Refugee jobs programme places 245 into work since 2012; 544 more assisted

Over the past three years refugee jobs programme Startbaan helped nearly 800 refugees towards work. A third of them now have a paying job, according to figures Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland released to the Volkskrant. A total of 2,600 refugees asked Startbaan for help in finding a job. The project found a place for 789 of them - 31 percent now have a paying job, 26 percent got into training programs with a subsidized job and 43 percent are volunteering for work experiencing or doing an internship. About a third of the refugees helped towards work ended up in healthcare. 63 percent are male, 37 female. Many of the refugees who got worked are from Iraq (13%), Iran (11%), Somalia (10%), Afghanistan (9%) and Syria (7%). This project was initiated by Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland and UAF, a foundation that helps refugees with a higher education with a study, according to news wire ANP. Some refugees were not eligible for the program, because their Dutch language skills were not at a high enough level. They were sent for a refresher course, after which they could reapply.