Hungary - Policies and practices to better prepare migrants for safe, legal and successful migration prior to leaving their country of origin will be discussed at a conference in Vienna on 21 May as part of an IOM regional project: HEADSTART: Fostering Integration Before Departure. Findings of an IOM global review of existing pre-departure integration support practices will also be presented at the event, which will be attended by European government representatives, public and private employment services, employers, international organizations and social service providers.

The conference will also see the launch of a Handbook on Migrant Resource Centres for policymakers and practitioners planning to establish or already operating such entities. Migrant Resource Centers in migrant countries of origin can serve as comprehensive one-stop-shops that inform, orient, and train migrants in preparation for employment and stay abroad, and reintegration upon their return home. Key information that can facilitate integration abroad includes up to date information on admission, an understanding of rights and responsibilities, familiarity with support services and realistic expectations of living and working conditions in the destination country. Language tuition, vocational training, job-matching and recognition of migrant competences can also be critical. Pre-departure assistance can also play a crucial role in supporting migrants in becoming productive and active members of receiving communities as soon as they arrive. Informed migrants are also less likely to fall victim to exploitation and are better equipped to stay safe during their migration experience.

The HEADSTART project is a partnership between the World Association of Public Employment Services (WAPES) and the authorities in charge of integration issues in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Slovakia. It is co-financed by the European Union Integration Fund, the Ministries of Interior of Italy and Austria, and the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers in the Netherlands (COA).

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For further information, please contact Magdalena Majkowska-Tomkin at IOM Budapest, Email: mmajkowska@iom.int or go to our website at: http://www.headstartproject.eu/