Sanna Saksela-Bergholm Ph.D. (Sociology, University of Helsinki) explores in her current study the inclusion of migrants into working life. The objectives are two-folded: firstly, the aim is to analyse integration education programs’ “best practices” aimed at worklife inclusion of adult migrants into the Finnish and Canadian labor markets. Secondly, the aim is to develop a worklife integration model based on these best practices which will be pilot tested within the partner education programs. For students integrating in a country’s minority language, this integration into institutions of the national minority is of additional importance as the dominant environment is generally constructed around the majority language.

In her previous study she explored Filipino labour migrants’ inclusion to the Finnish labour market and their transnational ties back home. She analysed the role of social resources and networks in the lives of the migrants and their family members still living in the Philippines. Her study was part of the Academy Finland project ‘Transnationalism as a Social Resource among Diaspora Communities’. Saksela-Bergholm has planned and taught BA- and MA-level courses in migration studies.

She has studied migrants’ participation and inclusion to the receiving society by focusing on the following topics: the role of migrant associations; local and transnational practices; migrants’ access to informal and formal social protection; migrants’ access to labour market. In addition, she has acted as an expert for UNHCR, NGOs, national and local advisory boards.