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Original article

When time does not heal all wounds: three decades’ experience of immigrants living in Sweden

By
Ferid Krupić ,
Ferid Krupić

Department of Anaesthesiology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden

Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden

Monika Moravcova ,
Monika Moravcova

Sahlgrenska University Hospital Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden

Emina Dervišević ,
Emina Dervišević

Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, Sarajevo , Sarajevo , Bosnia and Herzegovina

Svemir Čustović ,
Svemir Čustović

Clinic for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Clinical Centre Tuzla , Tuzla , Bosnia and Herzegovina

Kemal Grbić ,
Kemal Grbić

Clinic of Thoracic Surgery, Clinical Centre, University of Sarajevo , Sarajevo , Bosnia and Herzegovina

Parvaneh Lindström Orcid logo
Parvaneh Lindström
Contact Parvaneh Lindström

Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden

Abstract

Aim
To investigate how immigrants from the Balkan region experienced their current life situation after living in Sweden for 30 years or more. 
Methods
The study was designed as a qualitative study using data from interviews with informants from five Balkan countries. The inclusion criteria were informants who were immigrants to Sweden and had lived in Sweden for more than 30 years. Five groups comprising sixteen informants were invited to participate in the study, and they all agreed. 
Results
The analysis of the interviews resulted in three main categories: “from someone to no one”, “labour market”, and “discrimination”. All the informants reported that having an education and life experience was worth-less, having a life but having to start over, re-educating, applying for many jobs but often not being answered, and finally getting a job for which every in-formant was educated but being humiliated every day and treated separately as well as being discriminated against. 
Conclusion
Coming to Sweden with all their problems, having an education and work experience that was equal to zero in Sweden, studying Swedish and re-reading/repeating all their education, looking for a job and not receiving answers to applications, and finally getting a job but being treated differently and discriminated against on a daily basis was experienced by all the in-formants as terrible. Even though there are enough similar studies in Sweden, it is always good to write more to help prospective immigrants and prospective employers in Sweden.

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Funding Statement

Funding: no specific funding was received for this study.

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