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AMMAN — Jordan issued 32,160 work permits to Syrian refugees from January through the end of May 2025, including 5,818 permits in May alone, according to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Figures reviewed by Al Mamlaka TV show that January saw the highest number of permits issued, at 12,112. The number fell to 3,190 in February and 2,499 in March, before rebounding to 8,541 in April and settling at 5,818 in May.
According to UNHCR, Jordan hosts 534,694 registered Syrian refugees, of whom 249,532, approximately 47 per cent, are of working age (18 to 59 years).
The data indicate a gender gap in labour access: 90 per cent of the permits issued during the reporting period went to men, while just 10 per cent went to women.
Most work permits were processed through refugee camp employment offices, with 29,007 issued via Zaatari and 4,516 through Azraq.
Syrian refugees in Jordan are subject to the country’s Labour Law, which governs all non-Jordanian workers. They are permitted to work in sectors open to foreign labour and may also register and operate their own businesses, including home-based enterprises.
Policy changes in recent years have expanded employment opportunities for Syrian refugees. Since 2017, they have been allowed to work inside camps, and open work permits for the construction sector have been issued through the General Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions.
In 2018, the government permitted refugees to establish home-based businesses. Flexible work permits, introduced in 2020, allow mobility between sectors and employers. The same year, mandatory social security registration was introduced for permit holders.
A support unit for “Cash for Work” projects was launched in 2021, alongside the designation of sectors open to non-Jordanians. Contribution rates for social security were raised in 2023, and a tiered system, set at 50 and 75 per cent, was implemented in 2024.
