Blog by Patrick To, MSc Sociology and Global Change (University of Edinburgh)
When I saw a unique opportunity at The University of Edinburgh to complete a collaborative dissertation with Migration Policy Scotland, I knew that it would be a valuable experience for me. It was a chance to gain real world work experience in the field that I plan to start my career in. It would also give me a feel for the kinds of jobs I would be looking at further down the line. The topic proposed by MPS, initially about what supports HK BN(O)s in Scotland have and how well they are integrating, is one that is personal to me coming from a migrant family myself and dealing with the struggles of integrating into a new country. I wanted to do this collaborative dissertation because I wanted to learn more about best practices for integration and how to implement them on a practical level.
Overall, my experience was excellent. I was able to learn what I set out to learn at the beginning of the project. There was some struggling near the beginning narrowing down the scope of the topic to fit the university’s needs while also fulfilling MPS’s needs. After landing on the topic of underemployment among HK BN(O)s and the effectiveness of current supports, it was smooth sailing from there. Being on placement with MPS was a massive benefit to my studies. If I tried to tackle this topic on my own, I would have had a much harder time finding participants for my study. MPS already had a network of people that I could reach out to, so the process of finding participants became much easier.
After interviewing government officials, third sector organizers, and Hong Kongers, I was able to map out the issues HK BN(O)s are facing in the Scottish labor market. Many of the common themes throughout the interviews reinforced what we already know about why HK BN(O)s are underemployed based on survey data completed recently. These key issues include a lack of confidence in communicating in English, difficulty in getting qualifications verified, and a need for more career counseling. It is also important to note that financial pressure from the current economic climate forces many HK BN(O)s to take any job they can find to establish a source of income quickly instead of waiting until a more suitable job opportunity arises.
There are supports in place to try to remedy some of these issues. These supports can come from the government directly, from third sector organizations, or from the community. Government supports mainly include funding to third sector organizations as well as access to English language classes and employability support provided by local authorities. The government also provides a welcome hub that holds information about how to apply for jobs in the UK, how to get your qualifications verified, where to find English courses, and other bits of information that can help guide HK BN(O)s. Third sector organizations fulfill a couple roles in supporting HK BN(O)s. For one, they are good information distribution channels and can act as a liaison between the government and the community. This helps HK BN(O)s find out what kinds of support they have access to. Various third sector organizations also provide support through community building (cultural activities), building social bridges with the local population through community spaces, hosting English courses, setting up work placements, and offering advice. HK BN(O)s also often lean on their community for advice and help through Facebook groups or other community spaces.
Despite these various routes to support, HK BN(O)s still face underemployment. There is high demand for English language classes, going beyond currently available provision from both government and third sector. There are long waiting lists to get into courses and there could be more options at different times and difficulty levels to accommodate more people. The process of getting qualifications verified can be confusing and act as a roadblock to full employment. This is compounded when employers require prior work experience within the UK, or do not give sufficient weight to work experience gained in Hong Kong. There is currently no one-stop-shop providing information on how to transfer qualifications gained abroad, although there is a commitment in the New Scots refugee integration strategy: delivery plan 2024 to 2026 to improve this. Many HK BN(O)s express a desire for more one-on-one career counseling so that their issues can be addressed on a case-by-case basis to get the most accurate and helpful advice possible. HK BN(O)s have no recourse for public funds, so they are unable to access funds that could help provide some resources while they seek a better and more suitable job.
Sorting out some of these gaps in support provision can be very difficult due to tight resource constraints. Policy options which may seem ideal are not always practical to implement. It is also important to try to develop support that can be accessible by all who need it, not just HK BN(O)s. Finding new ways to design and deliver support that is more accessible and adaptable to the needs of a wider set of migrants may offer more equitable and resource efficient solutions. Improving access to employability support and financial inclusion is an important aspect of MPS wider work, so my dissertation project fits well alongside this.
Patrick To graduated with an MSc Sociology and Global Change from The University of Edinburgh in2024. He has a primary interest in migrant integration, and a broader passion for social policy, as well as a background in economics. His MSc dissertation ‘Underemployment Among Hong Kong BN(O)s in Scotland: An Investigation of the Challenges of Integration into the Job Market’ was undertaken with support from MPS, as part of a placement-based dissertation programme at the University of Edinburgh.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of Migration Policy Scotland.