On 16 November 2022, Jobs4Ukraine and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Romania held a job fair for Ukrainian refugees in Bucharest to facilitate employment and promote integration in Romania. The event was possible thanks to the support of Switzerland, and the IOM protection assistance was supported by Germany.

Over 200 jobseekers attended the event, where the 20 companies present at the fair represented a cross section of industries, including IT, communications, retail, hospitality, and other services, ranging in size from small enterprises to multinational companies. Most companies present already employed third country nationals, with several having already hired persons from Ukraine, and were all keen to hire more.

“The job fair was a great success, as it offered an opportunity for Ukrainians who wish to work and further integrate in Romania to meet and talk with prospective employers, to get information and advice on CV writing, and to attend workshops about entrepreneurship and different job prospects. These opportunities are extremely important for Ukrainians living in Romania, not only to integrate whilst they are waiting to be able return home safely, but also to do so with the skills to help rebuild Ukraine,” said Mircea Mocanu, Head of IOM’s office in Romania.

“It also provided the employers the occasion to see the variety of skills, experiences, and added value that Ukrainians now residing in Romania can bring to their organisations. IOM Romania will continue to work with Jobs4Ukraine and other partners to respond to the evolving needs of those displaced from Ukraine, and to assist in their integration in a sustainable manner,” he added.

The company representatives were aware of the needs to provide support for new employees to improve their language skills and to integrate in Romania. The different companies each had between 5 and 1,000 jobs available, with a variety of required skillsets, and are keen to engage new talented arrivals from Ukraine.

“During this event, we learned a great deal from our beneficiaries and employers about their needs, opportunities and how to match them better. We can now observe that all parties are more confident to work together to overcome challenges. The language barrier is indeed one of the biggest challenges, and we will soon start English and Romanian classes for refugees from Ukraine,” said Roxana Popa, Executive Director of Project Voyager (Asociatia Proiect Voiajor) who implement Jobs4Ukraine.

“Our team’s enthusiasm is hard to describe, we were happy to host and facilitate the connections between the more than 200 participants, and we look forward to hearing the upcoming successful hiring stories. We will continue to rely on our job platform, to connect refugee job seekers with employers, regardless of their expertise and domain,” she added.

About Jobs4Ukraine: Jobs for Ukraine is a free platform that aims to improve livelihoods for people forced to flee Ukraine to Romania and other countries due to the war, through easy access to jobs and learning opportunities abroad and remote. It enables people to explore different industries, look and apply for jobs in different countries, as well as to acquire and master new skills. www.jobs4ukr.com

About the International Organization for Migration: Founded in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration. With 175 member states and presence in over 100 countries, IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. The Organization works with its partners in the international community to assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration, advance understanding of migration issues, encourage social and economic development through migration and to uphold the well-being and human rights of all migrants. To learn more about IOM's work in Romania, please visit: https://romania.iom.int

For more information please contact:

James Michael Wilson, Head of Communications and Media, IOM Romania, jwilson@iom.int

Video from the event can be viewed here.

This event was made possible thanks to the support of Switzerland, and protection assistance was supported by Germany.