Integration of unemployed international social work graduates into the labour market in Sweden

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions that job recruitment organisations in Gävlehave about unemployed international social work graduates in Sweden and to explain the factorsthat affect unemployed international social work graduates’ integration into the labour market inSweden. To achieve this aim, a qualitative research design was used. In-depth interviews wereconducted with two professionals from two different job recruitment organisations in Gävle. Theinterviews were transcribed and analysed through thematic analysis. The results suggest that forthe first research question that explored the perceptions that job recruitment professionals inGävle have about unemployed international social work graduates in Sweden, five sub-themesemerged: “Expanded opportunities for integration”, “innovation and globalization”, “Equitable,transparent, and non-discriminatory policies”, “permanence and non-permanence”, and“financial power”. Meanwhile, the results indicate that for the second research question whichsought to explain the factors that affect unemployed international social work graduates’integration into the labour market in Sweden, five sub-themes emerged: “language”, “theory vs.practice debate”, “experience”, “networking and social contacts”, and “belonging”. Werecommend that international social work graduates make use of these results so that they canincrease their chances of access to jobs and integration into the labour market in Sweden.