Registered unemployed among immigrants (discontinued in Statistics Norway), Q1 2009

A total of 17 057 immigrants settled in Norway were registered unemployed in the first quarter of 2009. There was a growth of 7 000 unemployed immigrants from the corresponding quarter in the previous year. Among those, 3 000 came from the EU countries in Eastern Europe. In the whole population, 67 446 were registered unemployed, which implies a growth of 25 453 during the last year. Men experienced the strongest growth in unemployment.

Unemployed not registered as residents

A total of 1 254 of the unemployed were not registered as residents in Norway in the first quarter of 2009. This group has not been mentioned earlier in these statistics, but has always been included in the total figures. More than 800 of those non-residents were citizens from the EU countries in Eastern Europe and the Nordic countries. This group of unemployed non-residents has been more than doubled since the first quarter of 2008 when it constituted 566 people. More than 80 per cent of the non-residents were men. (See tables 7 and 8). In the text below, only the resident group of immigrants is shown, unless otherwise indicated.

Largest increase among those from the EU countries in the east

Immigrants from EU countries in Eastern Europe had a particularly large growth in the unemployment rate since the first quarter of 2008, of 5.9 percentage points. Among the other immigrant groups, the growth was between 1.1 and 1.7 percentage points. The Western European and the Nordic group had the largest relative growth among those immigrants. Those from Africa and Asia had a more modest growth in the unemployment rate.

The strong growth among immigrants from the Eastern European EU countries gave an unemployment rate at 8.2 per cent within this group. This was the second highest rate registered in the first quarter of 2009. As usual, the African group had the highest rate, at 12.1 per cent. As far as the other groups are concerned, we find a rate at 7.4 per cent among the Asian immigrants, 7.0 per cent in the Eastern European group outside the EU and 6.1 per cent among immigrants from South and Central America. Immigrants from Western-Europe and the Nordic countries are still in a lower segment with 3.5 and 2.8 per cent respectively.

More unemployment among men

The unemployment rate for male and female immigrants was 7.4 and 5.4 per cent respectively. In the rest of the population, the unemployment rate was 2.7 and 1.6 per cent for men and women. Men experienced a much stronger growth in the unemployment rate than women irrespective of immigrant background. Women had in general a more moderate growth. This tendency is due to the increased unemployment within male dominated industries, such as construction and manufacturing in particular. This fact also explains the strong growth in the unemployment rate among immigrants from the EU countries in Eastern Europe who are strongly represented within these industries.

Few Norwegian-born to immigrant parents

Only 560 Norwegian-born to immigrant parents (previously referred to as “descendants”) were registered unemployed in February 2009. The majority within this group are aged 15-29 years, and the unemployment rate among them was 4.2 per cent, which was exactly the same level as the corresponding age group in the population as a whole.

Moderate increase among participants on labour market schemes

The number of immigrants on ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes) increased from

4 478 in February 2008 to 5 231 in February 2009, i.e. 753 more participants. In total, 13 809 people participated in labour market schemes, and there was an increase of 1 506 participants in the majority population.

As a percentage of the immigrant population aged 15-74 years, the participation rate within this group was 1.4 per cent. In the rest of the population, the participation rate was 0.3 per cent. There was an increase of only 0.1 percentage points in the participation rate within both of these population groups. Immigrants from Africa had the highest participation rate at 3.3 per cent in February 2009.

More than 70 per cent of all participants who are immigrants came from Asia or Africa. These two groups have the largest shares of newly-established refugees in Norway.

Tables:

• Table 1 Registered unemployed by immigrant background, region of birth and sex. In absolute figures and in per cent of the labour force. By the end of February 2008 and 2009
• Table 2 Participants on ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes), by immigrant background, region of birth and sex. Absolute numbers and in per cent of persons aged 15 to 74 years. By the end of February 2008 and 2009
• Table 3 Registered unemployed, by region of birth and time of residence in Norway. By the end of February 2008 and 2009. Absolute figures and in per cent of persons in total aged 15-74 years
• Table 4 Registered unemployed by immigrant background, region of birth and county of residence. By the end of February 2008 and 2009. Absolute numbers and in per cent of persons aged 15 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 February 2008 and 2009. Absolute figures and in per cent of persons aged 15 to 74 years in each group
• Table 6 Registered unemployed by sex, immigrant background, region of birth and age. By the end of February 2008 and 2009. Absolute figures and in per cent of the labour force
• Table 7 Unemployed persons not registered as residents, by region of birth and sex. By the end of February 2008 and 2009
• Table 8 Unemployed persons not registered as residents, by region of birth and age. By the end of February 2008 and 2009