Funding programme

The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) provides funding for actions in the field of asylum, legal migration and integration, return and countering irregular migration.

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Call overview

This call aims to strengthen cooperation between labour market actors and migrants at EU, regional, national and local levels.

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Background

Ensuring effective integration and inclusion of third-country nationals is a necessary social and economic investment in the EU. It makes European societies more cohesive, resilient and prosperous. Integration and inclusion can and should be a win-win process, benefiting the entire society. In the Action plan on integration and inclusion 2021-20273 (the Action plan), the European Commission has set out strategic guidance and more than sixty concrete actions to promote integration and inclusion of third-country nationals and EU citizens with a migrant background. The Action plan covers all the different stages and phases of the integration process: pre-departure measures, reception and early integration, medium- and long-term integration, which, all together, help build inclusive and cohesive societies.

For the purpose of this call for proposals, “migrants” should be understood as third-country nationals, including beneficiaries of international and temporary protection and applicants for international protection.

Read more in the call document.

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Themes and priorities

Including refugees and other migrants in the labour market at an early stage and at the appropriate skill level has proven to be beneficial for them and host societies alike. While many refugees bring skills and qualifications with them that are acutely needed on EU labour markets, they often face difficulties in finding jobs that reflect accurately their skills and level of qualification. Migrant women often face additional obstacles to integration compared to migrant men and are at a particularly high risk of being over-qualified for the jobs they obtain. Their specific needs and the ones of migrants with vulnerabilities, e.g. disabilities, should also be taken into consideration.

The Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027 emphasises the importance of effective skills assessment, fast recognition of qualifications and provision of appropriate training for successful labour market integration. The 2023 European Year of Skills will be an opportunity to advance the labour market integration of migrants.

Read more in the call document, page 18.

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Objectives

Proposals should address one or more of the following specific objectives:

• strengthen cooperation between labour market actors and migrants themselves at EU, regional, national and local levels by creating and/or reinforcing transnational partnerships on labour market inclusion;
• advance effective inclusion of migrants in the labour market both early on after their arrival in the EU and at a level adequate to their qualifications, including by mobilising all stakeholders who can help and by promoting/ building on the EU tools available;
• contribute to a better matching between skills, competences and qualifications of migrants that are already in the EU, on the one hand, and demand on EU labour markets (including labour shortages) on the other hand;
• Promote inclusive workplaces, including by raising awareness about direct and indirect discrimination and elaborating good practice on tackling discrimination and promoting diversity in the workplace;
• Promote sustainable employment conditions for migrants, in particular beneficiaries of international and temporary protection and applicants for international protection.

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Activities that can be funded

Proposals should include one or more of the following activities (non-exhaustive list):

• developing innovative approaches to labour market integration, including by promoting/building on the EU tools available;
• upscaling activities of established good practices;
• developing and providing training to stakeholders (e.g. bridging courses and on the-job training for migrants; capacity building for SMEs), building on existing good practices;
• conferences, workshops, awareness-raising and other activities to create and strengthen partnerships between key labour market actors and further refine the solutions to labour market integration for migrants at the appropriate level of qualifications.

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Expected impact / outcomes

Proposals should focus on contributing to the achievement of one or several of the following outcomes:

• sustainable networks between labour market actors at local/regional/national/European level to advance concrete aspects of labour market integration;
• tools to assess and validate migrants’ skills and qualifications, in line with employers’ needs and in a timely manner, and to match migrants’ skills with vacancies, in particular in shortage occupations, taking into account experience with existing private and public tools (e.g. EU Talent Pool Pilot, EURAXESS);
• good practices that contribute to inclusive workplaces and sustainable employment conditions for migrants;
• training methods for different labour market actors as well as migrants in need of upskilling/reskilling and/or bridging courses, including proper dissemination to all relevant stakeholders.

‍Read more in the call document.

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Eligibility

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:

• be legal entities (public or private bodies)
• be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.: EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)), excluding Denmark, countries associated to the AMIF or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature

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Consortium composition

Proposals must be submitted by:

• minimum four applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from three different participating Member States.
• the following entities can NOT apply as coordinator: profit making entities & International Organisations

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Project duration

Maximum 30 or 36 months.

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Budget

The available budget for this topic is EUR 6 000 000.