DEVELOPING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SELF-EMPLOYMENT SKILLS OF IMMIGRANTS - Desk research by mediashelterinternational

DEVELOPING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SELF-EMPLOYMENT SKILLS OF IMMIGRANTS DESSI Desk research

Germany, Netherlands, Turkey, Lithuania, Sweden, Greece

2021 Prepared by shelter international e.V., S.A.F.E. Projects, Aydin Kulturel Gelisim Dernegi, Non-formal learning club "WE",Estety, Innovation Hive

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

Table of Content Introduction ......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Migration aspects and issues in Germany .......................................................................................... 3 Migration aspects and issues in Greece ........................................................................................... 10 Migration aspects and issues in Turkey ............................................................................................ 15 Migration aspects and issues in Sweden .......................................................................................... 20 Migration aspects and issues in Lithuania ........................................................................................ 25 Success stories ................................................................................................................................ 28 Survey findings ................................................................................................................................ 38 Afterword........................................................................................................................................ 47 Annex 1: Questionnaire ................................................................................................................... 48 Annex 2: Questionnaire results ........................................................................................................ 60

Introduction This document provides information about migration aspects and issues in six’s European countries. Within this desk research, we aim to analyze countries situations and implement survey which findings help us to create training manual. Here you can find also migrants success stories. Document consist of countries reports, survey findings, success stories. We hope that this document will allow you to get insight in different issues focused on migrants entrepreneurship skills development.

Migration aspects and issues in Germany Germany is an immigration society. According to the Destatis Statistisches Bundesamt in 2019, 21.2 million people had a migrant background, representing 26.0% of the population in Germany. Germany has the capability to realize the existing diversity of immigrant peoples' practices, experiences, perspectives, and talents in productive, creative, and innovative ways, and to keep up with an increasingly globalized world. In order for this potential to be activated, there is a need for practical and innovative frameworks of knowledge and analytical research that can map the diverse situations within Germany's immigration society, identify and address existing capacities as well as existing challenges and problems. With this desk research, we want to bring the needs of the target group of the project to the center and analyze them to create a needs-based training module for entrepreneurship and selfemployment for immigrants.

Terminological differentiation and migration statistics To understand the analysis of German labour market, it is essential to make a terminological differentiation between the identifications of people as 'migrants', 'foreigner', 'with migration background', and 'with migration experience'. According to the Statistisches Bundesamt the term 'migration background' includes also foreigners. Foreigners are people, who were born in Germany or migrated later to Germany.In addition, people without any state and undefined citizenship are identified as foreigners. People have a migration experience if they were born abroad. Finally, the term 'people with migration background' is the summarize of the identifications foreigner, emigrants, naturalized people, and people, who were born with German citizenship, but whose parents (or at least one of them) naturalized, foreigner or emigrants.

Analyzes based on people with migration background are important in the case of Germany. Only the view on the German population shows that their share is not insignificant. Germans without a migration background have a share of 77 % that is 63.8 million. German people with migration background (which addresses those who are naturalized) are 9.6million of the German population and together with the people, who are identified as foreigner (9 million), they have a share of 23 % (18.6 million), which is nearly a quarter of the whole population 1.

The situation on the labor market of persons with migration background, foreigners and refugees The social system of Germany is closely linked to the labour market. Expected demographic changes will affect problems in labour market also the whole social system in Germany. In line with the demographic change, the population in the workforce is going to be older and the young workforce cannot replace the workforce, who retires. So, the number of people, who retire would be higher than the number of people entering the labor market. However, this

Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Statistik/Arbeitsmarktberichterstattung,Hintergrundinfo - Migrationshintergrund Definitionen, Abgrenzungen und Eckwerte, Nürnberg, Mai 2018 The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

decreasing labor supply could be stopped through the rising labor supply which implies a change in the behavior of people of working age. Not all people of working age have the will to work or in other words, not all people of inworking age are potential labor force. In September 2017, 2.45 million people in Germany were unemployed. At that time, 78.9 percent of these people had given information on their migration background to the employment agencies and job centers - more current figures are not available for the characteristic migration background. Of 870,000 or 36 percent of all unemployed, it is known that they have a migration background. The number of unemployed refugees is ca. 32.0002.

Nearly 43 million of the absolute population in Germany are in the labor force and about 8 million of them have a migration background and 4 million are foreigners. As described before, not all people in labor force are employed. Also, unemployed people, who are available for the labour market are defined as labor force. So, about 40 million of labour force are employed and ca. 7 million of them are people with migrant background and ca. 3.5 million foreigners. The rest (ca. 2.5 million people) are unemployed. 3

In 2009, according to Mikrozensus data, a total of around 4.2 million people in Germany were self-employed, which corresponds to a share of 10.9 % of the total employed population. Among the employed population with a migrant background, about 655,000 persons (10.0%) are self-employed, and among the population without a migrant background, 3.5 million (11.1%) are self-employed. This makes migrant self-employment a significant factor in the labor market.

Statistisches Bundesamt (2017a). Bildung. Statisches Jahrbuch 2017.https://www.destatis.de/DE/Publikationen/StatistischesJahrbuch/Bildung.pdf?blob=publicationFile (2nd of July 2018) 3 Statistisches Bundesamt (2017b): Bevölkerung und Erwerbsfähigkeit. Bevölkerung mitMigrationshintergrund – Ergebnisse der Mikrozensus 2016.1, 2.2 .https://www.destatis.de/DE/Publikationen/Thematisch/Bevoelkerung/M i g r a t i o n I n t e g r a t i o n / M The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

Socio-economic issues of persons with migration background Educational issues: People with migration background are mostly lower qualified than people without a migration background in Germany. Educational and language barriers let people with migration background work in low-qualified and more physically exhausting jobs. Furthermore, the German education system requires studying not only in schools but also at home. Therefore, the qualification level of the parents and the active participation of them in educational institutions are important for the success of their children in the school. Highqualified parents can help their children with their homework etc. However, parents of people with migration background are mostly low qualified. Besides these educational factors, lack of vocational skills, different work habits are also difficulties faced by people with migration background. Language as a barrier to success- linguistic discrimination: Language is an important barrier, which can not be overlooked. Skills in the German language are requirements for a successful educational career. People with migration background grow up in an intercultural environment, where more than one language is spoken. Parents can prefer to speak their native language or only German or both, or another language with their children. Their social position in society is dependent mostly on their language skills since linguistic discrimination allows people to classify people based on their language skills in social layers, gives them unequal access to resources, chances, and rights, and assign specific characteristics to them4. Linguistic discrimination may influence their qualification, social layer, and access into the labor market, too. Discrimination in the labor market: Discrimination of people with migration background in the labor market, but also in institutions such as credit bank, because of their origin or religious interest is a relevant factor for access and

Springsits, B. (2015). 'Nein, das kann nur die Muttersprache sein.'Spracherwerbsmythen und Linguizismu s. N. Thoma and M. Knappik (Ed.). Spracheund Bildung in Migrationsgesellschaften. Machtkritische Perspektiven auf einprekarisiertes Verhältnis. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag. p.89-108 The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

success in the labor market because the existing discrimination leads in the exclusion in most of the sectors which would be then occupied by people without migration background. Uncertainty of the length of stay in Germany: Most of the people with migration background have no certainty regarding their residential status in Germany and this leads to preventing them to open their own businesses. Recognition of foreign qualifications: This is one of the biggest issues for people with migration background since some qualifications and skills have been learned informally and no certificates are existing. But for the recognition of the professional skills, Germany asks for documentation which is a problem especially for refugees since most of them have limited documentation. Often the validaty of the documents are not accepted by the German authorities because i.e. the documents are dated during the war time. 5

Barriers for entrepreneurship and self-employment The problems and challenges faced by immigrants on their way to entrepreneurship are of particular importance6: 

Above all the bureaucratic burden that is perceived as an obstacle like administrative procedures, approval procedures, proof of qualification, etc.



Lack of knowledge of formal and legal requirements as well as lack of entrepreneurial knowledge



Lack of financing or inability to provide sufficient own or third-party capital



Major barriers to the availability of credit Lack of targeted consultation

Motivation Pull Factors for Self-employment:

OECD (2017), Finding their Way, LABOUR MARKET INTEGRATION OF REFUGEES I N GERMANY

Leicht, René/Humpert, Andreas/Leiß, Markus/Zimmer-Müller, Michael/Lauxen-Ulbrich, Maria/Fehrenbach, Silke (2005): Die Bedeutung der ethnischen Ökonomie in Deutschland. Push- und Pull-Faktoren für Unternehmensgründungen ausländischer und ausländischstämmiger Mitbürger, Studie im Auftrag des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Arbeit – Kurzfassung; Mannheim: Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (ifm). The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

Autonomy and independence Willingness to succeed, sense of feasibility and recognition of opportunities Tradition and cultural values (z.B. self-employed in the homeland) Social advancement ( it can be also push factors) Interim summary (mix of above factors) Push Factors for Self-employment: Disadvantage and dissatisfaction Passed unemployment Threatened loss of employment 7.

Support There are several institutional consulting centers such as Chamber of Crafts and Chamber of Commerce in each federal state in Germany8. 8 They offer different consulting supports such as Business start-up consulting Business Plan Information on start-up funding Financing Marketing Seminars for Start-ups Tax advice with tax offices, etc. Many regional governments (federal states) have implemented integration measures and pilot projects to support the labour market integration of asylum seekers and refugees. Whereas refugees have the same access to the labour market and integration measures as everyone else, a number of legislative measures have facilitated the access to the labour market for asylum seekers and tolerated persons. Refugees have access to regular support measures for self7

Leicht, René/Humpert, Andreas/Leiß, Markus/Zimmer-Müller, Michael/Lauxen-Ulbrich, Maria/Fehrenbach, Silke (2005): Die Bedeutung der ethnischen Ökonomie in Deutschland. Push- und Pull-Faktoren für Unternehmensgründungen ausländischer und ausländischstämmiger Mitbürger, Studie im Auftrag des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Arbeit – Kurzfassung; Mannheim: Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (ifm). 8 https://www.ihk.de https://www.handwerkskammer.de/ The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

employment, yet it seems that so far relatively few have managed to start their own business. Given that setting up one's own business requires considerable know-how and a certain amount of financial resources, these low numbers are not surprising. Among these are not only language skills, but also the ability to understand the legal parameters and to find one's way through the German bureaucracy. Therefore, this process can take time. 9 Targeted support for self-employed is limited. Also the existing counseling services are predominantly not tailored to the needs of immigrants since they are little used. We can also say that the self-employment of refugees and immigrants has never been priority for the authorities.

Areas of educational needs and potential for improvement of adult education It is essential for people with migration background to acquire certain competences in order to become self-employed. First of all, the entrepreneurial skills needs to be developed through learning materials. Even reaching and benefiting from the existing consulting opportunities requires long bureaucratic steps so that it is important to develop self-learning systems. Given the digitalisation is the future of the learning, there is a need to offer e-learning platforms as they are not time consuming and anti-bureaucratic.

There are mentoring programmes for refugees and migrants on the small- scale but this local programmes are focused on the daily needs or language skills. There there is a need for the mentorship programmes with the specific aim to support people with migration backgrounds and refugees for developing their own business and improving entrepreneurship or selfemployment skills as well as guiding through the German bureaucracy. The consulting for startups and self-employment are nice offers but they need to be fitted into the needs of the immigrants. Consulting offers specific to migrants are of great importance.

OECD (2017), Finding their Way, LABOUR MARKET INTEGRATION OF REFUGEES IN GERMANY

Migration aspects and issues in Greece Immigrant entrepreneurship in Greece is a new phenomenon, still marginal but rapidly evolving. Restrictive immigration rules and labour market structures have confined the vast majority of migrants to paid employment. The increasing visibility of immigrant businesses, particularly in the principal cities of Athens and Thessaloniki, has lately been depicted in the media and reflects a reality that has become more and more common. However, immigrant entrepreneurship rarely features in official accounts, whether political or scholarly.

1. Migration statistics for Greece According to the data and statistics provided by the Greek National Migration & Asylum Authority for June 2020, in total 537.892 migrants with a legal permanent residence permit are located in Greece. Out of this total number, the migrants that are members of migrant families already located in Greece are 168.015. Another very important element to highlight is that 63.3% of the migrants located in Greece come from Albania. In the following table, an analysis of this number according to the reason of migration is presented. Reason of migration Employment & job seeking

Number of migrants 71.320

Family reunion

192.320

Studies

1.820

Other reasons (not defined)

272.522

2. Institutional Support In the aftermath of political and economic transitions in Eastern Europe, Greece experienced a rapid shift, receiving large numbers of undocumented migrants mostly from the Balkans and the former USSR, and predominantly from neighboring Albania. Placing excessive emphasis on policing and control, it failed to realistically acknowledge the new reality and kept the majority of migrants in a limbo, with no opportunity to access regular status. Any entrepreneurial attempt during the best part of the 1990s was thus impossible for the majority of migrants, unless it took place within the informal economy. The situation started to change in 1997, when the first regularization programme was initiated. By the end of the 1990s, immigrant-run shops were already mushrooming in Athens city centre, and the presence of immigrants as street vendors became noticeable in major cities. During the early 2000s, empirical research for the first time acknowledged the trend of migrants moving towards selfemployment and small entrepreneurship. The new legal framework for other immigrants takes The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

into account the issue of integration and includes provisions regulating their entrepreneurial activity. A recent OECD survey highlighted the paradox of a country exhibiting “both a high rate of self-employment and a low rate of firm creation”, where “registering and licensing a business is complex and very time consuming” and “access to finance seems more difficult than in most other EU member states”. Not only does this pose additional difficulties for migrants, but also its legal specifications sometimes clash with immigration requirements. For instance, a business license is required for issuing or renewing a residence permit, while a residence permit is considered as a prerequisite for a business license.

3. Barriers encountered by migrants in accessing education and / or acquiring necessary skills that may help them improve their entrepreneurial skills. For the case of Greece, according to the findings of an extended report conducted under the Horizon 2020 project “SIRIUS”10, the barriers encountered by migrants for accessing employment are more of a systemic nature and closely linked with the overall employment and unemployment tendencies and circumstances at national level. Specifically, two major tendencies regarding the migrants’ labor integration are highlighted:  The unfavorable landscape created by the overall high unemployment rate which increased from 10% to 20% between 2009 and 2018;  The tendency for refugees and asylum seekers to be used as cheap and unskilled labor without taking into account the specific skills they may have. NGO representatives' testimonies show that any prospects of their beneficiaries is related to jobs in cleaning, rural or unskilled jobs in the tourism sector and the option of self-employment and the creation of an enterprise is rarely mentioned.

4. Educational/ Learning Barriers Education plays an important role for the successful social integration of the migrants into the local societies. In fact, educational environments are the only ones providing direct coexistence of migrants and natives. According to a study conducted by Harokopio University of Greece11, the main barriers and challenges that migrants face when entering the education system of Greece are:

Civil society enablers and barriers, Dino Numerato, Karel Čada, Karina Hoření (Eds.) available at: https://www.siriusproject.eu/sites/default/files/attachments/Civil%20society%20enablers%20and%20barriers %20D4.1.pdf 11 Anastasia Chaliapa, Integration of Migrants in Greece available at: http://estia.hua.gr/file/lib/default/data/8286/theFile The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

 Language barriers: migrants do not speak or speak at a very low level the national language.  Another barrier, related to the aforementioned one, is the lack of initiatives from the Greek educational system that will allow migrants retain and/or evolve their mother language.  Migrants lack of knowledge about the specific characteristics of the Greek educational system;  Migrants often have already been integrated into a different social, cultural, economic and political environment that is sustained by their partners;  The migrants’ personal experiences due to possible harsh and difficult life conditions, their parents’ insecurity as well as due to possible delinquency tendencies of their relatives and/or compatriots are reflected as a deterrent factor for their evolvement in education and in claiming better working conditions or establishing their own business12.

5. Competencies Developed by Adult Educators and National Initiatives The findings support the view that the main initiatives expressed so far regarding the adult education of immigrants are in the majority, language capacity building oriented as the knowledge of the local language is a necessary tool for the refugees and migrants to improve their socio‐economic and professional status.

5.1.

Language Lessons

As far as Greece is concerned, the influx of immigrants over the last decades has sharply increased the demands for adult language education. To address the needs of this population, special language training programs have been implemented by Ministries, local Municipalities, Universities and Vocational Training Centers; despite the many difficulties and shortcomings of these programs (Mattheoudakis; Rodakopoulos & Lily, 2010), this population has been offered a helping hand in their effort to become independent, self-sufficient and productive members of the society. For instance, Androulakis, Gkaintartzi, Kitsiou, and Tsioli (2017) report on two nationwide research projects (ELMEGO and MATHEME) implemented by the Greek Language and Multilingualism Laboratory of the University of Thessaly, Greece, from 2010 to 2015, which offered second language courses to adult immigrants. Namely, the ELMEGO project intended to plan and implement specialized courses in Greek language for immigrant parents with children attending compulsory education and the MATHEME project aimed to design and implement Greek courses for immigrant target-groups, who were immigrants from non-EU countries, unemployed, mothers, and immigrants with disabilities and illiterate immigrants. In addition to these efforts to tackle the issue of adult language

Mousourou L.M. (2006), Children of Migrants in the Greek Schools, Gutenberg publications, Athens

education, a number of NGOs and community-based organizations of volunteers have been offering Modern Greek language classes. Regarding the problems that adult educators face, a study by Pathiaki and Simopoulos (2019), which explores the views and practices of volunteer teachers, shows that, while these teachers may not possess the appropriate know-how with regard to language teaching and often resort to traditional educational techniques, they succeed in creating a supportive learning environment, communicating effectively, and empowering their students, who are truly enthusiastic about attending the courses

5.2.

Other supporting projects

There are measures worth mentioning for their potential to benefit migrant entrepreneurs. 



IMMENSITY (2006-2008)13 is an EU project locally administered by the Region of Central Macedonia, seeking to promote immigrant entrepreneurship with a special focus on women. The Hellenic Migration Policy Institute published an information leaflet that includes legal advice concerning self-employment and entrepreneurship in six languages (IMEPO, 2008). ENTRYWAY- Entrepreneurship without Borders (2017-2019).14 A project which supports immigrants and third-country nationals that are willing to start their own businesses and legally reside in seven provinces of five European countries, including Greece The ATHENA project15 which seeks to reduce the gap in integration outcomes between migrant men and migrant women by improving migrant women entrepreneurship (2021-2023)

There are also many other programmes through the University of Patra, aimed to improve adult training in various areas, including new technologies, land workers education, health education, education for Roma people and immigrants. The university also has a centre for Intercultural Education (KEDEK), which provides Greek Language Courses to migrants and Erasmus Students16

6. Best practices of e-learning offer at national / EU / international level LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is an educational platform that offers professional courses on business, technologyrelated and creative fields in the format of video lessons.

Available at https://keep.eu/project-ext/187/SENSITIC%20II/ https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/intpract/entryway--entrepreneurship-without-borders 15 https://www.eliamep.gr/en 16 http://www.upatras.gr/index/index/lang/en 14

Udemy

Coursera Skillshare edX & Open edX

Udemy is one of the most popular online course marketplaces on the web. This educational platform has more than 40 million students and 50 thousand instructors and subject matter experts creating online courses. Coursera is an online education platform with 23 million users, which is dedicated to offering high-quality online training courses worldwide. Skillshare is another popular course marketplace that has more than 4 million students and up to 24,000 lessons in various disciplines. EdX.org has powered more than 8,000 online courses from 100 prestigious universities and businesses that are currently offering higher education in many disciplines. They mainly specialize in the sciences – engineering, computer science, data science, math, humanities, business, and management.

In explaining migrant entrepreneurship, the socio-economic context should be considered alongside the institutional one. Migrant labour in Greece has been a substitute for family workers in small businesses and households at a time when the indigenous labour force shifted from high levels of self-employment and family work to waged labour and business ownership. Early accounts explained the entrepreneurship of migrants as a survival strategy in their struggle against exclusion and a de facto disadvantaged position in the labour market.

Migration aspects and issues in Turkey Short statistic (demographic) and issues which facing migrants Turkey remains home to the largest registered refugee population in the world. Over 4 million refugees and asylum-seekers are registered in Turkey, of whom nearly 1.7 million are children.More than 3.6 million Syrians – including about 1.6 million children – are under temporary protection, 96 per cent of whom live in host communities across the country. Turkey also hosts a sizable community of non-Syrian refugees and asylum-seekers of almost 370,000 (primarily from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran), including some 120,000 children.In addition, Turkey remains a transit country for unregistered refugees and migrants on the move. What are possibilities for migrants to be more integrated in labour market in Turkey? The entrepreneurship ecosystem in Turkey is newly developed and still unsettled. Even for a Turkish citizen, entrepreneurship is still a challenging path to follow. In case of migrant entrepreneurship, the challenges are doubled. Before starting to entrepreneurship journey in Turkey, migrants have to solve some social problems such as; social acceptance, networking, reaching the right information and communicating with the people around them. They also need prove themselves, in order to avoid the skill miss-match problems.Although challenges are much more than opportunities for migrant entrepreneurs in Turkey, Turkish business environment is still creating opportunities to entrepreneurs and investors, especially for Syrian migrants from Aleppo. Aleppo is a kind of unique example ,because of the generated significant economic impact by the entrepreneurs from Aleppo who had great networks and commercial relationships in Middle East. These entrepreneurs are the ones distributing Turkish products in Middle East. They generally prefer to settle in Mersin for taking advantage of the commercial opportunities offered by the city harbour.Another opportunity for migrant entrepreneurs is the flow of labour force from Syria; the Syrian employers tend to employ Syrians. Besides, Syrian entrepreneurs contribute to local economic development in the regions where they operate shops and bakeries . Of course, these types of businesses appeal mostly to Syrians because they offer products Syrians are accustomed to.Syrian entrepreneurs started to The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

contribute also to production industry, though at a small scale, and specialized in shoe production. All these represent that the migrants (Syrians) have a high entrepreneurial spirit, although not in a way that it contributes innovativeness in Turkish business and economic environment. What kind of information and support they are getting for self-employment/creating enterprise? Starting from 2017, a number of social assistance and vocational education programmes were launched for Syrian refugees, with support from international organisations and institutions.The “Employment Support Project for Syrians Under Temporary Protection and Host Communities”, which is run by the World Bank and the Turkey Employment Agency (İŞKUR). It has received financing from the EU (FRIT- IPA) since June 2017. In addition to vocational and on-the-job training, language training and job search support, the project aims to put a long-term effective job training and placement programme in place. As is clear from the name of the programme, both refugees and the local population are expected to benefit.The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) “Employment and Skills Development Project”, which is implemented by İŞKUR and is partially financed by the German “Kreditanstalt Fur Wiederaufbau” (KfW). The project aims to improve İŞKUR’s capacity in provinces with a large Syrian population, and to provide education, job counselling, registration and screening services. It started in late 2017 and provides counselling to 3,500 refugees and 3,500 local people, as well as a registration and screening service for 4,500 individuals from each group. Does exist motivation and supportive system to support migrants entrepreneurship skills? The Job Creation and Entrepreneurship Opportunities Programme, which is led by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services and supported by the International Organisation for Migration and International Labour Organisation. This programme aims to create jobs and encourage entrepreneurship by providing vocational education and support to SMEs. It is funded by the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis. It started in May 2018 and is expected to last for two years. As a part of the SME phase, 50 firms will be supported The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

with a year’s consulting services, business analysis, and micro credits up to 50,000 TL (€8,834, at the annual average exchange rate of 5.66 TL/€). E-learning possibilities Since March 2019, over 28,000 Syrian refugees in Turkey have received Turkish language courses through a brand-new “Blended” learning model, mixing conventional and e-learning methods. The efforts are part of UNDP Turkey’s Syria Crisis Response and Resilience Programme, designed to support Syrian refugees in the country. Funded by the European Union and in partnership with Turkey’s Ministry of Education, this learning project plans to provide 52,000 Syrians between ages 18 to 57 with good quality Turkish language skills to empower them for social, economic and cultural integration to the society and enable self-reliance among this vulnerable community.Currently, almost 2,000 Syrian students are involved in language education at the intermediate level, and trainings are now fully online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.The model is recognized by the Ministry of Education as a successful pilot and best practice, and are looking at expanding it to other areas of education Adult education working with immigrants Non-formal education possibilities (municipalities, refugee centers, NGO’s and etc. experience and programs) Adult education in Turkey is realized regardless of age limit, language, religion, race and gender discrimination14. According to Eurostat criteria, adult education age is 25 to 64. Adult Education Implementations / Activities in Turkey;  Public institutes (Activities implemented by MoNE are applied by Public Education Centres (PEC), Vocational Education Centre (VEC), Advanced Technical Schools, Vocational and Technical Education Centres)  Private Education Institutions (MoNE has the responsibility to monitor and audit15)  CSOs ((MoNE has the responsibility to monitor and audit) and  Unions (MoNE has the responsibility to monitor and audit). According to the basic approach regarding literacy, general and vocational training courses for adults; all training courses leading to certification in accordance with local needs and national vocational standards The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

delivered in formal and non-formal vocational and technical education institutes are delivered through the responsibility of MoNE- Directorate of Lifelong Learning. In addition, within the context

the

cooperation

and

protocols

(to

reached

via

http://hboprojeler.meb.gov.tr/protokol-liste.html) signed between of MoNEDirectorate of Lifelong Learning, general vocational, technical and reading writing courses are provided by other institutions. The main responsible which is MoNE- Directorate of Lifelong Learning has determined Public Education Centers, Vocational Education Centers, Advanced Education Centers and Open Education Centers to be adult education institutions. As of May 2019 total of 3.435.79916 trainees participated in 177.791 courses. MoNE has approved 3457 modular courses regarding adult education. These courses which are accessed through an E-System are continuously updated and the follow up of the beneficiaries are done through this automated system. Which competencies adult educators and national programs developing of migrants? Most of the adult education activities of the public sector are implemented by the Public Education Centres which is a part of the Directorate of Lifelong Learning. These centres provide basic literacy, vocational and general culture courses to mainly adults. In addition, there are a number of private institutions providing adult education services. According to the information provided by MoNE. Most of the educators working in the field of adult education are teachers and administrators of formal education institutions. In other words, most of the educators working in adult education sector hold pedagogical formation certificate. However, considering the characteristics of adult education learners, adult education is rather different then pedagogy. This is why adult educators should be humane, tolerant, conscious, and carries leadership skills, believes in human and human skills, visionary educators. Therefore, adult educators might be dealing with experienced, cultured and adults individuals who have willingly participated in the educational activity. Which issues facing adult educators working with migrants? Adult education seems to be a second chance for those who have not benefited from the formal education. In the recent years the new comers, refugees or migrants are among those in need The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

of adult education to integrate into the society they moved in. However their multiple vulnerabilities such as language, cultural, social and economic difficulties and traumas they faced make their access and participation to adult education more challenging both for themselves and also for the education planners and providers References 2014-2018 Strategy Paper of Ministry of National Education – General Directorate of Lifelong Learning https://abdigm.meb.gov.tr/projeler/ois/013.pdf. 15 04.07.2007 Prime Ministry Circular,http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/ 2007/07/20070704-14.htm. 16 https://e-yaygin.meb.gov.tr/Login.aspx Carpio and Wagner, 2015, The Impact of Syrians Refugees on the Turkish Labor Market, Policy Research Working Paper 7402, World Bank Group. OECD, 2010, Entrepreneurship and Migrants, OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs and Local Development GÖÇMENLER, G. ve SÖNMEZ, G. (2018), MEB Hayat Boyu Öğrenme Genel Müdürlüğü İzleme ve Değerlendirme Raporu (MoNE DGLLL Monitoring and Evaluation Report), MEB,

Ankara,

Ministry

National

Education,

Directorate

Lifelong

Learning,http://hbogm.meb.gov.tr/dosyalar/izlemedegerlendirmerapor/2018/mobile/index. 2016,’’Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Mindset Development for Highly Skilled Migrants in Europe’’ Research report

Migration aspects and issues in Sweden The Northern European region, Scandinavia, is known for its welfare states, egalitarianism, and high quality of life among the population. Migration is inextricably intertwined with the development of the Swedish state and society. In the early 2000s, around 30,000 people applied for asylum in Sweden every year. It increased around 2012 and in 2015 the number of asylum seekers was the highest ever, with over 160,000 people. Many of them were people who fled the war in Syria. Since then, political decisions have affected the possibility of getting to Sweden and the number of asylum seekers has decreased. In 2019, almost 22,000 people sought asylum in Sweden. But even with decreasing in numbers the immigration is what is contributing most to population growth right now. 65 percent of the population increase in 2020 was due to more people immigrating than emigrating17.

Imigration to Sweden 180000 160000 140000

120000 100000 80000 60000 40000 20000

Man

Women

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

Totalt

https://www.scb.se/hitta-statistik/sverige-i-siffror/manniskorna-i-sverige/asylsokande-isverige/ https://www.scb.se/hitta-statistik/sverige-i-siffror/manniskorna-i-sverige/invandring-tillsverige/ The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

Most of these recent arrivals have been Syrians, Afghans, and Iraqis. Other large groups include Iranians, Somalis, and Eritreans. Sweden’s foreign-born population has been growing for many decades. As of 2017, Statistics Swedenreported that around 2,439,007 or 24.1% of the inhabitants of Sweden were from a foreign background: that is, each such person either had been born abroad or had been born in Sweden to two parents who themselves had both been born abroad. [30] Also taking into account people with only one parent born abroad, this number increases to almost a third in 2017.

What are possibilities for migrants to be more integrated in labor market The goal of integration policy in Sweden is that everyone should have equal rights, obligations and opportunities. However the statistic show that we are far from that goal. Sweden has the highest proportion of employees in Europe. At the same time, the differences in the labor market in Sweden between foreign-born and domestic-born are greater than in the rest of Europe. It takes about nine years before half of those who have immigrated to Sweden have established themselves in the labor market. Unemployment for those born outside Europe is over 50 percent. There are different initiatives and programs both on national and municipal level to reduce segregation by providing various support to migrants. The Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) is leading agency to assist newcomers to integrate themselves into the society.

Etableringsprogrammet, the establishment programme is a support in the

form of activities and education for certain newly arrived immigrants. The aim is to become self-sufficient as quickly as possible. Apart from Swedish language course there are variety of activities: ● social orientation course ● courses at different levels ● work experience placement The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

● help and guidance for those who are considering starting own business18

The municipalities provide more local oriented support by: • Offer premises and coordination resources for groups and meetings. • Employ a few key people, both at the municipality and within organizations, with coordination responsibilities. • Work locally with civil society to open up languages cafés, women's groups, preschool groups, “friend” networks, handicraft groups, computer training, health counseling, parenting courses, swimming lessons and more. • Call network meetings.

All above mentioned initiatives aimed to give knowledge and resources for newcomers being able to integrate themselves to labor market. However not all programs shows effectiveness and sometimes lucking practical approach in providing services. In the Budget Bill for 2020, the Government announced the introduction of an ‘intensive year’ for newly arrived immigrants. This is part of their ‘new start’ in Sweden, and will help them to enter the labour market more quickly. The aim is that, after the ‘intensive year’, the participants’ skills should match labour market needs and they should be able to find work within one year of beginning the ‘intensive year’. Funds for the ‘intensive year’ were allocated in the Budget Bill for 2020, including in Arbetsförmedlingen’s administrative appropriation. An additional SEK 100 million to Arbetsförmedlingen’s administrative appropriation is now being proposed in the Budget Bill for 2021 to ensure effective implementation.

https://arbetsformedlingen.se/other-languages/english-engelska/extra-stod/att-delta-iprogram/etableringsprogrammet The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

In its Budget Bill, the Government proposes additional funding of SEK 25 million in 2021 for promotion funds to the Delegation for the Employment of Young People and Newly Arrived Migrants

(Dua).

This

enable

collaboration

between

municipalities

and

Arbetsförmedlingen to be maintained and developed. Dua’s efforts to promote collaboration between municipalities and Arbetsförmedlingen are important for young people and newly arrived immigrants, who are able to benefit from the joint initiatives of municipalities and Arbetsförmedlingen, including initiatives in collaboration with employers in ‘local job tracks’. On 17 September 2020, the Government decided to extend Dua’s assignment until 31 December 2021.

Which issues facing adult educators working with migrants Everyone agrees that knowledge of the Swedish language is a cornerstone of a successful integration. Sweden offers a national free Swedish language course to most categories of immigrants. However, there is criticism from many municipalities that today's SFI (Swedish for immigrants) is too rigid, emphasizes grades and complete study plans too much and that the real language learning comes out in Swedish society, in the labor market. Migrants are coming with different background both educational and cultural. Many comes with very negative personal experience that may became barrier in successful integration. Educators may become limited by those resources and programs that currently available and may not work properly in some circumstances, or cannot be applied to some group of people. For example, those who never worked in their life or missed essential study are getting serious challenges with attending classes or performing tasks. Educators need wider variety of approaches and programs to still show them ways to integrate into society and labor market.

Alternating SFI (Swedish for immigrants, the national program) with internships / work is a model that more and more municipalities are investing in. A major societal challenge, say several municipalities, are young people with low basic education who come to Sweden as The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

teenagers. They do not meet the requirements of high school and often fall between the chairs in the future. The OECD has pointed out that Sweden has a worryingly high unemployment rate among young newcomers. Last year brought even more challenges to educators as almost all educational program became online with distance and remote classes due to still ongoing corona pandemic. Distance education requires new skills from both, educators and students.

What kind of information and support they are getting for self-employment/creating enterprise One of the directions of Arbetsförmedlingen Etableringsprogrammet is to give a support to start own business for those migrant who shows readiness and ability. Statistics from the Swedish Public Employment Service show that the number of people within the Etableringsprogrammet who received support for starting a business has increased by more than 60 percent. But it is from extremely low levels. In total, it is only 0.2 percent of everyone in this mission who has received the support19. It is therefore clear that the conditions for new arrivals to start companies must be improved

https://www.svensktnaringsliv.se/bilder_och_dokument/2uuq14_nyforetagandepdf_1007429. html/Nyforetagande.pdf The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

Migration aspects and issues in Lithuania Short statistic (demographic) and issues which facing migrants In the beginning of 2019, there were 2.79 million inhabitants in Lithuania, 86.8 per cent among them Lithuanian nationals, 5.6 per cent – Polish, 4.5 per cent – Russian. In Lithuania20, there are almost 60,000 foreigners (with residence permits). The clear majority is from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, as well as arrivals from other EU countries. More and more foreigners from India, the United States, Turkey and other countries are coming to Lithuania. For many years21, the vast majority of immigrants were returning Lithuanian citizens (about 57 percent on average). The rest was EU citizens (3 percent) and non-EU citizens (15 percent). The majority of foreign immigrants were citizens from Ukraine and Belarus (about 31 percent of all immigrants). The majority of EU citizens are coming from Latvia, Italy or Germany. In 2019, more22 than 72,7 percent of emigrants were aged between 15-44. In 2019, the number of migrant workers in Lithuania had increased significantly. What are possibilities for migrants to be more integrated in labour market? To integrate23 or foster the social inclusion of these populations with non-EU background focuses on: joint language and vocational training courses, creating networks between migrant communities and the receiving society; improving access to the labour market, education, health care. One

of the major obstacles that the new arrivals encounter is not being able to

speak the language. It is quite difficult to learn the Lithuanian language; however, it is worth learning it if one wants to stay in Lithuania for a longer time. Several institutions organize courses in the Lithuanian language. What kind of information and support they are getting for self-employment/creating enterprise?

https://www.renkuosilietuva.lt/en/foreigner-societies-in-lithuania/ https://www.renkuosilietuva.lt/en/emigration-immigration-statistics/ 22 https://123.emn.lt/en/ 23 https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/governance/lithuania 24 https://www.renkuosilietuva.lt/en/lithuanian-language-classes/ 21

All information about possibilities to integrate and create own business in Lithuania placed online25 in several websites in Lithuanian and English. Does exist motivation and supportive system to support migrant’s entrepreneurship skills? Setting up a new company26 is one of the first steps of a new business that requires special knowledge and skills. People who consider starting a business in Lithuania often ask themselves, whether it is better to set up a company, buy an already set-up company or invest in an already established and functioning business. All of the options are favourable when starting a business in Lithuania and all have their benefits and drawbacks. How to launch startup27 in Lithuania you can find all needed information in this website https://startupvisalithuania.com/migration/. The company28 that is active in Lithuania should have a bank account in one of the Lithuanian banks. It makes the process of financial settlements with employees, suppliers, partners, and other persons easier, as well as the procedure of paying taxes to public authorities. Opening a bank account in one of the Lithuanian banks is not a simple process if the company owner is a foreigner or foreigners. Lithuanian banks have tightened the policy of opening bank accounts and the reliability verification of foreign subjects and their authorised capital. Upon opening a bank account, the customers are required to provide a thorough information about company activities, activities scheme, company suppliers, partners, customers, property, capital, investments, etc. Decision making of the bank with respect to the account opening takes 1-5 days or even a week. There are common cases when the bank refuses to open a bank account to a foreigner or foreigner's company. Such decisions are most often made by biggest Lithuanian banks. Adult education working with immigrants Non-formal education possibilities (municipalities, refugee centers, NGO’s and etc. experience and programs)

https://www.renkuosilietuva.lt/en/ https://www.migration.lt/setting-up-new-companie 27 https://startupvisalithuania.com/migration/ 28 https://www.migration.lt/opening-a-bank-account 26

In Lithuania there are various governmental and non-governmental organizations that facilitate the integration of foreigners into Lithuanian society. Training centers for migrants and various projects that facilitate easier adaptation in new conditions are being implemented. With their help, migrants are provided legal advice, job counseling, various cultural events and other activities. While living in Lithuania, foreign citizens unite in communities, which help them to keep in touch with the traditions of their country and other fellow countrymen residing in Lithuania. Some official communities are united in associations. Several organisations (Caritas Day Center "House of Cultures",The Center for SocialEducational Initiatives "Plus", Information Center for Migrants in Klaipėda, Kaunas Refugee and Migrant Center In LT aims to create a hospitable environment for refugees, migrants and third country nationals, organizes cultural events, offers Lithuanian language courses, provides legal advice and facilitates the integration of foreigners into Lithuanian society. Foreigners are also invited to take part in different activities: events, trainings, camps, various initiatives. The complex of these services enables third-country nationals to feel more free, to participate more actively in the life of the host country, to get to know the city life, community, culture, traditions, engage in various activities, find a job, etc. All this has a positive impact on the adaptation and integration of third-country nationals in Lithuania. There are also many informal communities: - Foreigners in Vilnius. This Facebook group amasses all foreigners in Vilnius seeking to find common minds among the many expatriates in Lithuania’s largest city. - LT Buddies - connects newcomers with locals based on shared interests. LT buddies is a group of people and organisations united by the goal of making our cities friendlier towards newcomers. Which competencies adult educators and national programs developing of migrants? Mostly implemented are two main programes directions: language and vocational training courses. One can get initial knowledge 29. of the Lithuanian language while learning on the Internet, for example, on the websites loescen.com, surfacelanguages.com or flyent.online.

https://www.renkuosilietuva.lt/en/lithuanian-language-classes/

Success stories

Successful stories of immigrants establishing their own enterprise in Greece.

Within this activity, Innovation Hive has carried out two interviews in immigrants that have established their own business in the city of Larissa and Thessaloniki in Greece. Mr. Laurenc and Mr. Talal shared with us their points of view regarding the obstacles they faced starting their own business, what are the necessary competencies that an immigrant should have and what personally motivated to start their own enterprise.

Both of the individuals interviewed, were informed about the project’s objectives and activities and they signed a consent form, confirming that they agree that their personal data and photo/video of the interview will be disseminated and published for the project’s scope. We personally thank them for their time and contribution.

1. Name, surname: Laurenc Sula

2. Your migration short story:

“First of all I am really happy to contribute in your project. My story is big but I will try to give you a summary. I am 44 years old and I come from Albania. I live in Greece almost 25 years. There was a period from 1991to 1995 that I have been coming to Greece periodically for working, I was collecting money and then I was going back to my family that was in need. People in Albania that period were poor, believe me! I did The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

not know any Greek word when I first started working in Greece. I was going from place to place asking for job using just two words. “Kalimera” (Good Morning), “1 hiliariko” (one thousand drachmas for his payslip). (Laughing)

Depending on the period, I was occupied mostly in agricultural sector. After finishing with my military obligation in 1995, I met a Greek person, and he helped come to Greece and particularly in Larissa. I have already learned how to speak Greek and it was easier for me to migrate. My initial plans were to move to the island Andros that I have visited before, when I was working for constructions.

3. How you have started your business and what is the kind of business is it?

“I was thinking about the business for many years. I have opened it almost a year ago, but it was on my mind as a plan for a long time. I was an employee for almost 20 years before opening this local mini market in this neighborhood in Larissa.”

4. Why you decided to start working in this business sector?

“Life led me in this sector as I was working for many years as a distributor in markets, delivering products in many enterprises. I had big clients in many regions. Then I started comprehending how things work, I was noticing the prices and the whole procedure needed and this is how I gained experience and confidence to start this business on my own.”

5. What were your first steps to start business? Who helped you? How you came into

idea to start to work on your own?

“I do not think that someone helped me to start my business. My knowledge in this sector after so many years of experience led me to that decision. I started asking many people around me for information and I was trying to plan every step cautiously regarding the budget needed and the pricing. For almost 18 years, I was visiting for distribution a network of 40 different shops and markets. Trust me, I have spent endless nights thinking about every detail and any incident or need that will might occur. I have a family and two kids that I have to support with my income. The rent, the gas, even the phone bill was calculated.”

6. Who encourage you to start?

“I would say that those who encouraged me were the people that I have collaborated. They have suggested many times, that since I am good on what I do, hardworking and consistent, I should try my luck as self-employed to increase my income and the quality of my life. They gave me their opinion but the decision was mine.”

7. Did you learn how to start business or did you develop entrepreneurial skills. Would

you be interested in receiving training regarding that?

“I had never had a particular education on starting a business or acquiring entrepreneurial skills so far. I never had the chance or the financial capacity to do so. Truth is that I would be glad to learn new things that can help me monitor my business in an efficient way and evolve it in the future.”

8. What kind of issues did you face to start own business in the country of residence? The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

“Regarding the procedure to start my business, I did not face any significant challenges. There has been an improvement in the bureaucracy the last years, to be honest. I received advice from an accountant, and he handled the whole procedure, the documents and verifications requested. The set-up and the opening of the business was very hard in the beginning. Apart from the workload you have to face there is always stress about the future of your business. That was the reason, I did not open my business earlier and I kind of regret about it. Do you know why I did not open it? I was afraid. Not of the work or the extra hours but for the way that people in the region are going to see me. It is sad to say this and I do not want to generalize it, but it is true and I still observe it, even from what I hear from my kids, that there is still discrimination in Greece. I was afraid that people would say, “I am not going to buy milk from the Albanian!” That kept my behind and was quite stressful for me, even in the beginning. Luckily, I did not face any racist incident since I opened my mini market here. Maybe there are some people in the area thinking like that but who cares! I have my customers, who respect me and I respect them!”

9. In your opinion what kind of skills, competencies is needed to start own business?

“The first think is that anyone who wants to start a business should consider what he wants to work with. To have an orientation on his mind and to focus on this to gain the maximum expertize. After gaining enough experience, you feel confident to start. The skill that I consider valuable are the communicational skills. You have to be open, talk and show interest about people. They need to know you and feel that they can trust you, in any job. After this, I would mention the professionalism and consistency. Your clients must trust you any time and never feel that you will “sell” them or take advantage of them. Last but not least, they should always be aware for the taxation and the financial The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

obligations they will have because this is a big issue and obstacle of the entrepreneurship in Greece.” 10. What could you suggest for migrant who would like to start own business?

“You need boldness! That is my first advice. Me myself, I should have opened this mini market a long time ago and I did not. Work hard and be sure that you have enough knowledge on what you want to start with. If I were not working in this sector, I would never had opened a mini market. Then, migrants should keep their eyes and ears open. Collect every information they can get and try to integrate in the host country. Integration is so important if you want to be self-employed or start your business as an immigrant. How can you sell anything in a cultural environment that you have not accepted and been integrated into? Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts and experience! I just hope you will help immigrants to have a bright future!”

1. Name, surname: Talal Joudouh 2. Your migration short story:

“Well, I have been in Greece the last 9 years. I am 29 years old now and I come from Syria. As you know, Syrians experienced so much cruelty with the war and many left the country to seek for a better future not only for them but also for their children. To be honest, when I was in Syria during the war, I did not intend to leave my country. My parents pushed and convinced me to go, caring for my future. When I first came to Greece, I immediately contacted a friend and he helped me find my first job. Compared to others, I had a big advantage. I knew English and I had expertize from University as Computer and Network Technician. Finding a job was not that hard for me as I applied in an NGO for a vacancy of Interpreter. I worked in 4 NGOs in 8 years, in Athens, Chios and Larissa and I ended up Thessaloniki.”

3. How you have started your business and what is the kind of business is it?

“In Thessaloniki, I created a big network and most of my friends moved there. Syrian community in Thessaloniki was getting bigger and bigger and I have met a lot of people. Luckily,

local

Thessaloniki

society open

in and

welcome to foreigners and we loved Thessaloniki and its people. Two friends of mine came up with an idea of opening a business together. A bar that would be established close to our style and aesthetics. An Anatolian approach that we could not find in Thessaloniki and we believed that it would attract not only people from our country but other nationalities as well. Excitement and our belief in the market gap motivated us and we found a small place in the The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

center of the city. We worked hard, investing money, time and effort and after 4 months we opened our bar: Mossaic.”

4. Why you decided to start working in this business sector?

“Working in NGOs and camps was really helpful for me especially regarding my income. Vital I would say. I was passionate to be on the field and really blessed that I had all this experience and the chance to save enough money for my next step. I decided to be a member of the partnership of this initiative because it just felt easy for me. As a person, I am extroverted and socializing comes natural as well. Opening this bar was a way for me to be around people, to create something of my own, to do something new and challenging with my friends.”

5. What were your first steps to start business? Who helped you? How you came into idea to start to work on your own?

“This

part

was

the

hardest!

were

collecting

information

regarding

the

procedure needed from everyone we knew. The steps

about

the

bureaucracy, the rents, the equipment needed. We were lucky to have some friends that were already occupied in this sector and they helped us so much. Especially with the pricing and the suppliers. I have to thank them so much! As for the need to work on my own, I would say that I had it on my mind but I would never believe that it could happen in a foreign country. Maybe the fact that opening a business was like a dream to me motivated me so much to go for it.” The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

6. Who encourage you to start?

“To be honest, my partners were really encouraging in the beginning. Apart from them, I was always receiving encouraging messages from people around me regarding the type of the business that I had to open. The thought that this bar is something that would be successful was growing day by day. The investment risk was not that high, as we were 3 partners in this and we were saying from the beginning that this is something that we have to do for ourselves. We would dare that move even if it wouldn’t be that profitable.”

7. Did you learn how to start business or did you develop entrepreneurial skills. Would you be interested in receiving training regarding that?

“Reviewing my background, you understand that I did not have any training on this field. I would say that I developed my entrepreneurial skills, if any, by being cautious and noticing every detail. In addition, mostly by asking many questions. My previous experience in NGOs helped me develop some organizational skills and competences regarding the time and conflict management. I do believe that out from every job position, any position you are, you can gain valuable experience if you are smart and consistent. I would be interested in receiving training! Definitely! I do experience some difficulties with the financial management and the marketing. Being improved in those sectors would definitely help me improve my business.”

8. What kind of issues did you face to start your own business in the country of residence?

“We were completely unaware regarding the exhausting taxes that

had

pay!

Entrepreneurship in Greece is like having the state as a partner! We had already a plan regarding the budget on our mind, which we adjusted after consulting an accountant. Another issue was the public services. Not only they were not servicing us on time but they were also behaving us in suspicious and discriminative way occasionally. I don’t want to generalize that feeling. Please do not misunderstand my sayings. There were times that I have listened from some natives commenting, “What are those Syrians are up to?””

9. In your opinion what kind of skills, competencies is needed to start own business?

“I will tell you what I think that my competencies are and I have opened my own business. I am observing everything and keep my eyes open on every detail. Following that, my curiosity leads me. Getting more information, asking questions, meeting more people, interacting! Communicational and organizational skills are in my point of view the most important along with the commitment to the hard work. When you will start your own business, you should know in advance that you have to dedicate endless personal time and effort!”

10. What could you suggest for migrant who would like to start own business?

“To be honest, many friends, migrants, asked for advice after I have opened my business. There are three suggestions from my side. Gather Information, Plan, Be careful!

Gather information about everything regarding the sector you want to compete. Investigate the market, check the prices, search the proper location, be clear and stand out. Then plan, how and when you will start, how much money you need, what are you going to do if you fail, who can help you, what is the most secure way for you start. And last but not least, be careful with everything. Everything! An immigrant has to think twice I guess. Not only because if you fail you might not have another opportunity, since there is not sufficient support, but also because on your first mistake you can be easily judged and discriminated. Keep a low profile, work hard and try to be integrated in the local working environment. I am sure Greece would have been such an interesting place if more immigrants had the chance to open their own business and bring their own smell and identity in this already fascinating land.”

Survey findings Europe is experiencing one of the most significant influxes of migrants and refugees in its history. It is interesting to note that more than a million migrants and refugees crossed Europe in 2015. This migration is mostly forced due to civil wars or armed conflicts and it derives from the wish for a better and safer life. In this regard, the role of the host countries becomes crucial especially when it comes to finding lasting solutions for migrants and refugees in terms of their resettlement and integration to the host society. Immigrant and ethnic minority entrepreneurship has attracted increasing attention in the last few years. Migrants’ contribution to the economy through the direct creation of new businesses is an aspect that has received limited attention. In order to enhance the entrepreneurial skills, it is crucial to create, develop and promote the new forms and ways of raining to support growth and business creation. Through their participation in the labour market, including entrepreneurs, migrants can add value to society in their adoptive country. However, migrants often lack knowledge of, and information about, the cultural business and regulatory environment of their host country. Furthermore, administrative and socio-cultural difficulties may hamper the potential of migrant entrepreneurs and impact on the sustainability and growth potential of the businesses they set up. As a consequence, effective and targeted business support schemes have an important role to play in supporting migrant entrepreneurs. These supports can be provided by education and trainings. The goal of survey is to gather information about the needs of the target group. In the beginning of project (2021 jan), a survey has been designed and distributed among the participants. In the survey participated 103 respondents from 6 countries. Age of participants were working age (mostly 32 % from 30-39 years old, 30 % age from 22-29 years old, 27 % from 40-49 years old). Between respondents there were no participants from 50 + years old. Most active respondents were women 51% and male 42,7%. Each of 6 participant countries The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content whic h reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the inform ation contained therein.

answered to questionnaire but less active were from the Netherlands. Respondents are very well educated (35% have master degree), 29% bachelor degree, only 8,7% are students at the moment. 31 % from respondents are adult educators.

Evaluation of the environment for developing a business in the respective countries Only 2,9% of respondents mentioned that it is easy for a migrant to start own business. 7,8% answered that it is very difficult. Most of respondents (38 %) more agree that it is not easy to establish own business. See in the graphic 1 below.

Most part of respondents (29%) agreed that it is very effective regulations or quit effective (32%). Only 6,9 % said that it is not effective the host country’s integration rules and regulations on entrepreneurial opportunities at all or partly effective said 28% (See in the graphic 2 below.)

However, 33% of respondents didn’t know are there official and specific guidelines on the steps that someone should follow in order to establish his/her own business. But bigger number of respondents 59% stated that are there official and specific guidelines on the steps that someone should follow in order to establish his/her own business. We can conclude from this, that people who are interested they are able to find information which they needed. Only 5,9% of respondents maintained that these steps are not clear, 18,8% said that it’s not enough clear but 43,5% emphasize that it’s quit clear and 23,5% very clear steps. Almost the same responses about the questions how easily accessible are these steps from migrants perspective. (See in the graphic 3 below.)

Most of respondents (55%) asserted that sometimes they can turn for help/support from adult educator working with migrants, 52% business registration specialist, other migrants mentioned as also possible supporters. Less supportive are language course educator, however they are in the first steps helping successfully integrate in communities and search/create job possibilities. (See in the graphic 4 below.)

68% of respondents affirmed that there are barriers for migrants’ integration in the labour market in country of residence and only 9,7% said that there is no barriers. As relevant barriers in the first place were mentioned linguistic barriers (75 %), 56% regulatory barriers, 52% nonrecognition of foreign qualifications and skills, 42% racial discrimination. To a small extent migrants have access to funding opportunities for their own job creation thinks 34% of respondents, but 19,4% of respondents they don’t know about it nothing and 19,4% confirm that there is no such opportunity. Here could be a suggestion to pay attention in to this statement and inform about such possibilities adult educators and migrants. (See in the graphic 5 below.)

The state support towards migrants that wants to start his/her own business in residence country 15,5% thinks that is not adequate at all or partly adequate but most part of respondents thinks that there is quit good and adequate support towards migrants that wants to start his/her own business.

Migrants' needs on developing entrepreneurial skills (how, which form of training is better, which training channel is better, etc.)

62% of respondents thinks that migrants do not have enough knowledge of relevant financial support structures and regulatory requirements or 23% even don’t have opinion about it. Only 14,6% responses says that migrants have enough knowledge of relevant financial support. (See in the graphic 6 below.)

Fifty-fifty procent of respondents said, that they have (50%) and don’t have (50%) participated in training courses or workshops for the development of entrepreneurial skills. However, all respondents mentioned that it is important or very important are knowledge and skills for improving entrepreneurial abilities and personal qualities. Especially important mentioned to have individually or in group trainings about entrepreneurship. Emphasized possibilities to have online trainings. Less important from responses were motivation to earn money. This could mean that people who wants to start their own business they already have motivation.

Trainers' needs on training migrants for developing their entrepreneurial skills Most of respondents (74) asserted that they need materials, tools which will help them to implement trainings about entrepreneurship and also they need trainings about how to use funding programs to start business (See in the graphic 7 below and 8 graphic), how to analyze market, how to sell online.

Conclusions Summarizing the results of the survey, we can state that most of respondents asserted that they need materials, tools which will help them to implement trainings about entrepreneurship and also they need trainings about how to use funding programs to start business, how to analyze market, how to sell online. Participants indicated that knowledge and skills are important for improving entrepreneurial abilities and personal qualities. Especially important mentioned to have individually or in group trainings about entrepreneurship. Emphasized possibilities to have online trainings. Respondents thinks that migrants do not have enough knowledge of relevant financial support structures and regulatory requirements or even don’t have opinion about it. Relevant barriers in the first place were mentioned linguistic barriers, after that regulatory barriers and non-recognition of foreign qualifications and skills and less mentioned racial discrimination. Survey results shows that only less than 3 proc. of respondents mentioned that it is easy for a migrant to start own business. Most of respondents agree that it is not easy to establish own business. Respondents asserted that sometimes they can turn for help/support from adult educator working with migrants, business registration specialist, other migrants mentioned as also possible supporters. Less supportive are language course educator, however they are in the first steps helping successfully integrate in communities and search/create job possibilities. Bigger number of respondents stated that are there official and specific guidelines on the steps that someone should follow in order to establish his/her own business. We can conclude from this, that people who are interested they are able to find information which they needed.

Afterword

Summarizing countries desk researches, we could confirm that a lot of done in the field to help immigrants successfully integrate. But results of the survey shows that there is a need of simplified materials, tools which will help immigrants and adult educators to implement trainings about entrepreneurship. There is a gap of trainings about how to use funding programs to start business, how to analyze market, how to sell online. Bigger number of respondents stated that are there official and specific guidelines on the steps that someone should follow in order to establish his/her own business. We can conclude from this, that adult educators/migrants are not prepared to talk more about business because they are mostly focus only on language skills development.

Annex 1: Questionnaire Dear Participant,

This study is conducted under the project “Developing Entrepreneurship and Self-employment Skills of Immigrants” and the information and results will be used only for the purposes of the project. This questionnaire is anonymous. It will take for you 5 min to fill it. Participation in the labour market, including entrepreneurs, migrants can have an added value to society. Migrants’ contribution to the economy through the direct creation of new businesses is an aspect that has received limited attention. The project will contribute to inspire and increase immigrants entrepreneurs opportunities at European and national level. Also will have an important impact on immigrants who are at a disadvantage in comparison with their peers.

Thank you for your time!

Annex 2: Questionnaire results

DEVELOPING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SELF-EMPLOYMENT SKILLS OF IMMIGRANTS - Desk research

Articles inside

Annex 2: Questionnaire results

Annex 1: Questionnaire

Afterword

Migration aspects and issues in Turkey

Success stories

Migration aspects and issues in Greece

Migration aspects and issues in Sweden

Survey findings

Migration aspects and issues in Lithuania

Migration aspects and issues in Germany