| dc.description.abstract | Migration is one of the most common global phenomena. With one of the best welfare systems in Europe and a reputation for being one of the most diligent countries, Norway has seen many immigrants, both professionals and non-professionals. When immigrants move to a new nation, they face a variety of difficulties, notable among them being obstacles connected to finding work. As such , the main goal of this research was to investigate immigrant stories about how they viewed their level of Norwegian language skills and the difficulties they faced in finding work in Kristiansand, Norway.
This study was carried out as a qualitative inquiry with a focus on immigrants from South Asia and two main research questions. One; How do immigrants perceive their language proficiency in accessing the job market in Kristiansand? And two; What are the challenges faced by immigrants in the job market? A semi-structured interview guide was employed to collect data from fifteen participants in the study. The results were analyzed using a variety of theoretical frameworks, including those pertaining to skills, ethnic hierarchies, category inequality, and human capital, social capital, and self-efficacy theories.
The present study has clarified the relationship between immigrants' capacity to become fluent in Norwegian and their active participation in the labor market. One of the most important factors determining a successful transition into the workforce is language ability. The results highlight the importance of language in the workplace and highlight how different professions view it differently. The report also emphasizes the various challenges faced by immigrants in finding employment that corresponds with their educational background and area of expertise. Language challenges, effects on self-efficacy views, the devaluation of job experience and academic qualifications, strict national rules, a lack of interpersonal relationships, bias against women and ethnic minorities, and social and cultural differences are the main causes of these challenges. The findings imply that to solve these issues and improve immigrants' experiences in the job market, significant reforms in integration policies and programs at the local and national levels are required.
Key words: immigrants, language proficiency, Norwegian labour market, employment, human capital, and social capital. | |
