Your first EURES job : Making it easier to move and work, to recruit young people in Europe : 2014–15 guide

Your first EURES job (YfEj) is a pilot and small-scale job mobility scheme launched by the European Commission in 2011 to help young Europeans in the 28 Member States find a job or work-based training opportunity in another Member State. It is one of the key actions of the Europe 2020 flagship initiative Youth on the Move and of the Youth Opportunities Initiative. The scheme is part of the Commission’s efforts to tackle youth unemployment as set out in the 2012 Youth Employment Package. YfEj targets young EU nationals within the 18–30 age bracket and employers, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Some EUR 12 million was earmarked over three budget years (2011–13) to help 5 000 young people find a job, traineeship or apprenticeship in a Member State other than their country of residence. In the 2014–20 budget period, YfEj and other targeted mobility schemes will be funded under the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI). Each assignment lasts for at least six months and is based on a formal labour contract signed between the young person and the employer. The recruited candidate is entitled to a salary, awareness of his or her rights and adequate social protection, irrespective of his or her status. Although the assignment could be the first in another Member State, the scheme is not limited to first-time jobseekers. YfEj is run through annual calls for proposals. Selected projects must apply the scheme’s rules but may use different methodologies. The aim is to experiment and innovate and to test the effectiveness of a tailormade job placement service combined with financial support before implementing the scheme on a wider scale