Support a displaced person who has independently secured a job offer

Autonomous Access – also known as Organic Matching or Independent Recruitment – is a term for when displaced talent secures a durable solution via labor mobility on their own. As logistical and policy-related barriers to refugee labour mobility decrease, autonomous access to refugee labour mobility pathways should become possible for growing numbers of displaced people.

In most cases, a displaced candidate will receive a job offer first, and will then contact a managing organization or a private migration agency for assistance with the immigration and relocation process. Candidates may also consider completing an immigration application on their own, but this is not recommended given that applications can be very complex. 

This article outlines how managing organizations can best support autonomous access cases.

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Sources of autonomous access case referrals

Managing organizations might receive autonomous access case referrals from the following sources:

Self-Referral: Candidates can contact managing organizations to inquire about how to relocate internationally with their job offer and request assistance with immigration processes. 

Employer-Referral: Employers can contact managing organizations to receive support and guidance on the visa application process and legal requirements for obtaining a work visa for their future employees. 

Referral from Other Organizations and Groups: Candidates and employers may also be referred to managing organizations by other refugee-supporting organizations or community groups that are familiar with labour mobility. This can include diaspora communities that play a key role in assisting fellow community members (networks, family, friends) in finding jobs in destination countries. 

Steps involved in supporting autonomous access cases

Autonomous access cases follow the same visa processing and relocation processes as job matches facilitated by managing organizations. The critical difference is that managing organizations don’t play a role in facilitating the job match and typically get in touch with candidates/employers after a job offer has been made.

Here are the steps a managing organization should follow after receiving a referral for an autonomous access case:

Confirm eligibility for displaced talent programs 

Intake the candidate to ensure that they would meet the eligibility requirements for the relevant displaced talent programs. If the candidate does not meet the eligibility requirements, they cannot be considered for a labour mobility pathway, even if they have a job offer.

Confirm employer’s eligibility for international recruitment

• Get in touch with the employer to collect information about their business and details about the job offer. The employer should be in good standing with the destination government and offer a job that meets the minimum salary requirements.
  • Some employers might need to amend their job offer to meet the eligibility criteria. 
• Provide the employer with additional information on the visa application process, its associated costs, legal requirements, and other details relevant to the candidate’s location, and confirm that the employer is willing to proceed with the visa application.

Conduct informed decision-making session

Conduct an informed decision-making session: Even if the candidate has already accepted the job offer, conduct an informed decision-making session to review the job offer, cost considerations, and details of the visa pathway.

Supporting the visa application process

If the candidate and employer are both willing to proceed with the job offer, the managing organization can support employers and displaced talent to file successful visa applications.

Some pathways require managing organizations to submit an endorsement letter for the business and selected candidates. In order to secure an endorsement, businesses might be required to confirm some criteria, including whether the employment offer is genuine and the business has a genuine need for the position.

See Autonomous Access Hire Declaration Template.

Benefits of autonomous access cases

• Increased impact: Helps more displaced candidates and their families access safety and stability through labour mobility. 
• Empowering candidates: Encourages candidates to seek solutions and reduces reliance on managing organizations.
• Community collaboration and improved settlement: Engages diverse stakeholders, including employers and diaspora communities, and often leads to improved settlement outcomes for candidates and their families.
• Resource efficiency: Requires fewer resources from managing organizations, leading to better and faster access for displaced talent.
• Sector diversity: Promotes diversity in sectors and opportunities.

Drawbacks of autonomous access cases

• Challenges in due diligence and ensuring program integrity: Ensuring the legitimacy of opportunities, and especially job offers, can be challenging. 
• One-off engagements: Often involves one-off engagements that might not generate impact on an ongoing basis.
• Low retention rates: Autonomous access can lead to lower retention rates compared to standard recruitment processes.
• Limited follow-up: Obtaining updates from employers/candidates after visa approval can be difficult, especially around monitoring and evaluation activities.
• Challenges in exits and pre-departure support: In countries where there is no need for TBB to endorse a candidate/employer, and the candidate successfully receives their visa, a candidate may organize flights and exit themselves. Without the support of partners such as IOM and UNHCR, however, issues may arise at a late stage of the process, making it problematic for a candidate to embark on planned travel.