‘We know more than that’: The Underemployment Experiences of College-educated Iraqi Refugees Living in the US

Abstract

Abstract Underemployment (i.e. a skilled worker in a low-skill job) has a negative impact on life satisfaction, and college-educated refugees often experience underemployment in the countries where they are resettled. Using interviews, this small-scale study explores college-educated Iraqi refugees’ experiences of employment in the US, and how employment experiences impact their resettlement and life satisfaction. Our participants share a complex picture of gratitude and loss, and a common framework for making short-term and long-term employment and education decisions post-resettlement. Our findings support the hypothesis that employment is one of the most influential areas of a refugee’s resettlement experience.