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World Youth Skills Day statement

This statement was produced by members of the EU Consultative Group for Young People with a Migration Background, which is facilitated by the Migration Policy Group within the frame of the EU-funded Consulting EUth project

Authors: Anne Beatrice Cinco, Selma Rassoul, Carlos Salas Escobar

Recognising & developing the skills of young migrants is crucial to protect our rights, enhance our sense of belonging and enable us to contribute to sustainable development in their countries of origin and destination.

Everyone’s skills should be valued and given opportunities to grow. We, migrant youth, bring diverse skill sets that can stimulate innovation and respond to labour market needs. However, the unfortunate reality is that we are compelled to work below their skill levels. This is due to an interplay of factors such as language barriers, discrimination, lack of access to education and non-recognition of their qualifications & experience. In OECD countries, migrants with tertiary-level education are overrepresented in low-wage jobs. Across the EU in 2021, the over-qualification rate was 39.6% for non-EU citizens, compared to 20.8% for EU citizens. 

Recognising & developing our skills is a win-win for everyone. On the one hand, it opens up opportunities to migrants for decent, meaningful work and safe migration pathways. This enables us to find work in the formal economy, raise our standard of living and strengthen our sense of belonging, purpose and self-worth. On the other hand, migrants can alleviate labour shortages and contribute to innovation and sustainable development in Europe through participation in the workforce.

Actions that can be taken include: 

Acknowledge the value and contributions of migrants at all skill levels by facilitating the formal recognition of prior learning and qualifications to improve employability.

Assess migrants’ existing skills against labour market gaps and emerging opportunities, including in efforts towards economic recovery and the transition to green economies, to prevent skills mismatches.

Address the skilling, reskilling and upskilling needs of migrants with the involvement of public institutions, civil society and the private sector. Work-based learning, including quality apprenticeships for youth, can enable migrants to earn an income, meet their needs and support their families during this transition. Complementary services such as childcare are needed to encourage increased participation of migrant women. 

Promote safe and legal migration pathways to ensure newcomers’ access to meaningful jobs in the formal economy that provide social security benefits and enable them to contribute to society.

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About the Migration Policy Group (MPG)

MPG is an independent think-and-do-tank based in Brussels. MPG’s purpose is rooted in its ability to inspire networks to provide evidence-based projects, research and campaigns in the areas of integration, migration and anti-discrimination.

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