Challenges of Skilled Refugees' Access to Their Prior Vocation in Sweden

The position of refugees at different levels in the labour market has become the subject of heated academic and political debate in Sweden as well as in other EU countries. The debate generally revolves around factors that affect the macro level structure such as employment of refugees and their descendants, economic costs and the benefits of migration and integration. The position of underrepresented groups in the labour market is explained as a consequence of either discrimination or lack of relevant social capital, language skills, job search strategies and job skills, to name a few. This paper has two parts. First, we introduce the project, Integration and inclusion of migrants in and through their vocation and work. Then we explore literature and identify factors that can promote or hinder skilled refugees’ access to their original vocation in Sweden. The systematic review points to several factors as central, such as networks, language and knowledge of cultural practices.