Adaptation and Acculturation: Experiences of Internationally Educated Social Workers

Transnational mobility of internationally educated social workers has been on the rise for the past 20 years, with little empirical study regarding their experiences of professional adaptation. This paper contextualises and presents data from a study with 15 social workers who undertook their professional education outside Canada and have migrated to Canada within the past 10 years, regarding their professional acculturation and adaptation. The analysis focuses on elements that facilitated and mitigated their professional acculturation and the resulting adaptations participants have experienced in their practice in the Canadian context. The paper's discussion outlines the importance of a stronger grounding in professional values of social work in order to facilitate professional acculturation and adaptation of internationally educated social workers.