Tunisia is both a transit and destination country for refugees and asylum seekers from Africa and the Middle East. While Tunisia has ratified several international instruments pertaining to refugee protection, it does not have a national legal framework on asylum and refugee issues. This poses significant challenges for refugees, particularly with regard to access to formal employment and social security services. Refugees do not have access to a residency permit, a prerequisite for formal employment. Consequently, refugees and asylum seekers work in the informal sector, outside formal contracts, primarily in hotel and restaurant services and construction. There is no procedure for refugees to obtain a business licence. The report recommends that the government consider enacting a refugee law that explicitly highlights refugees’ right to engage in formal employment.
