Registered unemployed among immigrants (discontinued in Statistics Norway), Q4 2006

The proportion of unemployed immigrants is the lowest recorded since the fourth quarter of 1998.

In these statistics, immigrants are defined as first-generation immigrants, i.e. people born abroad by foreign-born parents, who have been registered resident in Norway for at least six months. The figures are based on the Directorate of Labour's register of job seekers and are calculated as a fraction of the labour force. 11 218 immigrants were registered unemployed in the fourth quarter of 2006, 3 000 fewer than the year before. In total, 50 236 people were registered unemployed at the end of November last year. Immigrants constituted 22 per cent of this group.

Lowest unemployment since 1998

In the fourth quarter of 2006, total unemployment was at the lowest level since 1998. Unemployment figures for immigrants are also affected by these cycles in the labour market and reached the lowest level since 1998. But the unemployment rate of 6.1 per cent in this group is still three times higher than the rate for the non-immigrant population. This difference has been stable for a long time, also in periods with high unemployment.

Stable differences between immigrant groups

The decline in unemployment was about 3 percentage points for each of the four non-western groups. As in previous quarters, immigrants from Africa had the highest unemployment rate at 13.2 per cent. Immigrants from Asia had the second highest rate at 8.3 per cent, while immigrants from Eastern Europe (non-EU countries) had 7 per cent and the group from South and Central America 6.1 per cent. The lowest rates were recorded among immigrants from the Nordic countries and the other western European countries at 2.3 per cent for each group. Immigrants from North America and Oceania and the new EU countries in Eastern Europe had rates slightly above this level at 2.5 and 2.7 per cent respectively.

These differences seem to be a stable pattern in the Norwegian labour market. The high unemployment rate among African immigrants must be seen in connection with the relatively high proportion of newly arrived immigrants in this group, especially refugees from Somalia.

Strongest decline for men

Male immigrants experienced a slightly stronger fall in unemployment in this period, at 2.5 percentage points, while the decline among immigrant women was 2 percentage points. In the fourth quarter of 2006, the rates were 5.8 and 6.3 per cent respectively. This difference is contrary to the traditional gender difference among immigrants. Traditionally we find a much higher rate among men than women. In the rest of the population, men and women had the same rates at 1.8 per cent. Also within this majority population men have traditionally had a (slightly) higher registered unemployment rate.

Descendants

Only 386 Norwegians with foreign-born parents (descendants) were registered as unemployed. They constituted 3.9 per cent of the labour force, which is 1.8 percentage points lower than in November 2005. Hence the unemployment level in this group is positioned halfway between first generation immigrants and the non-immigrant population.

Highest unemployment for immigrants with four to seven years of residence

The highest unemployment rate was recorded among immigrants with four to seven years of residence. This disparity is most likely due to the fact that newly arrived non-western immigrants, mostly refugees, go through language and job training before they enter the labour force as registered job seekers. For immigrants with seven years of residence or more, the unemployment rate is much lower, but there are no indications that this gap between the groups will be closed. African immigrants had also in this group the highest unemployment rate followed by other non-western groups, and there is still a sharp distinction between westerners and non-westerners.

Slight increase in labour market schemes

Despite the fall in unemployment, there is a slight increase in the number of people participating on ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes). From November 2005 to November 2006 this figure increased from 12 467 to 12 749. Immigrants contributed to this moderate growth. The number of participants with immigrant background increased from 3 857 to 4 557, an increase of 700 or 18 per cent. Thus, immigrants constituted nearly 36 per cent of the total. Since some of the labour market schemes are aimed at refugees, the size of the immigrant group may as well be influenced by the amount of immigration as the labour market cycles.

As a percentage of the immigrant population, the participation was 1.5 per cent in November 2006. In the remaining population the participation rate was 0.3 per cent. Immigrants from Africa had the highest participation rate at 3.1 per cent.

Tables:

• Table 1 Registered unemployed by immigrant background, region of birth and sex. Absolute figures and in per cent of the labour force. By the end of November 2005 and 2006
• Table 2 Participants on ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes), by immigrant background, region of birth and sex. Absolute figures and in per cent of persons aged 16 to 74 years. By the end of November 2005 and 2006
• Table 3 Registered unemployed and participants in ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes) , by region of birth and time of residence in Norway. By the end of November 2005 and 2006. In per cent of persons in total aged 16-74 years
• Table 4 Registered unemployed, by immigrant background, region of birth and county of residence. Absolute figures and in per cent of persons aged 16 to 74 years in each group. By the end of November 2005 and 2006
• Table 5 Participants on ordinary labour market schemes (job-programmes), by immigrant background, region of birth and county of residence. Absolute figures and in per cent of persons aged 16-74 years in each group. By the end of November 2005 and 2006
• Table 6 Registered unemployed, by sex, immigrant background, region of birth and age. Absolute figures and in per cent of the labour force. By the end of November 2005 and 2006