Registered unemployed among immigrants (discontinued in Statistics Norway), Q2 2003

Immigrants from Africa had the highest unemployment rate, 17.8 per cent, while immigrants from Asia and South and Central America had 13.0 and 11.2 per cent respectively. Immigrants from Eastern Europe had the lowest unemployment rate among the non-westerners in the 2^{n d}. quarter 2003, 10.5 per cent. The rates for immigrants from the Nordic countries and Western-Europe were 4.4 per cent, which is less than one percentage point above the level of the entire population. These differences among the westerners and the non-westerners constitute a stable pattern concerning unemployment.

More men registered unemployed

In the entire population men had an unemployment rate of 4.1 per cent while the women had a rate of 3.2 per cent. The rates among immigrants were 10.8 and 8.4 per cent respectively.

Males, in the entire population as well as among immigrants, had a higher increase in the absolute numbers of registered unemployed. From May 2002 to May 2003 the increase was 1.1 and 2.8 percentage points in the respective groups versus 0.5 and 1.4 percentage points among females.

Still growth in labour market schemes

The increase in the number of persons covered by ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes) continues. At the national level there has been an increase from 12 527 participants in May 2002 to 20 826 in May 2003, a growth of 66 per cent. Among immigrants this number increased from

3 856 to 5 361 participants - i.e. 39 per cent - during this period. These 5 361 immigrant-participants accounted for 26 per cent of all persons covered by such schemes and included mainly non-westerners.

In relation to the entire immigrant population 16-74 years, immigrants had a percentage of participants of 2.2 while the percentage for the whole population was 0.6.

More immigrant women than men participated in ordinary labour market schemes, 2 819 versus 2 542. In relation to the immigrant population, female participants accounted for 2.3 per cent while the immigrant men had a participation rate of 2.1 per cent. In the entire population there were more male participants than female ones, 10 747 versus 10 079, which give participation rates of 0.7 and 0.6 per cent respectively.

Tables:

• Table 1 Registered unemployed aged 16-74 years, by region of birth and sex. In absolute numbers and per cent of the labour force. By the end of February 2002, May 2002, February 2003 and May 2003
• Table 2 Participants in ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes), by region of birth and sex. In absolute numbers and per cent of persons aged 16-74 years. By the end of February 2002, May 2002, Februar 2003 and May 2003
• Table 3 Registered unemployed and participants in ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes), by region of birth and time of residence in Norway. In per cent of persons in total aged 16-74 years. By the end of May 2002 and 2003
• Table 4 Registered unemployed, by region of birth and county of residence. Absolute numbers and in per cent of persons in total 16-74 years. By the end of May 2002
• Table 5 Registered unemployed, by region of birth and county of residence. Absolute numbers and in per cent of persons in total 16-74 years. By the end of May 2003
• Table 6 Registered participants in ordinary labour market schemes, by region of birth and county of residence. Absolute numbers and in per cent of persons in total 16-74 years. By the end of May 2003