A Female Refugees’ Career: A Review and Agenda for Future Research

Recent geopolitical events have led to an increased research focus on the experiences of female refugees. As careers play a crucial role in socio-economic integration, this study aims to examine the scope and characteristics of research findings on the careers of refugee women in host countries. Following the general research questions for bibliometric analysis, the major trends and intellectual structures of the research field of women refugees’ careers were identified. Four hundred and fifty-three articles selected from the Web of Science database (search by title, abstract, and keywords) for the period 2000–2023 were analyzed using VOSviewer (1.6.20). The results show that key challenges faced by forcibly displaced women include mental health disorders, language barriers, discrimination, downward career mobility, and pressure of traditional gender roles. The research reveals that critical enablers for female refugees’ workforce participation and economic independence are language training, culturally sensitive healthcare, and access to childcare. Simultaneously, empowerment strategies, including entrepreneurship and participation in professional networks, are proved to foster resilience and create pathways for successful career steps.