Registered unemployed among immigrants (discontinued in Statistics Norway), Q1 2007

In these statistics, immigrants are defined as first-generation immigrants, i.e. people born abroad by foreign-born parents. They must also be registered as settled 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. 11 564 immigrants were registered unemployed, which were 2 800 fewer than the year before. In total we find 52 057 people registered unemployed at the end of February this year. Immigrants constituted 22 per cent of this group.

No equalization to non-immigrants

The relative decrease is almost the same within all groups. Therefore we do not see any equalization between immigrants and the majority population. The unemployment rate of the immigrant group was still three times as high as the rate within the majority population. This difference has been stable for a long time, also in periods of high unemployment rates.

Stable differences between the immigrant-groups

Within the four non-western groups the decline in the unemployment rate was about three percentage points in each group. Also this quarter it was the immigrants from Africa who had the highest unemployment rate, at 12.8 per cent. Immigrants from Asia had the second highest rate at 8.2 per cent registered unemployed, while they from Eastern Europe (outside the EU countries) had 6.9 per cent and the group from South and Central America 6.1 per cent. The lowest rates were as usual recorded among immigrants from the western regions, slightly above 2 per cent, while immigrants from the new EU countries in the East had a rate at 3.0 per cent.

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

Slight stronger fall among men

Male immigrants experienced a slight stronger fall in the unemployment rate in the period, at 2.3 percentage points, while the decline among immigrant women was 1.9 percentage points. In the first quarter 2007 the rates were 5.9 and 6.1 per cent respectively. This difference is contrary to the traditional gender difference among immigrants as registered unemployment is concerned. Traditionally we find a much higher rate among men than women. In the rest of the population, men and women had rates at 1.9 and 1.8 per cent respectively. The decrease was about the same.

Norwegian born by foreign-born parents

Only 361 people among the Norwegian born by foreign-born parents (descendants) were registered as unemployed. These people constituted 3.4 per cent which was 2.2 percentage point lower than in February 2006. Hence the unemployment level within this group lies halfway between the 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 we do not, however, see any equalization between the groups. African immigrants had also in this group the highest unemployment rate followed by the other non-western groups, and there is still a sharp distinction between westerners and non-westerners.

Slight increase in labour market schemes

Despite a declining unemployment rate, we find a slight increase in the number of people participating on ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes) among immigrants. From February 2006 to February 2007 this number increased from 3 926 to 4 310. Thus, the immigrants constituted nearly 36 per cent of the total group of participators. Since some of the labour markets schemes especially are offered refugees, the size of the immigrant group may as well be influenced by the amount of immigration as the labour market cycles. In the majority population the number of participants in labour market schemes fell.

As a percentage of the immigrant population, the participation was 1.4 per cent in February 2007 which was unchanged compared to the year before. In the remaining population the participant rate was only 0.2 per cent. Immigrants from Africa had the highest participant rate at 3.0 per cent.

Tables:

• Table 1 Registered unemployed, by immigrant background, region of birth and sex. By the end of February 2006 and 2007. Absolute figures and in per cent of the labour force
• Table 2 Participants on ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes), by immigrant background, region of birth and sex. By the end of February 2006 and 2007. Absolute figures and in per cent of persons aged 16 to 74 years
• Table 3 Registered unemployed, by region of birth and time of residence in Norway. By the end of February 2006 and 2007. Absolute figures and 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. By the end of February 2006 and 2007. Absolute figures and in per cent of persons aged 16 to 74 years in each group
• Table 5 Participants on ordinary labour market schemes (job-programmes), by immigrant background, region of birth and county of residence. By the end of Februar 2006 and 2007. Absolute figures and in per cent of persons aged 16 to 74 years in each group
• Table 6 Registered unemployed, by sex, immigrant background, region of birth and age. By the end of February 2006 and 2007. Absolute figures and in per cent of the labour force