PRESS RELEASE: The Tent Partnership for Refugees, the UN Refugee Agency and Indeed hold third job fair in Poland connecting refugees to jobs at major companies

• After two successful job fairs in 2022, a hiring event in Warsaw on 16th May saw hundreds more refugees connect with almost 40 major companies.

Warsaw, 22nd May 2023 – The Tent Partnership for Refugees (Tent) has partnered with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and job search engine Indeed to organise a job fair to help job seekers – including refugees – find employment in Poland, following two successful hiring events in late 2022.  

Held on 16th May at the National Stadium in Warsaw, the event saw hundreds of refugees connect to 37 major companies including Adecco, Hilton, and VISA (full list below). 

Approximately 380 offers were made to fill vacancies across a variety of sectors and skill levels, from entry level through to managerial positions. 

Human resources experts, as well as career development and labor law specialists were on hand to provide advice for job seekers unfamiliar with Polish job search processes.

“Over one year since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, many refugees in Poland are still searching for work, while others are seeking a job that better matches their skills,” said Paulina Jaworska, Poland Director at the Tent Partnership for Refugees. “We are delighted to have partnered with UNHCR and Indeed to offer local job seekers – including refugees – an opportunity to meet directly with companies who are hiring and are committed to supporting refugees on their path to employment. We were thrilled to see so many major businesses respond enthusiastically to the fair, and we look forward to continuing to work with them to integrate many more refugees.” 

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, 1.6 million refugees from Ukraine have registered in Poland, the majority of whom are women. The need for businesses to act remains critical, as many Ukrainian refugees are still unemployed despite many having high levels of education or professional expertise. This discrepancy can be explained by the many obstacles refugees face to secure employment, such as language barriers, childcare needs, or transportation issues. In order to reach and include this population, businesses should consider how they can tailor their recruitment processes such as by translating job vacancies into Ukrainian or offering interpreters during interviews.

“At this job fair, we have seen once again how eager refugees are to find work and what potential they have to contribute to the society that hosts them,” said Andreas Kirchhof, Head of External Relations at UNHCR Poland. “We welcome the engagement of the private sector to support the inclusion of refugees.”

“Regardless of the stage they are in, many refugees are still rebuilding their lives. Working with our NGO partners, we know there is a clear correlation between gainful employment and improved outcomes for refugees looking for resettlement,” said Deepa Somasundari, Senior Director, ESG at Indeed. “Due to extensive barriers in their employment search, securing employment has been one of the most difficult aspects for refugee jobseekers. Our mission is to help all people get jobs and we are committed to helping overcome those barriers by using our technology, insights and networks to make sure everyone has access to opportunity.“

* Full list of companies and took part in the Warsaw job fair on 16 May: 

Companies: Adecco, Amrest (KFC), Armatis, Atos Poland Global Services, Avsi Polska, Contrain, Elil, EWL, Exact Systems Group, Foundever, Genpact, Hilton, Horn Distribution, Hotel Bristol, IFC, Imperial Tabacco, Indeed, Interkadra, ISS, Jeronimo Martins, JP Morgan Chase, Kono, Korn Ferry, Kyriba, Leasing Team, Levi’s, Lidl, People Scout, Pfizer, PMF, Poland US Operations, Randstad, Starwood Services, Teleperformance, Uniqlo, Vialto, Visa

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About the Tent Partnership for Refugees:
With more and more refugees displaced for longer periods of time, businesses have a critical role to play in helping refugees integrate economically in their new communities. Tent was launched in 2016 by Hamdi Ulukaya, the CEO and founder of Chobani – a multibillion dollar food company in the U.S. – to mobilize global businesses to fill this gap by helping connect refugees to work. Today, Tent is a network of over 300 major companies committed to hiring, training, and mentoring refugees. Find out more at www.tent.org.