The aim of this platform is to draw attention to the increasing number of foreigners relocating to Lithuania (primarily seeking work) who find their employment options limited. Prior to launching the platform, there were no job-search portals that would filter available positions and candidates on the basis of language skills. Simultaneously, during the first six months of 2022, the Lithuanian Employment Service registered over 156 000 job vacancies. In June 2022 there were 90 000 TCNs employed across the country, of whom fewer than 6 000 occupied positions requiring high-level professional qualifications.

Motivated by a belief that entering the labour market is the first and single most important step in integration, SCOBO creators attempted to introduce a solution that reduces the gap between foreign job seekers and local employers. Along with other functions, the distinct purpose of the platform was to test the need for access to job advertisements that filter vacancies for candidates who are not proficient in Lithuanian.    

In addition, the platform has proved useful in offering job-seeking support to those that fled to Lithuania as a result of Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

• Foreign residents in Lithuania
• Employers registered in Lithuania
• Researchers and policy makers

SCOBO services can be accessed via the website and mobile app, and currently operate in five languages: Lithuanian, Russian, English, Ukrainian, and Arabic. The platform contains both job advertisements and job-seekers' profiles, and potential employees are matched with potential employers according to these.

In order to secure a promising match, potential employees must give accurate information on their language skills, preferred job position, previous experience, and current place of residence. Likewise, employers must clearly specify if a proposed job position requires proficiency in Lithuanian.  

After the initial development period, the platform has been sustained entirely by voluntary engagement on the part of the project team.

In its first 2.5 months of operation, SCOBO attracted over 1 200 registered job seekers, many of whom were refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In addition, the platform has engaged numerous users from Venezuela, Syria, and Afghanistan. While SCOBO is open for both EU and non-EU nationals, EU nationals have so far represented a minority share of the total number of registered users.

The platform currently registers approximately 2 candidates for one job position.

Early data analysis shows that companies registered on the platform are mainly looking for employees to occupy IT-related positions (programmers, developers, etc.). Advertisements target both low and high-qualified professionals with distinct demand for international talents. There is also high demand for people who could work in the areas of health and recreation, and advertisements are increasingly proposing jobs in production.

SCOBO creators note that currently, job-seeking demand exceeds supply in almost every area of potential professional involvement. Women have so far comprised the majority of job seekers from Ukraine, which is also the largest origin country of users on the platform.

SCOBO records user feedback via the website and the app as well as on its social media pages (Facebook and LinkedIn).

After conducting preliminary analysis, creators of the platform highlighted its replicability, and were able to demonstrate that proficiency in Lithuanian is not a necessary requirement for engagement in the employment process in Lithuania. Data collected so far shows that many positions can indeed be filled without national language skills, suggesting that this could also be the case in other countries hosting large groups of (TCN) foreigners.

In addition, SCOBO demonstrates that such initiatives as this one can make a huge impact on integration, beyond the effect of existing policies.

The project is funded by the European Union's “Active Citizens Fund” programme, delivered by the EEA Financial Mechanism.

Resources used came from the “Open for Immigration: Empowerment of Vulnerable Immigrant Population Groups in Lithuania” project, run in partnership with the Lithuanian Red Cross, Lithuanian Diversity Charter, and KUN Centre for Equality and Diversity (Norway).

In addition, the platform was improved and promoted with the support of International House Vilnius and Caritas Lithuania.