Policy Learning from Canada: Reforming Scandinavian Immigration and Integration Policies

Focusing on the three Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, Policy Learning from Canada is a systematic study of the international relevance of the Canadian immigration and integration policy model. To reveal how the Canadian immigration model has shaped the reform process in Scandinavia, Trygve Ugland critically examines public documents, including government proposals, documents from parliamentary debates, and reports by ad-hoc expert commissions, as well as letters from consulted agencies.

Ugland’s intensive studies on Canada’s immigration and integration policies depict Canada not only as a model and inspiration to Scandinavian policy makers, but, in particular, as an intellectual stimulus for the rediscovery of labour immigration in Scandinavia during the 2000s. The study demonstrates that the Canadian model, often perceived as a product of unique circumstances, can be relevant in other countries.

Trygve Ugland is a professor in the Department of Politics and International Studies at Bishop's University.