LABOUR MARKET OUTCOMES OF MIGRANT WOMEN IN
VÄSTERBOTTEN AND NORRBOTTEN
Elena Kotyrlo
This paper examines the earnings development and labour force participation of female immigrants compared to
Swedish-born women in Västerbotten and Norrbotten (Sweden). A total of 10% of the women residing in these two
counties have a foreign background. Female immigrants, mostly originating from Finland, Norway, Thailand, Iraq,
and the former Soviet Union, vary greatly in their cultural and family values, education, and job experiences. Ethnic
and geographical differences in labour market outcomes are hypothesized in the paper. The study is based on panel
data analysis of registered individual data for the period 1995–2009. The data presented here show that differences in
earnings and labour force participation can be explained by individual characteristics such as age, education, civil
status, and years since migration. Ethnic differences diminish with integration period, though not in each group of
immigrants. Gaps in labour outcomes are less evident for skilled immigrants. The ethnic differences are also less
pronounced for female labour immigrants compared to women who immigrated for other reasons. There is a slight
geographical variation in labour market outcomes, but no obvious trends are seen in the spatial distribution of them.
Introduction
In general, Arctic local labour markets, like labour markets in other sparsely populated areas, are
more fragile because geographic isolation and a harsh climate make job creation and use of labour
more costly compared to other regions. Oil, gas and other natural resource extraction is usually
associated with development of the northern economies and labour market growth. In contrast to
other Arctic nations, there are no highly profitable hydrocarbon deposits located in the north of
Elena Kotyrlo is a Postdoctor at Demographic Data Base, Umeå University, with affiliations with TromsøUmeå-Arkhangelsk-Canada Network on Gender and Law in the Arctic Region (TUAC) and Arctic Research
Centre (ARCUM), Umeå University.