Marriott International plans to hire more
than 1,500 refugees throughout the U.S. by 2025 and 1,500 refugees across
Europe by 2026, the hotel company announced this week.
In order to meet these goals, some
Marriott hotels are offering “recently resettled refugee employees with
resources and tailored support,” including on-site translators, prayer rooms
and public transportation assistance, the company said in a statement. Marriott
also launched a career website to showcases U.S. openings and
opportunities for refugees to aid in its hiring goals.
Marriott will also continue working with International Rescue
Committee by “supporting IRC's Hospitality Link program” in the U.S., and
support “increased training for IRC economic empowerment staff,” the company said
in a statement. Marriott began working with IRC in 2016.
“Our focus on creating job opportunities has already led to over
970 refugees hired across dozens of our hotels in the European region,”
Marriott president and CEO Anthony Capuano said in an official statement.
The hiring commitment follows a recent report
from American Hotel & Lodging Association, highlighting an increased number of
hotels experiencing staffing shortages—at 82 percent in June, 26 percent of
which said staffing shortages were “severe.” Additionally, according to the
report, hotels are attempting to fill
almost nine positions per property, which is up from seven positions compared
to AHLA’s January staffing survey.
“We need Congress to help
address workforce shortages with bipartisan solutions, including those that
create opportunities for more immigrants to enter the American economy,” AHLA
president and CEO Chip Rogers said in the June 2023 staffing report.
Several hotel executives
across the industry also cited visa delays and a need for immigration
reform as top hurdles the hotel industry is facing in solving labor issues,
during the 2023 NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference in New
York.