Digital Navigation of Migrants in the Swedish Labour Market: an interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach

Research Problem and Specific QuestionsSince 2021, digitalisation of public services in Sweden has put high pressure on many actors, such as public authorities, banks, migration agencies, libraries in implementing digital technology in their services.

This also made it harder for the migrants to access essential resources, including job applications and social services due to digital, linguistic, social and legal barriers.

This research investigates the challenges and opportunities of digital inclusion and labour market access for migrants with temporary permits in precarious work situations in Sweden.

The study aims to explore how various stakeholders (public institutions, NGOs, libraries, employers, and migrants) can collaborate to improve digital service accessibility, fostering better digital navigation and labour market access and seeks to answer the following key questions:What services are available for migrants’ digital navigation in the Swedish labour market?What barriers exist regarding their access to digital services related to seeking and getting employment?How do migrants navigate digitally within the Swedish labour market when seeking  jobs?How can multi-stakeholder collaboration enhance the effectiveness of digital services and labour market access for migrants?Data and MethodsThe project employs a multi-method participatory approach to gather data: combining digital ethnography, semi-structured interviews, media-go-along methods, dialogue meetings and workshops with various stakeholders.Societal Relevance and Utilisation The project is co-designed by various stakeholders and aims to co-create practical solutions—such as digital navigation maps, online resources, and policy recommendations—to improve access to digital services for migrants.

These suggestions will create a more coherent and integrated social services to help migrants overcome barriers and navigate the labour market more effectively, ultimately contributing to their social inclusion.Plan for Project RealisationDIG-NAV will run by 5 researchers for 3-years in 3 stages: In the first 2 stages, the research team will map available services and identify barriers in their digital navigation in the labour market.

Then, a collaborative process will engage stakeholders to co-create solutions/tools like digital navigation maps and online resources. These solutions will be tested in a pilot phase, with feedback from all parties for further improvement.