French language programmes are helping refugees in France improve their employment prospects, adapt to their new environment and access opportunities that might otherwise remain out of reach.
Among the beneficiaries are a Ukrainian journalist who previously worked in television news but took a job in a French warehouse, and a former business owner who fled her country with her husband and three children before finding work as a cleaner.
Their experiences highlight how limited proficiency in French can prevent refugees from applying their previous professional skills in their host country.
According to Eurostat, the unemployment rate among non-EU citizens aged 20 to 64 in the European Union fell from 20 per cent in 2015 to 12.3 per cent in 2025. However, the rate remained considerably higher than the 5.2 per cent recorded among nationals.
In France, a 2018 study by DARES, the research and statistics department of the Ministry of Labour, found that 36 per cent of refugees who received their first residence permits in 2009 had limited French proficiency when surveyed in 2010.
Refugee women also face greater unemployment risks than refugee men, while many refugees who previously held jobs in their home countries end up accepting lower-skilled employment after arriving in France, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
Workplace Language Classes Build Confidence
Workplace French language programmes are one approach employers use to support refugees entering the labour market.
A French language instructor who taught refugees employed by a private company told The Borgen Project that the programme combined language lessons with practical assistance, including help with residence permits, transportation and employment contracts.
The lessons focused on everyday situations, such as grocery shopping, and included listening exercises, grammar games, role-playing activities and short writing tasks.
The company also organised informal French lunches, known as “French déj,” during which participants communicated exclusively in French, regardless of their proficiency.
The sessions provided opportunities to practise everyday conversations and interact with colleagues outside their immediate teams. According to the instructor, participants gradually became more confident in their communication.
The instructor requested anonymity to protect the identities of the employees and the company.
Employment Prospects Improve Over Time
Data cited by UNHCR indicate that 42 per cent of refugees in France were employed one year after obtaining refugee status, while 22 per cent remained unemployed and 19 per cent were neither employed nor participating in education.
A separate study published in 2024 found that 63 per cent of people granted protection in 2018 were employed four years after receiving their status.
These figures suggest that employment outcomes can improve over time, although refugees continue to face challenges in accessing jobs that match their qualifications and previous experience.
Language Barriers and Social Isolation
Beyond learning French, refugees must navigate unfamiliar administrative systems, adjust to a new culture and cope with separation from family members.
The language instructor said some refugees seek connections with people from their home regions to reduce loneliness and establish a sense of belonging.
A 2024 European Parliament policy study also highlighted the disadvantages refugees face, including the effects of displacement, legal uncertainty, difficulties recognising professional qualifications and barriers to employment.
These challenges can make it difficult for refugees to rebuild their careers and achieve financial independence.
National Programme Combines Language and Vocational Training
France has also introduced a national initiative to address these challenges through the HOPE programme, launched in 2017 by AFPA, the country’s adult vocational training agency.
The programme combines 400 hours of French language instruction and an introduction to a trade with 450 hours of vocational training. Participants receive training through work-study or temporary employment contracts in sectors experiencing labour shortages.
The initiative also provides accommodation, meals and administrative, social and medical support.
HOPE originated from a pilot project in May 2017 involving 200 migrants from Calais, where a camp known as “the Jungle” had housed thousands of displaced people. It subsequently expanded into a national programme, initially targeting 1,000 refugees.
According to AFPA, early experiments in the Île-de-France and Hauts-de-France regions recorded certification rates of 71 per cent and employment rates of 62 per cent by the end of training.
By October 2021, more than 3,000 refugees had participated in the programme across France, according to the Pays de la Loire regional prefecture. In that region, authorities reported a job-placement rate of 93 per cent, although the figure represented regional rather than national results.
Both workplace language classes and the HOPE programme combine French instruction with practical assistance to help refugees navigate daily life and access employment.
The instructor emphasised that language skills are essential for refugees to participate fully in society, communicate with others and regain confidence in their abilities.
For refugees rebuilding their lives in a new country, such programmes offer more than language instruction: they provide pathways towards employment, social inclusion and greater independence.
