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Eight years after the start of the conflict in Syria, Jordan has received nearly 660,000 Syrian refugees. The dilemmas related to the different modalities of managing refugees, between the “duty of hospitality” and the protection of the socioeconomic interests of the host communities, are still on the agenda, in a context in which the international assistance has gradually extended beyond humanitarian assistance and crossed the boundary into covering the economic development of the country. This article retraces the evolution of the Jordanian reception policy, especially in terms of refugees’ access to the labor market. The issue of Syrian refugees’ status and living conditions is analyzed as an indicator of the relationship between Jordan and the “foreigner,” between the state and society, and of the influence of financial backers on domestic political issues.