A webinar about underemployment and long-term integration challenges.
Many Nordic regions face labour shortages while highly skilled migrants already living there remain underemployed or overlooked. This webinar explores how regions can better use existing migrant skills, drawing on data, migrant perspectives and regional examples. Organised together with the Nordic Welfare Centre, it focuses the discussion on labour market inclusion, employers and untapped regional potential.
Programme
13:00 | Opening words |
| 13:05 | Presentation: Why attracting migrants is not enough, Debora Birgier, Nordregio What do we mean by highly skilled and what makes the Nordics a particularly interesting region to focus on? |
| 13:20 | Presentation: First findings on bottlenecks and enablers , Nora Sanchez-Gassen, Nordregio How do we study something so complex and what do migrants identify as barriers and factors that help? |
| 13:35 | Panel Discussion: What stands in the way? Do our first findings reflect reality? What is seemingly impossible to change? And which Nordic regions break the mold? Hear our panelists’ experiences and challenges facing the labour market head on. |
| 14:20 | Wrap up and closing words |
| 14:30 | End |
Registration
Speakers and panelists
Debora Birgier, Nordregio
Debora is a senior research fellow with a background in economic sociology and migration studies. Her research delves into the multifaceted impacts of migration on both individuals and society, exploring its economic and social dimensions. She also investigates how the gender and ethnic dynamics shape migration processes and integration strategies using an international comparative perspective.
Nora Sánchez Gassen, Nordregio
Nora is a senior research fellow, political scientist and demographer with a research interest in the causes and consequences of population dynamics, population projections and their sensitivity analysis, family change and family policies and the impact of demographic change on democratic polities.
Muneeza Rosendahl, Nordic Migrant Expert Group
Muneeza is the director of Lige Adgang (The Association Equal Access), a nationwide non-profit organization working to ensure equal access to employment, education, and communities in Denmark. 27 years of close collaboration with companies, foundations, public institutions, and civil society, turning diversity into a resource and a driving force for an inclusive labor market, education system, and society.
Maija Niskavirta, Association of Finnish Cities
Maija is project manager for the Vitality and Economy Department at Kunta Liitto (Association of Finnish Cities), a powerful advocate of Finnish cities, municipalities and regions. The association has offices in both Helsinki and Brussels and their main task is to advance the interests and development of local and regional authorities.
Janna Sporre-Gyll, Med3Comp
Janna is project manager at Med3Comp, an EU-funded project in the Swedish region of Darlana. The goal of the project is both getting more doctors to Dalarna and at the same time making sure the newly arrived medical specialists receive the best possible integration conditions for a sustainable future in the region.
Anne Katrine Ebbesen, Nordregio
Anne Katrine is a senior communications advisor with an academic background in rhetoric, specializing in campaign analysis, speechwriting and political discourse. She has 10 year of experience from the fields of migration, human rights and public safety – designing strategies, writing/recording/editing content and leading projects.
