AMMAN — The employment office at the Zaatari camp, operated by UNHCR in cooperation with Jordanian authorities, has reported continued progress in integrating refugees into the formal labour market, according to its October 2025 update.

 

Since the office was established in 2017, a total of 29,246 work permits have been issued, the report, cited by Al Rai newspaper, said.

 

The report said that 24,612 refugees in the camp are eligible to work, although only 2.5 per cent currently hold valid permits.

 

As of October, 585 permits remain active, including those belonging to 53 refugees who voluntarily returned to their home country without cancelling their permits. In September, the office issued five new permits and renewed 24.

 

Men account for 75 per cent of valid permit holders, while women represent 25 per cent, the report said.

 

The cost of obtaining a work permit stands at JD425, in addition to JD85 for the medical examination. Depending on the type of flexible permit, refugees pay either JD50 dinars to the General Federation of Trade Unions or JD13 to agricultural cooperatives, along with a monthly JD58- social security contribution.

 

The report added that the Social Security Corporation will maintain its regular presence at the Zaatari office to provide advice and services.

 

It also highlighted ongoing coordination among partner organisations to facilitate refugees’ access to formal employment opportunities outside the camp.

The Zaatari Employment Office is jointly managed by the Directorate of Syrian Refugee Affairs, the Ministry of Labour, UNHCR, and the International Labour Organisation.

 

According to official figures, Jordan is home to around 1.3 million Syrians, including nearly 660,000 refugees registered UNHCR, out of more than 5 million Syrian refugees in Jordan and neighboring countries.

 

The number of Syrian refugees returning home from Jordan declined by 27 per cent in September 2025 compared with August, according to a report by UNHCR.

 

The agency report showed that around 16,000 refugees returned to Syria in September, down from 22,000 in August, attributing the drop to the start of the school year.

 

As of the end of September, 488,000 Syrian refugees were registered with the UNHCR in Jordan. Of these, 81 per cent reside in host communities, while children account for 48 per cent of the total refugee population.

 

The report also indicated that around 162,550 registered refugees have returned to Syria from Jordan between December 8, 2024, and October 11, 2025.

 

In September, the UNHCR launched a pilot initiative to provide cash assistance supporting voluntary returns, targeting around 10,000 refugees from the Zaatari and Azraq camps. Each family member receives JD70 after completing a voluntary return assessment.

 

The initiative complements existing transportation support, with the UNHCR organising return trips for about 1,200 refugees in September from both camps and host communities. Since the programme’s launch on January 20, 2025, more than 9,500 refugees have benefited from transportation assistance.