The International Labour Organization (ILO) and Fafo Institute for Labour and Social Research (Oslo, Norway) have conducted a survey to assess the impact of covid-19 on Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan and Lebanon. The survey highlights the challenges faced by workers and businesses and presents a set of recommendations for various stockholders including governments and donors.

The survey found, among other thuings, that 84% of the respondents lost their jobs permanently and temporarily due to the pandemic in Lebanon. More Syrian refugees lost their Jobs permanently (60%) or temporarily (31%), as compared to 39% Lebanese workers lost their jobs permanently and 38 temporarily. In addition, most of the Lebanese who were laid-off permanently were employed in the construction (50%), while the majority of Syrian who lost their jobs permanently were employed in the agriculture sector (66%) and construction (72%). Similarly, more Syrian workers lost their jobs permanently (35%) than Jordanian (17%). In both countries, more workers without contracts lost their jobs as compared to workers who have written contracts.

 The survey provides a set of recommendations that include: 

• Promoting the formalization of work in order to ensure inclusive and decent jobs for all, including Syrian refugees.
• Lebanese government should ease the procedures of work permits for Syrians through introducing a flexible scheme that allows access to all sectors.
• Lebanese and Jordanian governments  should introduce a transparent programmes to support micro, small and medium businesses that provide a large number of jobs in both formal and informal sectors. These programmes could be designed in a way that supports formalization of work for all workers including Syrian refugees.