Migration

Tailored solutions for people on the move

Migration is old as humankind, though people move for different reasons. Swisscontact offers migrants in different socio-economical and geographical contexts tailormade solutions to improve their employability and strengthen local markets. We especially work in the areas of returning migrants, diaspora engagement, and skills development for refugees. 

Swisscontact approaches the complex topic of migration with long-term experience in skills development, labour market insertion, entrepreneurship training and financial services solutions. Since there is no “one” migrant, there is no “one” project intervention which fits all. We are guided by the needs of the private sector (for instance, the shortage of qualified employees) and political realities, in order to improve the living conditions of migrants and promote their own economic initiative in a sustainable way.

"I was living in the US for ten years. My wife saw an advertisement that said Swisscontact is supporting returning migrants, especially those with experience from abroad. INSAFORP would help me get certified, so that I could obtain an endorsement of the knowledge that I had acquired abroad. That was an incredible door that opened for me, because otherwise I would still be looking for work alternatives and unfortunately, there were few."
Rafael Salazar, El Salvador, participant in the Nuevas Oportunidades Project: returning migrant & entrepreneur 

Expanding our reach

Swisscontact works with different groups of migrants. In Central America, we work mostly with migrants who were forced to return. In Eastern Europe, we work with returnees from abroad after their Schengen allowance has expired or they have been sent back, while in South Asia we work with voluntary returnees. In our programmes in Albania, we create the basis for the reintegration and improvement of livelihoods, and in Nepal, we support training service providers to offer economically viable and high-quality vocational training that meets labour market demands and is tailored to the needs of returning migrants. In Switzerland, we promote the mobility of young professionals between Tunisia and Switzerland and aim to bring the Tunisian diaspora on board for sustainable development within Tunisia.

Unlocking the power of partnerships

Swisscontact attributes the success of its migration projects and the inclusion of migration populations to strong partnerships and collaboration with the private sector, academia and expert networks. Swisscontact actively involves the private sector in projects, whether to assess the needs of a specific sector, to create skills certification schemes, or to include entrepreneurs as mentors and experts for local economic development.

What we offer

We design projects based on a thorough analysis of the respective contexts and increase the acceptance of activities for migrants. In Central America, we seek the productive reintegration of returning migrants through the certification of competences and skills in the construction and hospitality sector. In Eastern Europe, we support migrants through tailored coaching processes and the engagement of civil society and the private sector as active players in labour market integration. In East and Central Africa, we improve the livelihoods of internally displaced people and refugees through vocational training and entrepreneurial support. In North Africa and Europe, we unlock the potential of diaspora communities to support local initiatives and strengthen markets in their country of origin.

Swisscontact's innovative solutions

Swisscontact’s interventions create better framework conditions, foster inclusive policies, and build partner capacities. We provide tailored project solutions in accordance with the complex realities of migration projects. Our solutions improve living conditions of migrants and strengthen local markets. 

Contact us today to benefit from our many years of experience.

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Migration Projects

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