This study examines the extent to which Syrian, Iraqi, Yemeni, and Gazan refugees can access
lawful and decent work in Jordan. It does so by analysing the gap between the legal framework
and official procedures, on the one hand, and participants’ lived experiences of the labor, on
the other market. Firstly, assessing access to work should not be limited to whether a job exists
or a permit can be obtained. Instead, it should cover the whole pathway: beginning with legal
status, documentation, and residency, onto the work permit, occupation, contract, wage, and
social protection, ending with inspection, complaints, and access to redress.
The study uses a mixed-methods approach, combining legal review and analysis, a
quantitative survey of 202 participants from the groups in Amman, eight focus group
discussions with 70 participants, and a key informant interview with the Director of the
Migrant Workers Directorate at the Ministry of Labor. Comparing these sources makes it
possible to distinguish between what legal rules establish, how official parties consider
the implementation of those rules, and participant experiences. As the sample is purposive
and non-random, the percentages reported reflect the study’s participants and are not
statistical estimations for all members of the four groups in Jordan.