Leveraging a Systems Approach for Immigrant Integration: Fostering Agile, Resilient, and Sustainable Organizational Governance

Abstract

Effectively managing immigrant workforces presents a significant contemporary challenge for organizations operating in a globalized world. Current management practices often fall short, failing to adequately address the complex interplay of social issues, cultural and linguistic distances, and the valuable human capital immigrants possess. This paper proposes a theoretically developed conceptual model for immigrant management, synthesized from a comprehensive review of systems theory, migration studies, and organizational governance literature. The model advances systems theory by operationalizing its core tenets—interdependence, feedback loops, and holistic perspective—into a practical governance framework for the specific domain of immigrant workforce integration, demonstrating the theory’s applicability to complex socio-organizational challenges. It outlines six interdependent subsystems—from needs assessment to end-of-work transitions. While conceptual, this paper lays a robust foundation for future empirical research by providing testable propositions regarding the efficacy of its subsystems and their impact on integration outcomes. It calls for empirical validation of the proposed relationships and the model’s overall effectiveness in diverse organizational contexts. By adopting this structured yet adaptable framework, organizations can move towards more agile governance practices in human resource management, allowing for iterative adjustments and fostering more resilient and sustainable immigrant integration. This approach directly contributes to addressing immigrant integration issues by offering a holistic, actionable framework that moves beyond piecemeal solutions, thereby enhancing organizational capability and promoting positive societal impact.

1. Introduction

Every day, thousands of people travel to another country in search of a better quality of life, better wages, access to starting a family (e.g., to marry and have children), or withdraw from restrictive social environments [1,2]. More than 281 million people are immigrants worldwide [3]. The greater availability of information, the differences between countries in political and economic stability, the wage differences between nations, and the decrease in travel costs and times between countries have allowed the growth of immigration [4,5,6,7,8,9,10]. Unfortunately, not all of them traveled in the same conditions. Only some traveled with the support of an organization from the country of origin. Others traveled without that support [11].

Global migration is a continuous phenomenon driven by diverse factors such as economic opportunities, demand for skilled labor, family reunification, and humanitarian protection. Immigrants form a substantial and increasing part of the workforce; for instance, in 2024, foreign-born workers made up 19.2% of the total U.S. workforce [12]. These immigrant populations are diverse, encompassing several key categories:

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Skilled Migrants/Economic Immigrants: Individuals chosen for their education, skills, and potential economic contributions.

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Family Reunification Migrants: Individuals joining family members already established in the host country.

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Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Those seeking protection from persecution or conflict, often facing unique integration challenges.

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Temporary Migrant Workers: Including seasonal or contract-based workers.

Regardless of their specific needs or integration paths, a core challenge for organizations is effectively leveraging these individuals’ talents and facilitating their successful integration into the workforce. This paper proposes a systems approach that, while broadly applicable, can be tailored to the nuances of different immigrant categories. This adaptability significantly enhances their overall integration by fostering a more customized and supportive organizational environment.

Because migration has so many effects on both sending and receiving countries, it is important to figure out how to grow, use, and appreciate the skills that migrants bring to their new home. Doing so can help reduce the downsides and boost the upsides of migration for both the nations involved [13,14] and the businesses that employ migrants [15,16,17]. Addressing these multifaceted challenges effectively requires moving beyond traditional, linear management approaches.

As global migration patterns reshape labor markets worldwide [1,2,3], organizations face the critical imperative of effectively integrating immigrant workers. Failure to manage this demographic shift strategically often leads to underutilized talent, workplace friction [15,16], and missed opportunities for innovation and growth. This challenge extends beyond simple human resources functions, touching upon the core of organizational governance. Recognizing the need for adaptive and robust frameworks in today’s dynamic environment, this paper directly addresses this need by proposing a systems approach specifically tailored for managing immigrants within organizations. This system promotes agility through its connected parts and feedback, builds resilience by offering a clear way to manage diverse workforces, and supports sustainability by focusing on the long-term inclusion, growth, and retention of immigrant talent, which strengthens overall governance.

Despite the potential benefits, research indicates that many organizations struggle with effectively integrating immigrant workers, sometimes leading to underutilization of skills, workplace discrimination, or lack of adequate support systems [18,19,20]. It is clear that no administrator or organization can avoid the challenges associated with integrating immigrant workforces in the current context. Building on the principles of systems thinking, this paper aims to consider the different types of immigrants that organizations can receive, such as immigrants with family in the country of origin, immigrants who do not fluently speak the destination country’s language, and immigrants with inadequate training.

This paper directly addresses critical immigrant integration issues by providing organizations with a coherent and comprehensive framework. Traditional approaches often tackle aspects of immigrant employment in isolation, leading to fragmented efforts and suboptimal outcomes. In contrast, the proposed systems-based model emphasizes the interconnectedness of various factors—from pre-arrival preparation and skills recognition to workplace inclusion and long-term career development. By equipping organizations with a roadmap to holistically manage the immigrant employment lifecycle, this research aims to improve integration outcomes for individuals, enhance organizational performance and innovation, and contribute to more inclusive and productive societies.

2. Theoretical Foundations: A Systems Perspective on Immigrant Integration

This paper adopts a systems approach to understanding and managing immigrant integration within organizational contexts. Drawing primarily from general systems theory, as articulated by scholars such as Ludwig Von Bertalanffy [21], this paper conceptualizes organizations as open systems—dynamic entities that continuously interact with their environment and are composed of interdependent parts working toward a common purpose. This perspective moves beyond reductionist views, which often address isolated aspects of immigrant management, to embrace a holistic understanding of the integration process.

Key tenets of systems theory underpin the conceptual model:

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Holism and Emergence: This model argues that immigrant integration is not merely the sum of individual efforts but an emergent property of the interactions among various organizational subsystems. Successful integration arises from the synergistic functioning of these parts, leading to outcomes (e.g., enhanced innovation, improved organizational agility) that cannot be attributed to any single component in isolation.

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Interdependence and Interconnectedness: Each subsystem within the model (e.g., Needs Assessment, Organizational Culture, Human Resource Management, Leadership and Communication, Training and Development, Job Transitions) is inextricably linked to and influences the others. Changes in one area inevitably propagate throughout the system, highlighting the need for coordinated and integrated interventions. For instance, effective needs assessment directly impacts the relevance of training programs and the success of job transitions.

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Feedback Loops: Systems theory highlights the importance of feedback for adaptation and learning. The model includes continuous monitoring and evaluation, which helps organizations gather feedback on integration efforts and make ongoing improvements. This ability to adapt is key for creating flexible and resilient governance, especially as immigrant needs and organizational dynamics change.

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Boundaries and Environment: While systems have clear boundaries, organizations are open systems that constantly exchange resources and information with their external environment. This includes interacting with immigrant communities, government policies, labor markets, and public opinions. A systems approach recognizes these external factors and their effect on internal integration processes.

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Equifinality and Multifinality: Systems theory suggests that similar outcomes can be reached from different starting points (equifinality), and that the same starting point can lead to different outcomes (multifinality). This means that integration strategies should be flexible and adapted to each context, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

The conceptual model, made up of six interconnected subsystems, directly applies these systemic principles. It presents a framework in which immigrant talent management is seen as an ecosystem within the organization, where each part plays a crucial role in maintaining balance and improving overall effectiveness. By using this systems-based perspective, the paper makes a unique theoretical contribution by offering a comprehensive, dynamic, and flexible framework for immigrant integration. This framework specifically addresses the complexities and interconnections that are often ignored by fragmented approaches found in current research and practice.

3. Methodological Approach and Theoretical Foundations

3.1. Methodological Approach

The development of the conceptual model for immigrant integration presented in this paper adheres to the principles of rigorous theory building, as outlined by Wacker [22]. This approach emphasizes a structured process for developing sound conceptual theories. The application of Wacker’s four key phases in the construction of the model is as follows:

1.

Precise Definition of Constructs: Each of the six core subsystems (Needs assessment, Selection, Training, Start of the work, Development, End of the work) and the overarching concepts (e.g., Social issue, Distance, Human capital) have been carefully defined based on the established literature in organizational studies, human resource management, and migration studies. These definitions aim for clarity and consistency throughout the model.

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Logical Development of Propositions between Constructs: The paper posits specific relationships between the six interdependent subsystems. For example, it is proposed that effective ‘Onboarding and Initial Integration’ (Subsystem 3) positively influences ‘Skills Development and Career Progression’ (Subsystem 4) and ‘Performance Management and Cultural Adaptation’ (Subsystem 5). These propositions are embedded in the description of how the subsystems interact and form a cohesive system. Feedback loops are also proposed, suggesting that outcomes from later subsystems inform earlier ones (e.g., insights from ‘End of Work’ can refine ‘Needs Assessment’).

3.

Reasoned Justification of these Relationships: The justification for the proposed relationships between subsystems is drawn from established theories (e.g., systems theory’s emphasis on interdependence, social learning theory for onboarding, human capital theory for skills development) and extant empirical findings in related fields. For each subsystem and its links to others, the paper outlines the rationale for its inclusion and its expected impact on the overall system’s effectiveness in integrating immigrant talent.

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Precise Delimitation of the Scope: The scope of this conceptual model is primarily organizational governance of immigrant workforce integration within formal employing organizations, particularly those operating in contexts with significant immigrant populations. While the principles may have broader applicability, the model is specifically tailored to the workplace context. It focuses on the organizational processes and structures that can be leveraged, acknowledging that external societal factors (e.g., national immigration policies, social services) also play a role but are considered environmental inputs or influences on the organizational system rather than core components of this particular model.

3.2. Theoretical Foundations

The model is built upon a synthesis of various theoretical frameworks and a comprehensive review of the relevant literature. General systems theory [21] serves as the overarching perspective, viewing an organization as an open system with interconnected parts, processes, and feedback loops. This is further informed by organizational theory, which contributes insights into organizational learning, adaptation, and how institutions respond to internal and external pressures, such as a diversifying workforce. Human Resource Management (HRM) literature provides practical knowledge on talent management, strategic HRM, and diversity and inclusion, shaping the specific functions of the model’s subsystems. Finally, migration studies offers contextual understanding regarding immigrant integration, acculturation, social capital, and labor market challenges faced by immigrants, enabling the tailoring of these subsystems. The six subsystems were developed through an iterative process: identifying core stages in the immigrant employee lifecycle, structuring them as interconnected systems based on systems theory, and refining their components and interactions for coherence and practical relevance, drawing upon a broad multidisciplinary literature base.

This paper develops a conceptual model grounded in established theoretical principles and a comprehensive review of the existing literature. The approach is primarily one of theoretical synthesis and conceptual development. While not a formal systematic literature review adhering to PRISMA guidelines, the development of this model involved several key steps:

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Identification of Core Theoretical Lenses: General systems theory was selected as the overarching framework due to its emphasis on interconnectedness, feedback, and holistic analysis, which are crucial for understanding complex socio-organizational phenomena like immigrant integration.

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Targeted Literature Search: A broad search of academic databases (e.g., Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar) was conducted using keywords such as ‘immigrant integration,’ ‘workforce diversity,’ ‘organizational systems,’ ‘human resource management for immigrants,’ ‘systems theory in organizations,’ and ‘agile governance.’ This search spanned the literature in migration studies, organizational behavior, human resource management, and sociology.

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Thematic Analysis and Synthesis: The reviewed literature was analyzed to identify recurring themes, best practices, existing gaps, and critical challenges in immigrant workforce management. Principles from systems theory were then applied to structure these insights into an integrated model.

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Model Development and Refinement: The six subsystems of the proposed model were delineated based on logical processes within organizational talent management, adapted specifically for the immigrant context. The relationships and feedback loops between these subsystems were then conceptualized to ensure coherence and dynamism, drawing inspiration from systems thinking. The primary contribution of this methodological approach is the development of a novel, theoretically grounded conceptual framework. It synthesizes disparate streams of literature into a cohesive model that offers new perspectives on managing immigrant talent and fosters a more agile and sustainable approach to organizational governance in this domain. The model itself, and its constituent parts, provide a clear agenda for future empirical validation and refinement.

4. Conceptual Model: A Systems Approach to Immigrant Integration

This article proposes an approach that associates the management of immigrants to the current systems and activities of organizations. Wright et al. [23] propose a management system for expatriates (i.e., employees who travel to the country of destination supported by the organization from the country of origin) that includes the assessment of needs, selection, pre-field orientation, admission, and development and reintegration of expatriate employees. This article follows the approach suggested by Wright et al. [23], adapting it to the reality of immigrants following a diversity management perspective [24,25,26] and intercultural administration [27].

The immigrant management systems approach is described in a general manner in Figure 1, while in Figure 2 it is illustrated in detail in its six interdependent subsystems. Subsequently, Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 5, Figure 6, Figure 7 and Figure 8 analyze each of the subsystems according to social problems (e.g., rights), distance (e.g., language, cultural, financial), and human capital (e.g., skills, motivations, knowledge) of immigrants, that is, analyzing all the factors that affect the performance of immigrants in the organization.

The application of systems to organizations implies shifting from a mechanistic view to a social and organic system perspective, where the interactions between the parts make the system more variable and more complex. Organizations can be considered social systems. Therefore, in the case of immigrant workers, the application of immigrant management systems would facilitate the incorporation of these immigrant workers into organizations. The literature suggests a series of benefits of incorporating immigrant workers in organizations, which at a general level can be grouped into strengthening the culture of the organization; improving the reputation of the organization; contributing to attracting and retaining talent; increasing motivation and commitment, and, therefore, staff efficiency; increasing innovation and creativity throughout the organization [28] (p. 10).

Figure 2 shows that changes in any subsystem affect other subsystems as well as the entire immigrant management system. The model identifies the inputs, the management process, and the outputs of each subsystem. The outputs of one subsystem are transformed into the inputs of the next subsystem. This immigrant management system is made up of six subsystems. The transformation of inputs into outputs occurs through the immigrant management process. High job performance, job satisfaction, and low turnover are the desired outputs that contribute to achieving the organization’s goals. The evaluation compares performance with objectives to measure the effectiveness of the system. Feedback from the evaluation affects the choice of future entries and the immigrant management process.

Managing immigrants begins with the process of choosing criteria for the selection and training of immigrants, which leads to the process of selecting immigrants. Afterward, the selected immigrants begin an orientation process that culminates with the start of work. Once the immigrant has started work, he develops in the organization until reaching a final stage in which the immigrant leaves the organization.

4.1. Needs Assessment

The main purpose of this subsystem is to provide information for the selection and training of immigrants (see Figure 3). At this stage, the hiring needs must be evaluated. The assessment implies choosing the selection criteria (i.e., recruitment and hiring) and training (i.e., orientation, training) that should be carried out to those hired in terms of level (i.e., depth, quality) and duration of these processes. In this subsystem, it must be evaluated which combination of social problems, distance, and human capital of immigrants best fits the needs of the organization.

Among the selection criteria are the physical criteria (e.g., age, gender, health) and the psychological criteria (i.e., innate characteristics that are not altered by future training) of the applicant [29]. Tye and Chen [30] (p. 16) comment that gender (male), previous performance, extraversion (i.e., ease of communicating with others), tolerance of stress when facing a new country and a new job, and previous international experience (i.e., experience in adapting) are important criteria for selection of expatriates used by companies. These selection criteria may also be applicable to the case of immigrants.

One of the criteria that an organization must define is whether or not it should hire immigrants. This is a difficult decision, considering that on the one hand, immigrants have acquired the reputation of being excellent workers and, on the other hand, all countries have certain restrictions on hiring foreigners, such as work permits or visas. In some countries, organizations even require a minimum quota of national workers, which affects their selection criteria. Additionally, some organizations systematically resist diversity and, therefore, the heterogeneity of their employees. Selecting or rejecting employees based on stereotypes, for example, can be an unconscious, but systematic, way of excluding diversity [24]. Empirical evidence has not shown that the most diverse workgroups negatively affect the organization’s success [31]. Consequently, increasing diversity by including immigrants in the workforce does not imply less success for organizations, and therefore should not be a reason to exclude them from organizations.

Bohlander et al. [32] (p. 114) analyze the advantages and disadvantages of hiring a national worker versus expatriating an employee from another country. A national worker has a lower cost than an expatriated employee, has a greater knowledge of the culture and reality of the country, has a greater facility with the language and favors the development of trust between the company and the different stakeholders (e.g., governments and consumers happy with companies using local labor) that affect the company. In turn, an expatriate employee has experience in the company, is available to the company, and gains greater experience and perspective with expatriation. Unfortunately for an immigrant, he does not have the advantages of an expatriate or a national, reducing the chances of being hired to the immigrant’s competitive advantages. Additionally, discrimination against immigrants by different stakeholders (e.g., clients) negatively affects organizations’ selection criteria [33]. In several countries (e.g., the United States, Europe) various legal measures have sought to counteract discrimination based on color, gender, religion, or origin of the person [28,34,35]. However, many organizations still decide not to hire immigrants or lessen their growth [36]. However, this discrimination could be differentiated depending on the immigrant’s origin or destination countries [37]. For example, immigrants in low-income destination countries have been observed to earn more than comparable natives and work in higher-paying occupations [38]. Salary differences have also been observed depending on the immigrant’s country of origin [39].

The similarity between immigrants and nationals, the contribution to society of immigrants perceived by nationals, and favorable emotions (e.g., sympathy, admiration, attraction, and pity) improve nationals’ attitude towards immigrants [40]. Unfortunately, reactions to immigrants from the public and the media tend to be negative, which is observed in the construction of negative stereotypes about immigrants. For example, the jobs available to immigrants are positions of a lower hierarchy (i.e., domestic service, informal jobs) [10]. The immigrant is represented in the mass media typically developing activities of a negative nature, such as being detained or handcuffed, begging, or involved in harmful contexts. For example, there is a clear presence in the media regarding border control, which shows the participation of police officers capturing illegal immigrants [41]. In the United States, many nationals believe immigrants take jobs, overload public services, and threaten American customs and values [42]. The economic situation also influences the reactions. As an example, the effects of the economic crisis in Spain that began in 2008 increased resentment, defensiveness, or rejection towards the immigrant population in Spain. The number of people in favor of expelling irregular immigrants and returning those who commit crimes to their countries of origin has also increased [43].

However, immigrants have several competitive advantages: First, immigrants endure more extended hours. As many of them are newcomers and even undocumented, they generally do not protest their employers’ mistreatment or injustices. For all this, in several areas where it is unnecessary to know the country’s language (e.g., in informal and construction jobs), immigrants have become the preferred workers for companies. Second, in places where racism and discrimination against certain groups of workers (e.g., African Americans) prevail, immigrants from other groups (e.g., Latinos, Asians) are more accepted as workers than they are. Discrimination against the black race does not only occur in developed countries; for example, in Latin America, it is possible to see cases of ethno-racial discrimination against Afro-Venezuelans [44]. Third, in some jobs, immigrants may have more experience, knowledge, and a greater willingness to do heavy jobs than expatriates and nationals. Fourth, immigrants also tend to have lower reservation wages than expatriates and nationals (i.e., they are willing to work for a lower wage). Lower wages can result from lower skills of immigrants, underutilization of immigrants’ skills, and unequal pay for immigrants doing the same work as natives (i.e., discrimination) [45,46]. Indeed, hiring immigrant labor’s main advantages are its lower cost [47], higher qualifications in certain positions, and acceptance of worse working conditions.

On the contrary, the main disadvantages are lack of knowledge of the destination culture, language problems, and lack of training. Unskilled immigrants almost always enter the lower levels of employment and wages in the destination country, where they still earn considerably more than in their country of origin. Immigrants are concentrated in a few areas: certain specific manufacturing branches, cleaning and maintenance services for buildings and gardens, food handling and preparation, cashiers in self-service stores and retail sales, specialized masonry, and construction jobs, to name a few. For these types of jobs, workers can take advantage of their skills and experience without the need for formal studies [48].

4.2. Selection

Organizations use quite informative channels to recruit immigrants. In this sense, it is necessary to understand the importance of immigrants’ social networks to find employment. Indeed, 78% of Latino immigrants in the United States got their first job through a relative or friend [48]. Consequently, organizations must contemplate the use of these social networks and develop a better way to recruit the best immigrants. For example, organizations can use of social media platforms to recruit immigrants [49]. It is also possible to coordinate this recruitment with governmental and non-governmental employment agencies [50,51].

In the recruitment and selection stage, the applicant’s characteristics must be compared with the criteria chosen by the organization in the first stage (see Figure 4). At this stage, the physical and psychological characteristics of the applicant and their family must be analyzed. At this stage, the applicant’s knowledge and skills must be assessed to determine if they have the correct experience, education, and training to perform the job. Areas of inefficiency must be identified to be corrected later in the immigrant worker training stage [23].

The applicant’s motivations to work in the organization and in the destination country must be analyzed [52]. Hill [2] shows that post-immigration marriage is positively associated with immigration in the case of immigrant women. Hill [2] (p. 60) interprets that marriage could be a cause of immigration, because the woman decides to emigrate and seek marriage. One reason is that getting married and having children in the destination country makes it possible to better adapt to it (e.g., legalization, lifestyles) [2]. Furthermore, it is important to observe in what adaptation stage (honeymoon, culture shock, adjustment, adaptation) in the country of destination the immigrant is [53]. If the immigrant has fully adapted, they have a greater chance of performing successfully than a recently arrived immigrant (honeymoon stage) or an immigrant in the culture shock stage [54,55]. It should be examined how easily the immigrant adapts to new situations, how open-minded they are, how much they enjoy meeting and learning from people, how trustworthy they are, how united and supported they are by family and how much stress they can bear [56].

Finally, like any worker, immigrants seek to achieve different objectives (e.g., recognition, security, money). The difficulty is that, across different cultures, each goal is valued differently by employers and employees [57]. Additionally, immigrants tend to agree with their wages and working conditions with the employer informally. As a result, the organization must carefully align its reward systems to the different objectives sought by the immigrant. Finally, the organization’s rules and the reward systems must be communicated in the selection process so that the applicant can accept or reject the new position in an informed way.

It is suggested that human resources inform the immigrant worker of everything necessary to process the necessary paperwork for their relationship with the organization (e.g., social security, payment of taxes). Also, the organization must offer a dossier in which documentation is collected about this, and the position that the immigrant worker will occupy, as well as other information of interest about the city in which they will live and work in the case of recently arrived immigrants [35].

4.3. Training

The purpose of this stage is to ensure that immigrant employees and their families adapt in the best way to the new culture, as well as to ensure that employees have the necessary skills and knowledge before starting to work in the organization (see Figure 5). It should be considered that immigrants’ skills could be different depending on the country of origin [58]. Additionally, at this stage, immigrants must be informed of the organization’s goals and how technologies, structure, controls, and people achieve said organizational goals [23].

Levine [48], interviewing Latino immigrants in the United States, asked about what immigrants need to get the job they want. Latino immigrants’ most frequent response in the United States was studies and training (42.3%), followed by speaking and writing in English (40.3%). A total of 7.7% indicated “papers” or documents of legal stay in the country. When evaluating their command of English, 67.6% stated that they speak it “little” or “almost nothing” (49.2% and 18.3% respectively); only 27.5% considered that they speak it “regular” and only 5% answered that they speak it “well”. In the United States, Latin American immigrants often arrive in Latino neighborhoods and work in certain labor market areas known as “immigrant jobs”. As a consequence, immigrants can go for years without learning English and without greater options for economic or social advancement [59]. The permanent flow of immigrants blurs, in a sense, the border between countries. However, new boundaries emerge, such as the neighborhoods where immigrants live. In several cities, it is possible to observe immigrant neighborhoods. This type of delimitation does not arise only due to economic factors but also racial attitudes [60]. Immigrants frequently concentrate in certain poor localities for cultural reasons, survival, and family ties, without thinking about economic or social status.

In general, immigrants are characterized by having inadequate training. For immigrant workers who need the training to start their jobs, training systems must be designed and implemented correctly. This is because even in the case of expatriate employees, only 26% of them believe that the training they received helped their performance in the organization [56]. It is essential to provide professional education, language training, and support to immigrants [61]. It is also important to correctly identify the immigrants’ skills to carry out an effective training [62].

Unlike immigrants, expats can better adapt to a new culture because they travel for a specific time and have a specific purpose, time management is structured, there is a wide support network, there is equal status among colleagues, there are opportunities for advancement, and, generally, travel is carried out in a mature stage of the person [63] (p. 126). Despite this, it is estimated that the failure rate fluctuates between 25% and 50% of expatriations [32]. These numbers are worrisome if one considers that expatriation’s direct costs fluctuate between 50 thousand and 150 thousand dollars [64]. Specifically, in the case of immigrants, it could be even more difficult to adapt because they travel in precarious conditions and are considered “intruders” in the destination country. Therefore, the organization should try to provide and communicate these types of benefits to immigrant workers (e.g., support network, equal status, opportunities for advancement).

Upon settling in another country, an immigrant may face four major issues: (1) communication barriers (e.g., language), (2) multiple obligations caused by belonging to two countries (e.g., taxes, documentation), (3) loss of the network of family and friends, and (4) the cultural distance (e.g., customs, values) with the destination country and organization [65,66,67,68,69]. Therefore, the organization must guide and support the immigrant in overcoming these adaptation difficulties caused by the distances between the origin and the destination countries. The immigrant worker must also receive linguistic training, whether it be classes in the country’s language if it is not their first language or training in idiomatic expressions of the place for immigrants who speak the same language but show differences in expression or meaning [35,70].

4.4. Start of the Work

At the start of the work stage (see Figure 6), the immigrant worker and their family members (both immigrant relatives and those who remained in the country of origin) must be supported to adapt as quickly as possible to the new environment. At this stage, it must be ensured that the immigrant adapts to the interaction with the different workers of the organization that has hired them and the workers of the other organizations (e.g., suppliers, distributors) that engage with the organization [15,16,71]. This refers to the face-to-face interaction of individuals or groups with different reference frames and life experiences due to ethnic loyalties, nationality, and social class, among other causes [68,72,73,74]. A very common mistake is underestimating employees’ impact on, and response to, increased diversity [17,27]. According to McEntee [68] (p. 33), the symptoms of intercultural shock are quite problematic and occur to a different extent between individuals: tensions, a climate of rejection, disorientation, a feeling of loss, anxiety, indignation, and helplessness, among others. Additionally, at this stage, the organization must develop trust with the different stakeholders to facilitate the immigrant’s adaptation. There is diversity within diversity. Within a single organizational culture, there are microcultures and ways of making decisions that often vary between departments, areas, functions, and centers. Knowing the different internal realities will be useful when managing immigrant workers [28].

The literature suggests four possible sources of conflict in multicultural teams [28]: direct versus indirect communication (differences between high-context communication cultures and low-context communication cultures), language problems (e.g., differences between countries in accents, word meanings), different attitudes towards hierarchy and authority (e.g., differences between countries in interaction with superiors), and conflicting norms in decision-making (e.g., differences between countries in the level of analysis, speed, and consensus in decision-making). Organizations must identify these obstacles in time for the correct inclusion of immigrants in the organization. In this sense, internal communication is invaluable as a tool to reduce conflict in multicultural teams, so any effort to improve it will be positive both for the organization and for immigrant workers.

4.5. Development

During the development stage (see Figure 7), the focus of management shifts from orientation and training to maintaining the immigrant worker’s growth. At this stage, the continuous development of the immigrant worker in the organization must be supported. The administrator must ensure that the immigrant is updated in skills and knowledge to increase productivity and for future promotions in the organization [23]. To increase productivity and promotion possibilities, the organization must support the worker in improving their quality of life. Of Latino immigrants, 48.3% say that life in the United States has been “more difficult than I thought.” Additionally, only 8.2% obtained their current job through promotion in the organization, showing a low level of promotions in the segment of immigrant workers within organizations [48]. In addition, immigrants do the jobs national workers do not want to do. It is hard for them to access credit to fulfill their dreams of owning their own home, buying a car, and paying for their children’s education and their family’s health expenses. If the before-mentioned were not enough, they carry on their shoulders the heavy burden of sending support to the loved ones who remained in the country of origin [75]. In addition, immigrants must deal with the legal responsibilities of belonging to two countries, such as having affiliation with two social security systems [76], debts or obligations contracted in both countries [77], and the loss of the network of family and friends developed in the country of origin. In these cases, the organization must support the solving of these problems faced by the immigrant worker [78].

Additionally, and as a way to retain immigrant workers, organizations can periodically hold cultural days so that all employees, nationals and foreigners, acquire awareness and learn about the different cultures existing within their organization. For example, gastronomic competitions, sports competitions, and traditional dance competitions can be held, among other customary events. [35].

4.6. End of the Work

The final subsystem, ‘End of Work’, addresses the often-overlooked aspect of managing transitions out of the organization in a systematic and supportive manner, contributing to long-term organizational reputation and relationships with former employees. Figure 8 illustrates the key components of this subsystem. Whether voluntarily or not (e.g., by a decision of the organization), the immigrant worker will leave the organization at some point. At this stage, the immigrant worker should be supported to encourage their reincorporation to the organization in later years or spark other benefits for the organization. These include the spread of positive word of mouth (e.g., recommend the organization) to other immigrants (i.e., potential workers for the organization) [49], clients of the organization, non-governmental organizations, or the media, among others. Indeed, after they retire from the organization, an immigrant worker can also help in future immigrant management processes by increasing the organization’s credibility with other potential immigrant workers and increasing the knowledge of the reality that immigrants have in the organization [79,80].

A person who has decided to emigrate to another country has three possible options: (1) remain and integrate to the country of destination, (2) return to the country of origin, and (3) carry out temporary emigrations. Immigrant workers have a strong tendency to prefer option one over the other possible options. For example, many Mexican immigrants in the United States decided to settle in that country (option 1) due to the fact that in Mexico, returning older workers are discriminated against, reducing the opportunities for advancement in Mexican organizations [81]. There are three reasons why immigrants decide to settle in the destination country [82]: the fear of immigrants with documents and covered by social security to lose their rights to benefits if they leave, the fact that the opportunities in their countries of origin are “even poorer”, and the economic cost of returning. Therefore, the organization must be careful to correctly relocate the immigrant worker in order to capture the benefits for the organization indicated above.

5. Theoretical and Practical Implications of the Systems Model and Future Directions

Our uniquely diverse and interconnected world is characterized by increasing human mobility, with immigration significantly affecting today’s globalized and intercultural landscape. A significant challenge for immigrants in a new country is workplace integration [15,16,17,61]. Addressing this from an organizational perspective, this work focuses on facilitating the incorporation of immigrant workers. This paper has presented a systems approach as a structured methodology for improving the management of immigrant workers within organizations. This model provides a comprehensive framework encompassing the entire employee lifecycle. The proposed systems approach offers an inherently agile governance mechanism for human capital management, with interdependent subsystems allowing for flexibility and adaptation based on feedback and the specific needs arising from social issues [68,72,73,74], distance factors [65,66,67,68,69], and human capital [45,46,48] considerations unique to immigrant populations. Implementing such a system enhances organizational resilience by creating more predictable and supportive integration processes, thus strengthening the organization’s ability to adapt to demographic shifts and talent needs. Furthermore, this approach directly contributes to economic sustainability through potentially improved retention and performance, and to social sustainability by fostering a more inclusive environment that values and develops immigrant talent. Adopting agile, systemic governance frameworks is crucial for organizations seeking to build truly resilient and sustainable operations in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.

5.1. Theoretical Contributions

Theoretically, this paper makes several contributions. Firstly, it extends the application of general systems theory to the specific and complex domain of immigrant workforce integration within organizations, an area where such holistic frameworks have been underexplored. By operationalizing systems principles into a concrete six-subsystem model, it provides a novel lens for analyzing and improving organizational responses. Secondly, it integrates disparate concepts from migration studies, organizational theory, and HRM into a unified framework, offering a more comprehensive understanding than single-discipline approaches. The proposed interdependencies and feedback loops between subsystems offer new avenues for theoretical exploration regarding the dynamics of integration processes.

5.2. Practical Implications

From a practical standpoint, the model offers a valuable roadmap for managers, HR professionals, and policymakers. It provides a structured yet flexible approach to designing, implementing, and evaluating immigrant integration initiatives. Organizations can use this framework to identify weaknesses in their current practices, foster better inter-departmental collaboration, and develop more agile responses to the evolving needs of their immigrant employees. This can lead to improved talent acquisition, higher retention rates, enhanced employee well-being, and ultimately, increased organizational effectiveness and innovation.

Implementing an immigrant management system might involve creating a specialized human resources sub-department for basic administrative functions (e.g., selection, training, monitoring) from an immigrant perspective or outsourcing these services to specialized companies. Governments and regulators can also promote these systems within organizations.

This work encourages organizations to leverage the benefits of a more diverse workforce by including immigrant workers. This will enable organizations to adapt to current societal demands, improve service provision, and achieve better organizational outcomes. The effective management of immigrants has implications across various organizational functions, including human resources, operations, and strategy.

Practically, this model encourages managers and human resources professionals to adopt a more integrated view of immigrant management. Instead of isolated programs, organizations should consider the entire employee lifecycle systemically. For instance, insights from the ‘Development’ subsystem should inform the ‘Selection’ process, creating feedback loops. Managers can use the subsystems as a checklist to evaluate their current practices, identify gaps (e.g., inadequate needs assessment, lack of structured onboarding), and prioritize interventions. Implementing even parts of this systemic approach, such as improving inter-departmental communication regarding immigrant employees or establishing clearer feedback mechanisms, can yield tangible benefits in integration outcomes and organizational performance.

5.3. Contribution to Social Resilience

The paper contributes to the broader discourse on social resilience. Effective organizational integration of immigrants is a cornerstone of their successful settlement in host societies. By fostering stable employment, recognizing skills, and promoting inclusive work environments, organizations can play a pivotal role in enhancing the economic and social resilience of immigrant communities. This, in turn, contributes to the overall resilience and cohesion of society by leveraging the diverse talents immigrants bring and mitigating social friction that can arise from marginalization or underemployment. The proposed agile and sustainable governance practices can help organizations adapt to changing demographic landscapes and contribute positively to societal well-being.

5.4. Challenges and Limitations in Implementation

This model is currently conceptual and requires empirical validation across diverse organizational settings. Future research should focus on: (1) empirically testing the relationships between its subsystems and organizational outcomes using both quantitative and qualitative methods; (2) conducting comparative case studies to understand how its implementation and effectiveness vary across industries, organization sizes, and national/policy contexts; (3) developing specific metrics to measure the success of each subsystem and the overall integration process; and (4) exploring its adaptation for specific immigrant populations (e.g., refugees, highly skilled migrants) or organizational types (e.g., public sector, NGOs).

While the model offers a broad systems approach to integration, its current configuration primarily targets diverse economic enterprises with varied immigrant inflows and skill levels. Further research is needed to adapt it for specialized recruitment practices, such as those used for highly skilled individuals in research institutions.

The model’s applicability and specific implementation will likely differ significantly based on organizational size, sector (e.g., public vs. private, manufacturing vs. service), and national contexts with varying immigration policies and cultural norms. Implementing this model may present challenges, including resource limitations, resistance to change, navigating complex legal and policy landscapes, and bridging cultural and linguistic divides [49,54]. It is also important to acknowledge that integration initiatives can fail, potentially leading to workplace friction or turnover if not managed carefully.