Registered unemployed among immigrants (discontinued in Statistics Norway), Q3 2003

Registered unemployment among first generation immigrants in total increased from 9.1 to 11.0 per cent from August 2002 to August 2003. For the entire population, the unemployment increased from 3.5 to 4.3 per cent - all figures calculated as a fraction of the labour force.

20 per cent unemployment among African immigrants

Immigrants from Africa had the highest unemployment rate, 20.5 per cent, which is almost five times as high as the unemployment rate for the whole population. Immigrants from Asia had a rate of 14.5 per cent while immigrants from Eastern Europe and South- and Central-America had a rate just below 12 per cent. Nordic immigrants had the lowest unemployment rate, 4.9 per cent, while immigrants from the other Western European countries had some higher increase and ended on 5.3 per cent in August 2003. This group had the same growth in the unemployment rate as the Eastern Europeans, 1.4 percentage points.

Highest percentage increase in western groups

The immigrants from Western Europe had the highest percentage growth in the absolute numbers of registered unemployed from August 2002 to this year, with more than 40 per cent. Immigrants from another western region, North America and Oceania, also had the same increase. Immigrants from Africa and the Nordic countries experienced a growth of about 30 per cent. In the entire population there was an increase of 23 per cent in the number of registered unemployed. Among immigrants in total the increase was 25 per cent.

More men unemployed

In the entire population, in the 3^{r d}. quarter men had an unemployment rate of 4.5 per cent while the women had a rate of 4.1 per cent. The rates among immigrants were 11.7 and 10.3 per cent respectively.

Males, in the whole population as well as among immigrants, had a higher increase in the unemployment rate. From August 2002 to August 2003 the increase was 1.0 and 2.1 percentage points in the respective groups versus 0.6 and 1.8 percentage points among the females.

Strong growth in labour market schemes

The number of persons covered by ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes) was more than doubled, from 6 260 in August 2002 to 15 387 in August 2003. Also among immigrants this number increased strongly, from 2 064 to 3 899 participants during this period. These 3 889 immigrant-participants accounted for 25 per cent of all persons covered by such schemes and included mainly non-westerners.

In relation to the whole population 16 - 74 years, the percentage of participants increased from 0.2 per cent to 0.5 per cent. In relation to the immigrant population the participant rate increased from 0.9 to 1.6 per cent.

Immigrants from Africa and Asia had the highest participant rates in August 2003, 2.7 and 2.2 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 May 2002, August 2002, May 2003 and August 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 May 2002, August 2002, May 2003 and August 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 August 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 August 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 August 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 August 2003