Registered unemployed among immigrants (discontinued in Statistics Norway), Q3 2007

11 370 immigrants were registered unemployed in the third quarter of 2007, a decline of 2 700 from the corresponding period last year. In the same period, the number of participants on ordinary labour market schemes for immigrants increased from 2 359 to 2 893.

Stable differences

In relative terms, the decrease in unemployment was similar in all groups. Thus there is no levelling out between immigrants and the majority population. Registered unemployment among immigrants is still three times higher than in the majority population. This difference has been stable for a long time and is to some extent due to the relatively large number of immigrants who are newcomers on the labour market. Thus the proportion of employed in the labour force is somewhat lower in this group compared to the majority population, also in periods of low unemployment as long as there is immigration on a certain level.

Highest unemployment among Africans

Within the four non-western groups the decline in the unemployment rate varied between 2 and 3 percentage points. Immigrants from Africa had the highest unemployment rate, at 12.6 per cent. Immigrants from Asia had the second highest rate at 7.6 per cent, while the unemployment rate for immigrants from Eastern Europe (except EU countries) and South and Central America was 6.9 per cent and 5.5 per cent respectively. As in previous quarters, immigrants from the western regions had the lowest unemployment rates, at 2.0 cent or slightly above. Immigrants from the EU countries in Eastern Europe also had an unemployment rate at this level.

Slightly higher unemployment among women

The unemployment rate for male and female immigrants was 5.0 per cent and 6.4 per cent respectively. In the rest of the population the corresponding rates were 1.5 and 1.8 per cent. This is contrary to traditional gender differences in registered unemployment, where men have a higher rate than women irrespective of immigrant background. This unusual pattern is due to a stronger decrease in registered unemployment in male-dominated industries such as manufacturing, construction and engineering. In addition, an increase in female job seekers due to a favourable labour market may also have contributed to this new trend.

Few descendants registered unemployed

Only 332 descendants, defined as people born in Norway by foreign-born parents, were registered unemployed in August 2007. This means that the registered unemployment in this group was 2.9 per cent, which is 1.9 percentage points lower than in August last year. Hence the unemployment level in this group is halfway between that of first-generation immigrants and the non-immigrant population. However, if we look at the largest group of descendants, i.e. those aged 16-29 years, the difference is even smaller, at 3.1 versus 2.5 per cent.

More participants on labour market schemes

Despite the falling unemployment rate, there was a slight increase in the number of immigrants on ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes) in the third quarter. From August 2006 to August 2007, this increased from 2 359 to 2 893, or 23 per cent. In the majority population the number of participants on labour market schemes fell slightly from 3 696 to 3 661. Immigrants constituted 44 per cent of the total group of participants. The participants were mostly non-western immigrants from Africa and Asia. Since some of the labour market schemes are targeted at refugees, the size of the immigrant group is affected by the amount and structure of immigration in addition to labour market cycles.

As a percentage of the immigrant population, the participation was 0.9 per cent in August 2007 compared with 0.8 in the previous year. In the remaining population, the participant rate was only 0.2 per cent. Immigrants from Africa had the highest participant rate at 2.1 per cent followed by immigrants from Asia at 1.3 per cent. Within these two groups the number of participants rose by 227 and 264 respectively. The African group had the largest relative growth, slightly above 40 per cent.

Tables:

• Table 1 Registered unemployed, by immigrant background, region of birth and sex. By the end of August 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 August 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 August 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 August 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 August 2006 and 2007. Absolute figures and in per cent of persons aged 16-74 years in each group
• Table 6 Registered unemployed, by sex, immigrant background, region of birth and age. By the end of August 2006 and 2007. Absolute figures and in per cent of the labour force