Qualification-matched employment of skilled migrants in Norway: a multidisciplinary review

Abstract

Purpose Norway faces a significant demand for educated talents; and yet, about 50% of skilled migrants are overqualified for their current position. Design/methodology/approach To understand this paradox, the present article reviews and synthesises 40 empirical studies focusing on skilled migrants and employers ‘experiences in Norway. Drawing on sensemaking theory (Weick, 1995), the study aims to investigate: (1) how skilled migrants and employers make sense of barriers to qualification-matched employment (QME) in Norway and (2) how skilled migrants enhance their qualification-matched employability. Findings Challenges faced by skilled migrants are multifaceted. They include proficiency in the local language, limited professional networks and cultural understanding but also employer biases and stereotypes. The study offers to unfold the sensemaking process and provides a nuanced understanding of how both migrants and employers interpret and respond to the QME challenges. Research limitations/implications The article contributes to the literature in several ways: it discusses the specific context of Norway; it focuses on skilled migrants; it provides an understanding of the process of sensemaking; it highlights enactment strategies to enhance qualification-matched employability; it is of a multidisciplinary nature; and it offers directions for future research. Practical implications The review also stresses the importance for employers of addressing biases and stereotypes in recruitment practices and provides insights to skilled migrants to prepare effectively to challenges as well as providing them strategies to enhance their employability in Norway. Originality/value By highlighting the interpretive processes of both migrants and employers, sensemaking theory offers a nuanced understanding of the barriers skilled migrants face and how they navigate them.