Table 1
Selected policy documents.
| YEAR | DOCUMENT TRANSLATED TO ENGLISH |
|---|---|
| 2016 | White Paper 30 (2015–2016) From reception centre to the labour market – an effective integration policy. (Meld. St. 30 (2015–2016)) |
| 2016 | Chapter ‘Career guidance for integration’ in Norwegian Official Report NOU 2016:7 Norway in Transition – Career Guidance for Individuals and Society. (NOU 2016:7) |
| 2017 | NOU 2017: 2 Integration and trust- Long-term consequences of high immigration. The Brochmann II Committee. (NOU 2017:2) |
| 2018 | Government’s integration strategy 2019–2022 Integration through knowledge. Ministry of Education. (Kunnskapsdepartementet, 2018) |
| 2019 | Legislative proposal. Prop. 89 L (2019–2020) Integration through knowledge. Ministry of Education and Research. (Prop. 89 L, (2019–2020)) |
| 2021 | Act on integration through education, education, and work (Integration Act). (Integreringsloven, 2021) |
| 2021 | Regulations to the Integration Act (the Integration Regulations) (Integreringsforskriften, 2021) |
| 2024 | Legal guide to the Integration Act. (Imdi, 2024) |
| 2024 | White Paper 17 (2023–2024) On integration policy: Setting Expectations and Showing Up. (Meld. St. 17 (2023–2024)) |
Table 2
A summary of our analyses.
| WHAT ASSUMED PROBLEMS IS CAREER GUIDANCE INTENDED TO SOLVE ACCORDING TO THE INTEGRATION ACT AND NORWEGIAN INTEGRATION POLICY? | WHAT ASSUMPTIONS UNDERPIN THE IDEA THAT CAREER GUIDANCE IS A SOLUTION TO THESE PROBLEM REPRESENTATIONS RELATED TO INTEGRATION? | WHAT IS LEFT UNPROBLEMATIC AND WHERE ARE THE SILENCES IN PROBLEM REPRESENTATIONS? | WHAT DISCURSIVE, SUBJECTIVE, AND LIVED EFFECTS ARE PRODUCED BY THE PROBLEM REPRESENTATIONS? |
|---|---|---|---|
| It takes too much time to mobilise refugees’ skills for the benefit of the Norwegian labour market | Technocratic discourse. Flow between supply and demand of competence. Integration discourse tied to employment. Socioeconomic discourse. | Taken for granted Economic burden of receiving refugees. Individual’s responsibility. Refugees need to adapt to Norwegian conditions. Silence/Omission Structural conditions. Could it bethought differently Integration as a two-way process. | Discursive Effects Refugees as an economic burden where career guidance is expected to contribute to rapid employment. Subjectification Effects The motivated, responsible, willing to learn, and adaptable refugee. The career counsellor as the extended arm of the state in the field of integration. Lived Effects Career guidance for rapid income security. |
| The refugees are not employable, – yet. | Technocratic discourse. The individual’s responsibility for their own integration by acquiring the right competence. Deficit discourse. Knowledge society and competence discourse. | Taken for Granted Refugees will acquire skills according to available jobs, not necessarily based on their existing skills and competence. Silence/Omission Structural conditions’ impact on career opportunities. Could it be Thought Differently Integration as a two-way process. Competence for return to the homeland. | Discursive Effects A deficiency view of refugees’ competence. Subjectification Effects The refugee as the one responsible for acquiring the right competence. The career counsellor as an expert on what the right competence might be. Lived Effects Career guidance characterised by competence mapping set against the Norwegian labour market. |
| Refugees’ inability to make independent and rational career choices. | Technocratic discourse. One can test (map competencies) and recommend based on the results. Career choices based on information and rational decisions. | Taken for Granted That one has career choices. Silence/Omission A broader understanding of factors that shape career choices. Couldit be Thought Differently Career guidance as a process. | DiscursiveEffects Career paths can be planned. Subjectification Effects Refugees as passive recipients and career counsellors as experts. Lived Effects Career guidance characterised by providing career information. |