The professional identity of highly educated migrant women: a multinational study of migration processes from a gender and educational perspective

Abstract

Migration studies often focus on macro-level analyses, emphasising political and economic factors while overlooking personal (micro-level) aspects, whereas social work offers valuable insights into the individual experiences and needs of migrants. Little information exists regarding the perspectives of highly educated migrant women, including about the economic, social and emotional aspects of their migration experiences. This article focuses on how the professional identities of highly educated women in novel sociocultural settings are formed and examines how their professional identities influence their integration. Using snowball sampling, qualitative interviews were conducted with 36 participants from the Netherlands, Slovenia and Germany, supplemented by field notes and a demographic questionnaire. Looking through the micro-level contributes to a better understanding of the everyday lives of highly educated migrant women and the importance of maintaining their professional identities in a new environment in the context of social work and migration. By intersecting gender and education, this article addresses the complexities and the significance of professional identity among highly educated migrant women and its influence on their integration process, highlighting their challenges while also emphasising potential integration strategies and social policies for better social inclusion.