Vocational education and training (VET) can play a crucial role in the socio-economic integration of migrants and refugees (Nilsson, 2010). This role can be understood and articulated through various dimensions, such as skill development (Guo, 2011), recognition of prior learning and qualifications, and cultural integration via social networks and support systems (Brücker et al., 2021). However, the relationship between VET provisions and the inclusion of immigrants in the labour market and society has received little research attention, and even if so, they mostly have an Anglophone focus and setting, see Rosvall et al. (2019) and Jørgensen et al. (2021).

The proposed symposium aims to explore how vocational education and training systems (VET), in conjunction with employers, contribute to the socio-economic integration of migrants and refugees, with a focus on Germany, Sweden, and Poland.

Germany and Sweden have a rich immigration history and have been among the top destinations for migrants in Europe, thanks to their strong economies and social protection regulations. These countries have also received a significant number of asylum seekers and refugees. Poland, traditionally, has been an emigrant-sending country. However, in recent years there has been a significant shift, with Poland becoming a destination for migrants, particularly from neighbouring Eastern European countries, mostly Ukraine and Belarus. The analysed countries vary in terms of VET organisation. Germany has a dual VET system, combining employer-based apprenticeships with vocational schooling. Sweden has transformed its VET from a non-integrated, semi-dual model to an integrated, state-regulated model. Poland's VET system can be regarded as a statist VET regime, which obtains high commitment to VET from the public sector but implies relatively low employer involvement.

The symposium aims to maintain a historical perspective, recognising that the approaches to vocational training and migrant integration in the three countries are deeply rooted in their respective historical, cultural, and economic contexts (Broberg, 2016). This perspective will allow us to understand the current and past strategies of decision-makers and employers in a broader temporal frame, highlighting the evolution of VET systems in response to changing industry demands, particularly due to technological changes and globalisation as well as changing migration patterns. In this context, the current migration crisis, spurred by the war in Ukraine, presents new challenges and opportunities for VET systems in the three countries. The symposium also aims to analyse the impact of the European education policy tools mostly related to qualifications frameworks, targeted to lifelong learning and transparency of qualifications that can foster migrant integration into European Union labour markets.

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