Facts: Swedish surgeons
222,000 Swedish Iraqis live in Sweden. It is the third single largest immigrant group after Syrians and Finns.
In 2019, 60 percent of Swedish Iraqis had been registered in Sweden for more than ten years.
38 percent have a post-secondary education, 30 percent have primary school education.
Swedish-Iraqi children born in Sweden do well in school much better than those born in Iraq.
59 percent of Swedish surgeons have a job to go to.
21 percent work in health and care in the public sector, but otherwise the jobs of Swedish Iraqis are scattered in various industries in the private and public sector.
17 percent of Swedish Iraqis were unemployed in 2018, but of those born in Sweden, the proportion was about the same as for the average Swede.
Nearly 30 percent have an income below SEK 200,000, compared with 21 percent for average Swedes.
The proportion of Swedish surgeons with financial assistance decreased from almost 34 percent to 20 percent between 2013 and 2018.
Source: Facts for change Swedish surgeons, with facts collected by Statistics Sweden. The figures are in most cases from 2018 and 2019.
About 222,000 Swedish Iraqis live in Sweden, and many of them were born here, or have been here for a long time, says Ahmed Abdirahman, CEO and founder of The Global Village Foundation, which now arranges Järva Week.
– It all depends on how long you have been in Sweden, he says.
The Global Village Foundation charts how things are going for six large immigrant groups in Sweden. The Swedish Somalis were first out last year, then came the Swedish Syrians and now it is Swedish Kyriaks and Swedish Kerry trians that are relevant. Later, Swedish Iranians and Swedish Ethiopians will also be mapped.
According to Ahmed Abdirahman, the purpose of examining the specific groups is to make Sweden less color-blind. By not knowing what problems different immigrant groups have, we can neither see the problems nor can do anything about them, according to him.
Proportion of unemployed and self-sufficient. Big differences
The two surveys, Facts for change about Swedish surgeons and Swedish ritreaners that are now published, show large differences between the groups.
Iraqis, who have been in Sweden for a relatively long time, are doing quite well. In any case, in comparison with the Eritreans, who have come quite recently, and who have come from a country that has been hit by war for a long time.
– Many from Iraq have a strong education and are more established. Many from African countries have lived with war for a long time. There are different conditions you come up with, he says.
Of course, the situation of Swedish Iraqis is very different from that of the average Swede, but still a relatively high proportion have jobs, can support themselves and manage school well. They are also widespread in both the private and public sectors, and it is not entirely uncommon for them to be self-employed.
– Those who arrived early have had different conditions than those who arrived recently.
Ahmed Abdirahman, CEO and founder of The Global Village Foundation at the foundation’s office in Rinkeby in Stockholm. Stock Photography. More difficult in general
The Swedish trainers are around 60,000 in Sweden. Many of them have come relatively recently. It turns out that they are on average younger than the Iraqis, and that many Swedish trainers have more difficulty coping with school, more difficulty getting a job, earn less and have more difficulty supporting themselves.
But Ahmed Abdirahman states that for both groups there is a big difference between being born in Sweden or in Iraq and Eritrea, respectively, and that women with a background in both countries, but who were born in Sweden, have significantly better school results than men born here.
– When looking at education, men usually have a higher level of education. But here the women outclass the men. It’s very interesting.
“Education is most important”
Both groups also have relatively high turnout.
– That says a lot. It shows that our democratic principles here are important for these groups. And it also shows what important groups of voters they are.
Politicians need to address the problems of the various immigrant groups, and also present solutions, he thinks.
– Education is most important. Demographics say that these are many young people, and investments are needed in colleges, polytechnics and universities that reach them, so that they enter the labor market, says Ahmed Abdirahman.