This thesis aims to explore the concept of self-perceived integration by testing assumptions and by introducing new aspect of integration and examining the relations between them. Through interviews with eight persons of different backgrounds, born outside of Europe, who have immigrated to Sweden, it is shown that employment, previously assumed to be of the highest importance for integration, will only lead to further integration if it also provides certain variables. These variables are skills in Swedish, providing a sense of belonging and understanding of the Swedish culture. However, these individuals attest to that unless the individual is motivated enough, and there is mutual respect between the immigrated culture and the Swedish culture, no integration will be possible at all.

Looking at the labor market situation of Sweden today, the employment rates of immigrants are substantially lower compared to persons born in Sweden. There are, however, major differences in the degree to which immigrants are active in the labor force between different municipalities. While there has been considerable research on the employment integration of immigrants at the national level, less has been done to explain these regional variations. The aim of this study is to analyze municipal differences in employment integration success between Sweden’s municipalities. Using register data from Statistics Sweden, aggregated at the municipal level, multiple regression analysis is conducted to estimate the effects of immigrant characteristics and local labor market characteristics on employment outcomes. The regression results suggest that municipal differences in integration success, to some degree, could be attributed to municipalities attracting immigrants with different levels of human capital. However, local factors are of importance as well. The employment rates of immigrants were significantly affected by the employment rates of persons born in Sweden, a proxy for the local supply of jobs.

This study presents an account of experiences of recent immigrant women professionals in negotiating labour market opportunities after arriving in Canada. The purpose of this research is to bring in immigrant women’s perspectives on immigration and employment study. Six immigrant women professionals from different cultural backgrounds were interviewed within the framework of qualitative research. Informed by feminist theories, this study intended to make women’s experience in post-arrival integration and settlement more visible and prominent. Research findings indicate both labour market and household factors contributed to shape the labour market experience of immigrant women professionals of recent years. Their experiences reveal the complicated social relations of their doubly burdened and triply oppressed location.

This study presents an account of experiences of recent immigrant women professionals in negotiating labour market opportunities after arriving in Canada. The purpose of this research is to bring in immigrant women’s perspectives on immigration and employment study. Six immigrant women professionals from different cultural backgrounds were interviewed within the framework of qualitative research. Informed by feminist theories, this study intended to make women’s experience in post-arrival integration and settlement more visible and prominent. Research findings indicate both labour market and household factors contributed to shape the labour market experience of immigrant women professionals of recent years. Their experiences reveal the complicated social relations of their doubly burdened and triply oppressed location.

The thesis titled Right to work - the integration of people with disabilities through employment in the open labour market put a target to determine whether the employment of people with disabilities is sufficiently motivated by the Employment Law. The theoretical part of the work is first generally pursued to people with disabilities and their rights. Then a closer look at the characteristics of mental disability and prejudices that are associated with it. Furthermore, the generally pursues the world of work, its importance, employability, employment opportunities and Czech legislation that deals with this issue. The last chapter is already focused on the person with disabilities in the world of work, the difference between the protected labour market and the open labour market, supported employment and to motivation of employers. In the practical part it was conducted a research through interviews with employers. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

La politique d’intégration de l’Union européenne offre de nouvelles possibilités aux travailleurs migrant dans le marché interne. Néanmoins, et malgré toutes les stratégies européennes, des entraves à l’intégration semblent persister. Comment peut-on repenser l’intégration à l’heure de la crise de légitimité de l’Europe ? Derrière ces défis nous retrouvons la manière dont les uns perçoivent les autres. Le stéréotype, largement médiatisé du « plombier polonais » nous en donne ici un exemple. Ce symbole du dumping social est apparu en France en 2005 à la veille du référendum sur le traité constitutionnel européen. Il incarnait l’angoisse de la société occidentale devant le flux migratoire de l’Europe de l’Est menaçant les postes de travail. Dès lors, nous pouvons nous poser la question suivante : qui est ce travailleur immigré ? Ce stéréotype affecte-t-il l’intégration des travailleurs européens en France aujourd’hui ? Nous nous focaliserons sur les obstacles à l’intégration européenne. L’objet de cette recherche consiste en particulier à étudier les représentations sociales et leurs impacts sur les pratiques sociales, ce qui distingue notre recherche d’autres études sur la migration et l’intégration. Nous proposons dans notre démarche de nous placer du point de vue de l’individu. Notre attention se porte sur les immigrés polonais en France employés dans les métiers peu qualifiés et leur expérience migratoire face aux stéréotypes. Nous saisirons les éventuels stéréotypes présents chez les clients, les collègues ou les employeurs français en examinant le discours et le vécu de l’immigré polonais. Puis, à travers les représentations sociales nous souhaitons identifier les conséquences des politiques de l’Union européenne sur le monde du travail. Ainsi, notre recherche implique trois dimensions afin de comprendre l’univers des représentations étudiées et leur impact sur l’intégration : le travailleur polonais vis-à-vis du milieu polonais en France, le travailleur polonais vis-à-vis de la société française et le travailleur polonais vis-à-vis de l’Union européenne. Cette analyse relève deux points capitaux : l’ouverture du marché et des frontières a provoqué un changement de conscience des Polonais en œuvrant à l’émergence d’un sentiment d’égalité et de liberté ; la possibilité d’un choix permet à l’immigré de construire un projet pour l’avenir, en France ou en Pologne, qui détermine la motivation à s’adapter et à s’intégrer à la société hôte. / The European Union integration policy offers new opportunities for its citizens in the community labour market. Nevertheless, despite all EU strategies to achieve it, resistance to European integration is inevitable. It is important to ask the question of whether or not problems concerning EU integration can be solved during current crises in Europe. One of the most important reasons for resistance to integration may be due to the way different EU member state populations perceive one another in a social context. The stereotype of the "Polish plumber", one that was widely propagated by the French media, gives us one such example. This symbol of social dumping appeared first in France in 2005, just before the referendum on EU Constitution. Behind this depiction, is the western EU’s anxiety of mass immigration from EU Central and Eastern European member states. Here it is important to closely examine the European immigrants and whether or not the societal portrayal of them has had an effect on their societal integration in France today. We focus on the obstacles of the European integration. The purpose of this research is particularly to study social representations and their impact on social practices, which distinguish our analysis from other migration and integration studies. The worker’s own perception of himself within French society should be taken into consideration as a response to the supranational structure of the European Union. The focus of this research will be placed on Polish immigrants in France who are entirely employed in low-skilled labour and the stereotypes they currently face. The stereotypes of Polish workers in France are then tabled and analysed in order to better understand the impact certain stereotypes and depictions have on the process of integration into French society. This research will also identify the societal consequences that certain EU policies have had as well on integration. The research involves three different approaches in order to understand the power of social representations and their impact on the integration process: a Polish worker and the Polish social circle in France, a Polish worker and the French society and a Polish worker and the European Union. Our analysis identifies two crucial points: the European market and the borders opening caused the Polish workers’ consciousness changing towards the emergence of a sense of equality and freedom; the possibility of choice allows the Polish immigrant to construct a project for the future, in France or in Poland, which determines the motivation to adapt and to integrate into the host society.