The right to work is a fundamental human right recognized in many international and regional human rights instruments. However, in many countries, refugees are denied access to the labour market and opportunities for self-employment.
The Fifth Michigan Colloquium on Challenges in International Refugee Law (November 2009) has produced a set of guidelines with the aim of assisting states in the proper implementation of the right to work for refugees and other similarly situated persons. The guidelines are intended for use by national policy and decision makers for example, those responsible for designing and implementing national asylum laws and national labour law.
Writing in the Michigan Journal of International Law (Vol.31 No.2), Penelope Mathew said:
“Unable to return to their country of origin or nationality, and being without the protection of their own country, refugees must have rights to work in the country of refuge. … Yet, the right to work is often denied to refugees and others seeking protection, compounding the persecution, fear, and displacement they have already suffered. … In order to uphold the right to work for refugees and others seeking protection, we have engaged in sustained collaborative study and reflection on the international legal norms and state practice relevant to refugees’ right to work.”
The guidelines were published in the Michigan Journal of International Law (Vol.31 No.2). A copy is available from the FMO Digital Library, where you can also read an explanatory note which accompanies the guidelines.