There are growing concerns over the increased number of job seekers on the Jordanian labour market brought about by the Syrian crisis. In many of Jordan’s northern cities, Syrian refugees are competing with Jordanians for low-wage jobs.

The ILO recognises the urgent need for in-depth information with regards to the implications of the Syrian crisis (and the subsequent influx of Syrian refugees into Jordan) on the Jordanian labour market.

To gain a better understanding of the nature of working conditions in Jordan in the present climate, the ILO is carrying out an assessment on the impact of the Syrian crisis on the Jordanian labour market, with a particular focus on host communities.

The ILO is also conducting two rapid assessments on child labour in agriculture and urban informal sectors in the Jordan Valley, Amman, Irbid and Mafraq to determine the nature, magnitude, pattern, distribution and causes of child labour in these sectors.

Objectives

• Carry out a rapid assessment on the impact of the influx of Syrian refugees on the labour market, with a specific focus on the northern governorates of Irbid and Mafraq and the capital Amman. This would include assessing:
  • the capacity of the Jordanian labour market to provide employment to the Syrians; and
  • the impact of Syrians who are competing with the Jordanians and/or other migrants in the private/informal sector.
• Provide a better understanding of the occupational and employment profile of the Syrian refugees in Jordan, including the positive role of Syrians in bringing new skills.
• Propose a set of policy recommendations that would guide the development of an ILO response strategy aimed at addressing challenges and priorities pertaining to employment and livelihoods of Syrian refugees and Jordanian hosting communities.

Activities

The study will mainly focus on implications on the labour market in host communities (outside the camps) both with respect to Jordanians as well as the Syrian refugees through the use of three main methods:

• A household questionnaire survey;
• qualitative interviews; and
• literature review and use of secondary data.

Outcomes

The study will cover the following dimensions:

• Characteristics of the refugees, including their educational background, occupational profile, and the sectors in which they have been employed so far or have a potential to be employed;
• labour demand in the Jordanian market through a literature review of labour market assessments, as well as interviews with employers in key sectors in communities with heavy presence of Syrian refugees;
• the extent to which the Syrian refugees have had an impact on the ability of the Jordanians in accessing job and the working conditions of Jordanians;
• the current working conditions of Syrian refugees: contractual arrangements, hours of work, remuneration in cash and kind, access to social protection, occupational safety and health, share of transport costs on salary; and
• challenges facing women in the labour market and available job opportunities, as well as persons with disabilities.