International Degree Students’ Integration into the Finnish Higher Education and Labor Market

Abstract

Abstract Highly educated immigrants are an important and conflicting question in the labor market in Finland. The Finnish labor market traditionally has been fairly closed, and even advanced degrees have not necessarily guaranteed job opportunities for immigrants corresponding to their qualifications from the countries of departure. This article examines how international degree students integrate into the academic community in Finland and into Finnish society. The results of the mixed-method study strengthen the idea that if one wants to understand international degree students’ integration more comprehensively, attention must be paid to all aspects of integration: cultural, social, academic, and career. There is a general satisfaction with Finnish higher education and its quality; however, the reserved social culture is considered as a primary reason for weaknesses in cultural or social integration. According to the students’ views, language barriers and a lack of social networks are the main obstacles. Hence, if other areas of international students’ integration can be improved, such as cultural, social, and academic, in higher education and beyond, this would also improve the international students’ possibilities for employment in the Finnish labor market.