What does 'living in limbo' mean for refugees?

Living in limbo refers to refugees or asylum seekers in a country awaiting resettlement, often without recognized fundamental rights like the right to work or education. This state creates prolonged uncertainty and impacts mental health.

What are the main employment challenges for refugees living in limbo?

Refugees often face a lack of legal right to work, limited access to higher education and healthcare, potential discrimination, and exploitation due to their status. Finding formal employment is particularly difficult in countries not signatories to refugee conventions.

How does Open Door Policy (ODP) help refugees find remote work?

ODP provides employability training and connects refugees with sustainable, full-time remote work opportunities. They also offer an English acceleration program for those needing to improve language proficiency.

What kind of traditional jobs are available to refugees in Malaysia and Southeast Asia?

Opportunities are often low-skilled, found in factories, plantations, or restaurants. These jobs are frequently illegal, leading to overwork, wage theft, poor working conditions, and a high risk of detention by immigration officials.

Why is finding formal employment difficult for refugees in Indonesia?

Indonesia is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, meaning there is no legal framework to protect refugees seeking employment. Refugees often earn only the bare minimum wage or receive basic stipends that don't cover living costs.

What are the benefits of remote work for refugees?

Remote work offers flexibility, allows for a personalized workspace, and crucially, bypasses geographical and legal restrictions on employment in host countries. It can also reduce the stress associated with daily commutes and potential immigration issues.

What are the challenges of remote work for refugees?

Challenges include isolation, the need for digital skills, difficulty asking for help due to power dynamics, maintaining work-life balance, and proving themselves to maintain livelihood. Lack of bank accounts is also a significant barrier for payment.

How can employers best support refugees in remote work environments?

Employers should focus on potential over existing skills, provide equitable support recognizing unique challenges, ensure fair pay and benefits, and be mindful of mental well-being by encouraging breaks and time off. They should also be prepared to navigate payment complexities like lack of bank accounts.

How does Somos handle payments for refugees who cannot open bank accounts?

Somos uses a two-step approach: paying into a designated friend or family member's account and managing expenses through platforms like Wise with pre-set budgets for education or personal development.

What are the future plans for Open Door Policy?

ODP plans to merge with a larger non-profit to scale its programs, tap into new industries beyond tech, and better serve refugees at lower tiers. They aim to continue advocating for remote work and robust refugee employment.

What are the long-term ambitions of the refugees working at Somos?

Arijit Khan aspires to start a business, potentially opening an orphanage, an elderly care home, or a cafe offering jobs to women. Ali Ahmed Ahmadi aims to witness Somos grow, reunite with his family, and eventually start his own business using his gained experience.

Key Moments

Confronting challenges of remote work when “living in limbo” - Migration Summit 2023

MIT OpenCourseWare

Education3 min read63 min video

May 4, 2023|74 views|4

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Refugees face challenges "living in limbo"; remote work offers pathways, but requires NGO, employer, and refugee collaboration.

Key Insights

The "living in limbo" state significantly restricts refugees' access to fundamental rights like work and education, leading to uncertainty and mental health challenges.

Remote work presents a viable solution for refugees to gain sustainable livelihoods, overcoming geographical and legal barriers.

Collaboration between NGOs (like Open Door Policy), language platforms (like Somos), and employers is crucial for creating successful remote employment pathways for refugees.

Refugees often face exploitative work conditions in traditional employment due to their vulnerable status, making remote work opportunities particularly valuable.

Building confidence in refugees to engage with new programs is essential, with alumni networks and transparent communication playing key roles.

Addressing challenges such as limited access to bank accounts, the need for soft skills development, and potential for overwork are critical for successful remote employment.

UNDERSTANDING "LIVING IN LIMBO"

The session critically defines key terms like migrant, asylum seeker, and refugee, distinguishing them by the reasons for leaving their home countries and their legal status. "Living in limbo" specifically refers to refugees and asylum seekers awaiting resettlement, often facing a lack of recognized basic human rights, particularly the right to work and education. This state creates profound systemic challenges, impacting mental, emotional, and physical well-being due to prolonged uncertainty and the inability to build a stable life.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF LIMBO

Refugees Arijit Khan and Ali Ahmed Ahmadi share their personal experiences of living in limbo, highlighting the immense difficulties faced. Arijit describes the decade-long uncertainty in Malaysia, lacking access to employment, higher education, and healthcare, and facing discrimination and fear of arrest, likening the experience to being "trapped in a prison." Ali relates his experience in Indonesia, where the lack of a legal framework for refugees makes simple actions like opening a bank account or getting a SIM card difficult, leading to a consistent state of uncertainty about the future.

OPEN DOOR POLICY'S MISSION AND METHODS

Elise Aya Chen of Open Door Policy (ODP) explains the NGO's mission to address the livelihood challenges faced by refugees. ODP trains and connects refugees to sustainable, full-time remote work opportunities. They offer employability programs in partnership with companies like for IT support roles, and an English acceleration program for those needing to improve their language proficiency. The goal is to bridge the gap between refugees' potential and available opportunities, providing pathways to financial stability and dignity.

REMOTE WORK AS A PATHWAY

Remote work is presented as a crucial solution for refugees, overcoming the limitations of traditional, often exploitative, local job markets. Arijit and Ali detail their previous experiences with low-paying, high-demand jobs with poor conditions, contrasting them with the better salary and improved work-life balance offered through remote employment. This model allows refugees to work from their host countries without the need for work permits in that country, significantly reducing the risk of exploitation and improving their financial situation.

CHALLENGES AND BEST PRACTICES IN REMOTE EMPLOYMENT

While remote work offers significant advantages, challenges remain. These include refugees lacking basic work experience, difficulties in developing soft skills, and the potential for overwork due to a lack of work-life balance discipline. For employers, challenges involve refugees' inability to open bank accounts, requiring resourceful solutions for payments and expenses. ODP emphasizes the need for employers to look at potential rather than just existing skill sets and to create equitable, supportive environments that acknowledge the unique stresses refugees face.

BUILDING SUPPORTIVE ECOSYSTEMS AND FUTURE AMBITIONS

The discussion highlights the importance of collaboration and support systems beyond just job placement. ODP focuses on building relationships with employers who share their impact hiring mission, ensuring fair treatment and providing feedback loops for graduates. Both Arijit and Ali express ambitions for their futures, including starting businesses that support vulnerable communities. Elise shares ODP's future plans, including a potential merger to scale their programs and serve a wider range of refugees, emphasizing the need for continuous advocacy for remote work opportunities.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●People Referenced

Navigating Remote Work for Refugees: Dos and Don'ts

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Companies should vet and brief partners about impact hiring missions, prioritizing potential over existing experience.

Establish feedback loops for interview performance to help graduates improve.

Ensure transparency in the hiring process and communicate minimum salary and rights to graduates.

Conduct regular check-ins with both employees and employment partners for the first six months.

Employers should be mindful of refugees who may overwork to prove themselves and enforce breaks.

Support refugees with unique challenges such as lack of bank accounts; explore alternative payment methods.

Be cognizant of power dynamics and ensure refugees have a strong voice in decision-making.

Focus on potential rather than immediate skill sets when hiring refugees.

Create Equitable spaces recognizing that some individuals may need more support.

Companies should consider the high retention rates and diverse insights refugees bring.

Avoid This

Avoid partnerships with companies seeking to exploit refugees by paying below standard rates.

Do not assume all refugees have prior work experience; many arrive as young as teenagers.

Do not rely solely on traditional bank accounts for salary payments; explore alternative solutions.

Avoid creating tokenistic environments; actively involve refugees in decision-making processes.

Do not expect refugees to have the same coping mechanisms or immediate contributions as non-refugees without support.

Common Questions

A migrant typically leaves their home country for economic reasons. An asylum seeker has applied for refugee status but is awaiting approval. A refugee has completed this process and is legally recognized by UNHCR or a government.