WE - Networks Integrate Refugees into the Regional Labor Market
The program promotes the labor market integration of refugees through tailored, individually coordinated measures as well as structural approaches to enable sustainable employment and training.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
The aim of the program is to facilitate sustainable access to the regional labor market for refugees. To this end, both individual counseling and activation measures as well as structural improvements at the participating institutions are promoted in order to maintain, improve, and secure employability in the long term.
Eligible expenses
- Personnel expenses
- Material costs
- Travel expenses
- Training costs
Non-eligible expenses
- Acquisition of real estate
- Retroactive costs
Eligible to apply
- Public Institutions
- Non-profit Organizations
Funding requirements
- Measures for the labor market integration of refugees must be implemented
- Cooperation with relevant regional actors (e.g., job centers, counseling agencies) is required
Documents required for application
- Project description
- Financing plan
- Cooperation agreements
- Proofs (e.g., qualifications, timesheets)
Evaluation criteria
- Sustainability of integration
- Effectiveness of measures
- Relevance of the implementation concept
Description
WIR – Networks Integrating Refugees into the Regional Labor Market is an innovative funding program of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) aimed at enabling refugees sustainable access to the regional labor market. The program focuses both on individual counseling and activation measures as well as on structural interventions within institutions and companies. Tailored measures are developed that address the specific needs of the target group to promote a gradual integration into employment, vocational training, or school education. The initiative targets refugees holding residence permits, temporary residence authorizations, or toleration statuses who are not subject to an absolute employment ban.
To achieve its objectives, the WIR program supports project sponsors in the form of a non-repayable grant covering a period of four years and eligible expenses—such as personnel, material, travel, and training costs. Depending on the funding region, the grant covers between 40 and 60 percent of eligible costs, with the total funding amount per project reaching up to 4 million euros. A key component is the establishment of networks in which various regional actors—such as job centers, municipal institutions, educational organizations, and civil society organizations—collaborate in cooperative alliances. This structured cooperation serves not only immediate integration but also the long-term securing of employability and the sustainable improvement of access routes to the labor market.
The program places special emphasis on the individual support of refugees, with counseling services and qualification measures specifically adapted to their particular life circumstances. In addition to direct on-site support, a nationwide online model project for outreach initial information and counseling is being established to reach individuals who are difficult to engage through conventional measures. Through its holistic approach, addressing both individual participation and institutional structures, the funding makes a significant contribution to social inclusion and combating discrimination in the labor market.