Mid Sweden University

The aim of this study was to describe and analyze the experiences of unaccompanied refugee minors regarding the integration process in Sweden. The study was conducted retrospectively with regards to the ethical aspects of scientific research. A qualitative method was used in the form of semi structured interviews for the purpose of allowing the participants’ stories to progress naturally. Five young men ages 18 to 22 that arrived in Sweden as unaccompanied minors participated in the study to reveal information about the reality of their reception. The gathered empirical material was analyzed through a thematic analysis method, alongside the theoretical framework consisting of ecological systems theory and integration. A key finding was that the participants perceived the time it took the Migration Board to process their asylum applications as considerably detrimental to their integration. The participants also explained that the accommodation provided by the social services was segregated, with only Afghan youths living there. After their initial stay in Sweden, the participants expressed lingering feelings of alienation. Conclusively, the results displayed the need to understand integration as an interdependent process in which the current authorities are obligated to take more responsibility.