Migrants’ strategies within the Arctic Council member-states: bottleneck vacancies analysis (by the example of Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway)

Abstract

The article deals with the Arctic Council labor market characteristics analysis, particularly, we have looked at some macro indicators and reviewed about 800 bottle-neck vacancies to identify differences across 4 Arctic Council member-states (Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway), sectors and level of education referring to skill levels in demand. Differences in levels of economic development also seem to have an effect on labour demand in different countries.Our bottle-neck vacancies analysis has shown that vacancies demanding higher vocational education are highly necessary especially in Denmark and Sweden. Finland and Norway are demonstrating acute shortage both in vacancies with higher and secondary vocational education. Under bottleneck vacancies analysis a great emphasis was made upon high-tech/non hi-tech economic sectors. Vacancies demanded in high-tech economic sectors are mostly represented with mountain metallurgy technicians, software developers, chemical engineers, mechanics, biotechnologists, heavy industry technicians, IT engineers, and electrical engineers. These vacancies are particularly demanded in Sweden, Denmark, Norway. Non-high-tech bottleneck vacancies are represented in such economic sectors as construction, light industry, forestry, transportation and trade. Medical staff vacancies are also in high demand. Health care specialists are primarily demanded in Finland. One possible reason for that could be rapidly ageing population in the Arctic Council member-states resulting in higher demand for healthcare professionals.