Duration: ongoing

Skills Mobility Partnerships (SMPs) are an innovative tool to share the benefits of migration and mobility between sending and receiving countries and to achieve shared benefits for migrants, employers, and the society as a whole. In practice, SMPs represent cooperation platforms through which sending and receiving countries invest in partnership to train workers for both labour markets.

In 2023, IOM Austria conducted a study to analyze the feasibility of SMPs in Austria (in German) and develop possible implementation models. The most important finding of the study was that relevant stakeholders in Austria and in potential partner countries have great interest in SMPs, but that there are also major obstacles to the practical implementation of such partnerships. To foster further discussion among stakeholders in Austria on the opportunities and challenges presented by SMPs, IOM Austria, in collaboration with the Federation of Austrian Industries and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, established the SMP Dialogue Forum.

1. SMP Dialogue Forum, 23 November 2023

The aim of the 1st SMP Dialogue Forum was to discuss the “first steps” towards an SMP in Austria recommended in the study. In particular, barriers and possible solutions as well as best practices and opportunities for further development were to be discussed.

2. SMP Dialogue Forum, 17 June 2024

The 2nd SMP Dialogue Forum gathered over 50 representatives from the private sector, including employers and recruitment agencies, alongside social partners, academia, NGOs, and federal ministries. The event focused on discussing opportunities and challenges for creating fair and sustainable international recruitment practices in Austria.

3. SMP Dialogue Forum, 23 May 2025 (online)

The 3rd SMP Dialogue Forum is dedicated to the topic of recognizing foreign qualifications and competencies from a business perspective. We will discuss practical experiences with qualification recognition processes within the framework of the Red-White-Red Card. Additionally, we will present various methods for competency assessment and exchange views on the expectations of Austrian companies in this regard. Finally, we will look at the development and evaluation of competencies within the context of Skills Mobility Partnerships (SMPs). You can find more details about the event and the topic here (in German only).

Exceptionally, this SMP Dialogue Forum will be held online. Interested in participating? Please contact integrationvienna@iom.int.

Material

IOM Feasibility Study: Skills Mobility Partnerships in Austria (in German)

EMN-OECD INFORM: Skills Mobility Partnerships: Exploring Innovative Approaches to Labour Migration

Global Skills Partnership on Migration

EU Commission: Attracting skills and talent to the EU

Skills Mobility Partnerships: Recommendations and Guidance for Policymakers and Practitioners

Contact

Labour Mobility and Integration Unit
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Country Office for Austria
Nibelungengasse 13/4
1010 Vienna

Tel: +43 1 585 33 22 
Email: integrationvienna@iom.int 

Donor

The project is being implemented in cooperation with the Federation of Austrian Industries and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber.

SMP Dialogforum Logos