UNHCR encourages private sector to hire refugees through TBB

Last month, UNHCR, TBB, and global immigration firm, Fragomen, hosted an online event for private sector leaders around the world. The purpose of the summit was to make the business case for hiring skilled refugees internationally through TBB.

Featuring a number of esteemed individuals, including TBB Co-Founder, John Cameron, and UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Gillian Triggs, the speakers explain how companies are using skilled visa pathways to recruit refugees from overseas, tapping into a large, diverse and previously hidden talent pool—and how this practice enriches communities and economies.

If you’re short on time you can skip to the highlights:

5.58: Michael Shotter, Director Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission, outlines the “win-win-win” opportunity that comes from developing labour pathways for skilled refugees to work in EU member states.

10.59: Melissa Fama, Acting Director General Refugee Affairs Branch, Government of Canada, speaks about “the most exciting talent pool in the global market”.

14.09: Sasha Chanoff, Executive Director, RefugePoint, reflects on the profound narrative flip that labour mobility for refugees can trigger; from “Stories of persecution… their experiences of danger and threat and flight” to “What are your skills? What are your strengths? Who are you and what can you contribute?”

19.44: John Cameron, Co-founder, Talent Beyond Boundaries, shares our organisation’s origin story and explains what motivated him to begin advocating for employment pathways for refugees.

23.40: Marina Brizar UK Director, Talent Beyond Boundaries, explains the TBB model, and walks listeners through the process for hiring through TBB.

33.49: Andrew Walsh CEO, Iress, shares what has motivated his company to hire multiple candidates form this exciting new talent pool.

38.35: Successful TBB candidate, Tarek, shares the story of how he went from being a Syrian living displaced in Lebanon, to working as a Software Developer in Melbourne, Australia.

46.56: Successful TBB candidate, Shatha, still based in Jordan but on the brink of moving internationally for work, speaks about what the opportunity means to her.

49.16: Wayne Shaw General Manager, Harvey Industries Group, attests to the difficulty that employers—particularly those in regional areas—can face finding talent locally, and explains how TBB has helped to fill the gap.

51.53: Successful TBB candidate, Ali, shares how an international employment opportunity has positively transformed not just his life, but the lives of his two young children.

58.16: David Crawford, Partner at Fragomen, speaks to the migration processes that underpin TBB’s model, and what it will take to scale this solution.

1.20.35: Daphne Yong-d’Hervé, Director Peace and Prosperity, International Chamber of Commerce, reflects on the “real need for skills” within the sectors that ICC works with.

1.22.42: Gillian Triggs, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, UNHCR, explains why she sees private sector involvement as “the way of the future” when it comes to tackling the refugee crisis: “Work really is the key to re-building those lives”.

1.31.40: In closing, John Cameron summarises the opportunity for the private sector—“this is just good business”—and directs employers to our Request to hire form. “It’s the smart thing to do, and you’ve got nothing to lose but your hiring backlog”.

A huge thank you to UNHCR, Fragomen, and all the speakers and participants involved in this brilliant and inspiring event.