51% - hired as skilled workers • 7% - hired as non skilled workers • Skills and education gained abroad increase chances on GEO labor market – according to the employers over 50% of their staff has related work experience from abroad • 2/3 of employers consider experience gained abroad as an essential contribution to development and expansion of their business • 50% of employers prefer hiring personnel with work experience gained on different working positions abroad

10. TENTATIVE PLANS FOR FUTURE – National Migration Strategy • Designed by the State Commission on Migration Issues – Strategy WG 2013 - 2015 • 4 MAIN AREAS • LEGAL MIGRATION • IRREGULAR MIGRATION • IMPROVEMENT OF ASYLUM SYSTEM & INTEGRATION ASSITANCE FOR RECOGNIZED REFUGEES • RETURN AND REINTAGRATION OF GEO CITIZENS

11. TENTATIVE PLANS FOR FUTURE • LEGAL MIGRATION • Assistance in legal migration • Sustainable legal temporary labor migration • Promotion of educational exchange programs • Raising public awareness – promotion of legal/prevention of irregular migration • Promotion of legal immigration • Creation of migration database • Legal framework review/up-date/elaboration • Improvement of services for legal immigrants

12. TENTATIVE PLANS FOR FUTURE • IRREGULAR MIGRATION • Irregular Emigration • Raise public awareness • Review legislative framework/up-date/elaboration • Enhancement of tools combating trafficking in human beings and irregular border crossing • Foster tools combating irregular immigration of foreign nationals • Institutional development – monitoring entry and stay of foreign nationals including establishment of accommodation premises • Improvement of inter-agency and international cooperation • Design and implementation of preventive measure

13. TENTATIVE PLANS FOR FUTURE • IMPROVEMENT OF ASYLUM SYSTEM & INTEGRATION ASSITANCE FOR RECOGNIZED REFUGEES • Further development of legislative and institutional framework • Development of countries of origin information gathering system • Further development of integration mechanisms • Employment, education & health care • Basic assistance after leaving the reception centre

14. TENTATIVE PLANS FOR FUTURE • RETURN AND REINTAGRATION OF GEORGIAN CITIZENS • Return • Compliance with international treaties and agreements • Cooperation with return countries • Improvement of identification process (readmission) • Establishment of returnees database • Reintegration • Enhance coordination and cooperation among state agencies • Review and further development of related legislation • Involvement of local government agencies in reintegration processes • Cooperation with CSO and IO – maximize profit and prevent overlaps • Raising awareness on reintegration assistance available among returnees (Diaspora organizations, institutions in return countries and IO involved in return processes) • Ensure smooth procedures for recognition of professional skills and education acquired abroad

15. FUTURE PLANS (for remaining implementation period) • Finalisation of NMS Action Plan + work on related legislation • Consultations on labour market management – with newly established Ministry of Employment • Further promotion of reintegration assistance (VET, apprenticeship schemes, regional perspective via JCPs, MC) • Strengthening cooperation with EU partners responsible for returns • Further promotion of legal migration schemes (FR,SE) • Training of trainers in wine sector

16. FUTURE PLANS (TIG Follow - up) • Regional Reintegration Structures (MC Regional Branches) • Labor Market Management • Promotion of Legal Migration – facilitation of circular schemes • National Migration Strategy

17. Thank you for your attention!