The Nordic countries have a common vision of becoming the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030. A key priority is to ensure that refugees and immigrants become active members of society. Having a stable job, supporting yourself and contributing to the new society is vital both for the individual and for the society.
There are, however, major challenges across the Nordic Region in labour market participation. The employment gap between the native-born and migrant population is particularly large for women, low-educated, and non-EU citizens. Paradoxically, the Nordic countries are simultaneously facing severe labour shortages across various sectors.
This study explores the experiences of Nordic employers on hiring low-skilled immigrants. The aim is to identify key opportunities and challenges that employers encounter when hiring immigrants, and to discuss ways to overcome the barriers.
The existing knowledge so far tends to focus on the migrants’ individual-level obstacles, such as limited language skills, low education, and lack of work experience in the host country. The aim of this study is to highlight and broaden the understanding of the employer’s role and responsibility in the successful integration of immigrants in the labour markets.
Employers in this study consider that the long-term advantages of hiring immigrants outweigh the initial challenges. Diversity management and a committed leadership, as well as collaboration between key actors, have proven crucial to success. There is also a readiness among employers to reduce language requirements, at least at the initial stages of employment.
This study shows that many employers are committed to change. The employers’ motivations extend beyond simply filling gaps in the workforce. By hiring immigrants, they also want to make a positive impact on the local community.
We hope that this report will inspire Nordic employers, staffing companies, and public-sector and civil society organisations to create solutions for a more inclusive labour market – one that can utilise the full potential of the workforce and meet the labour shortages in the Nordic societies.
This report is published as a part of the Nordic Co-operation Programme on Integration, a collaboration between the Nordic Welfare Centre and Nordregio, initiated by the Nordic Council of Ministers. We sincerely thank the researchers Anna Berlina and Rebecca Cavicchia and their team at Nordregio for the hard work, and all informants for their contributions.
For more information about Nordic co-operation on integration and inclusion, please visit www.integrationnorden.org.