"I want a normal life like everyone else": Daily life of asylum seekers in Iceland
Sammanfattning
Aim: An ever-increasing number of people seek asylum in Iceland. The wait for resolution on
application for asylum can take up to three years. During this time participation in daily occupations
is disrupted. This study was carried out to gain an understanding of the experience of living as an
asylum seeker in Iceland. It explored asylum seekers’ opportunities for participation in occupations
as
well as their overall experiences while waiting for the processing of their application.
Methods: Eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants, of whom six
were asylum seekers. A constructivist grounded theory approach was applied to categorize and
synthesize data.
Results: Four major categories emerged that reflected the participants’ difficult living conditions,
lack of opportunities for participation, lack of belonging, and feelings of powerlessness. The long
processing time of their applications was enormously stressful as well as not being in charge of
one’s life, living conditions, or income.
Conclusion: The results indicate that the long processing time of application for asylum has
deteriorating effects on health. In order to promote asylum seekers’ well-being and occupational
rights attention needs to be focused on their living conditions and opportunities for participation
in meaningful occupations, including work.