Migrants face greater risk of credential underutilization in Sweden compared to Global North

Migrants from what can be broadly referred to as the Global South face a threefold greater risk of their academic credentials going underutilized in Sweden compared to those from the Global North. The European Commission characterizes this phenomenon of unrecognized skills as “brain waste.” This is highlighted in a report compiling data from Eurostat.

Language proficiency is a critical factor. According to John Andersson, a labor market analyst, employers in Sweden often perceive educational qualifications from countries like the USA or the UK as superior to those from Africa or Asia. The study reveals that language skills significantly influence job attainment in Sweden.

Catalina Martínez Ascencio from Colombia exemplifies this struggle. Despite holding a master’s degree in public health from Lund University, she faced years of difficulties securing employment in Sweden. She noted that the Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) program did not provide the language training necessary for meeting employers’ requirements. While some individuals she knows have had better experiences, Martínez Ascencio considers SFI and other integration programs akin to a lottery, where she was not fortunate. She and several of her fellow researchers have since relocated to the Netherlands, citing a more accessible job market. “The biggest difference in the Netherlands is that often it is enough to show willingness to learn the language to find employment,” she said.

Minister for Labor and Integration Johan Pehrson also attributes the employment gap for highly educated migrants from the Global South to a lack of language skills, noting that discrimination and racism have long plagued the Swedish job market. He advocates for hiring individuals who may not yet be fluent in Swedish. The government is focused on standardizing SFI across the country and expanding opportunities to combine language education with part-time work.