The deadline for submitting applications for support from Switzerland and UNDP to strengthen economic activities, workforce qualification, job creation and maintenance, as well as the economic reintegration of returned migrants, has been extended until 30 September 2024, for three of the six initially announced categories. 

Specifically, the support is aimed at two categories for returned migrants: initiating economic activities (Lot 3) and validating professional competencies (Lot 4), as well as one category for enhancing the qualifications of new and/or existing employees at already operational enterprises (Lot 5).

Migrants located in the districts of Anenii Noi, Ialoveni, Orhei, and Călărași will also receive support, in addition to the beneficiaries of the three micro-clusters created and developed with the support of UNDP and Switzerland:

• Sheep and goat breeding in the Cimișlia-Basarabeasca micro-region - the "Cimișlia-Basarabeasca" micro-cluster;
• Cultivation and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants in the Nisporeni-Ungheni-Strășeni-Hîncești micro-region - the "Herbafruct" micro-cluster;
• Rural tourism in the Dubăsari-Criuleni micro-region - the "Heart of the Nistru" micro-cluster.

The competition conditions, eligibility criteria, and other details about the application process can be accessed here.

The call for proposals was launched on 19 April 2024. A total of 300 people and legal entities from the beneficiary communities will receive support. Proposals will be analyzed on a first-come, first-served basis, until the available budget of 6.4 million lei is absorbed.

Support, allocated across six distinct categories, will be provided for various activities including: enhancing the technical capacity of enterprises, formalizing existing economic activities, facilitating business start-ups by returned migrants, validating professional skills acquired abroad, and offering initial or advanced training for employees within the micro-clusters, as outlined below:

• Lot 1: Technical strengthening of enterprises

• Lot 2: Legal formalization of existing economic activity 

• Lot 3: Initiation of business by returned migrants 

• Lot 4: Validation of professional skills for returned migrants 

• Lot 5: Enhancement of employees' qualifications 

• Lot 6: Professional training and/or retraining of employees or individuals intending to be employed

Selected entrepreneurs will benefit from services and/or equipment aimed at enhancing the technical capacity of enterprises, increasing workforce qualifications, stimulating job creation and maintenance, as well as the economic reintegration of returned migrants. Employees will be able to register their businesses and validate their non-formal and informal skills, obtaining nationally recognized certificates.

The competition is conducted under the UNDP project "Resilient and Inclusive Markets in Moldova", aimed at promoting inclusive and sustainable local economic development.