Registered unemployed among immigrants (discontinued in Statistics Norway), Q2 2009

A total of 17 912 immigrants settled in Norway were registered unemployed in the second quarter of 2009. There was a growth of 8 567 unemployed immigrants from the corresponding quarter in the previous year - whereof 3 269 were from the EU countries in Eastern Europe. Despite this strong growth, the Eastern Europeans do not constitute more than six per cent of the 68 343 unemployed registered in total in the second quarter this year.

Unemployed not registered as residents

A total of 1 348 of the unemployed were not registered as residents in Norway in the second quarter of 2009. Of those non-residents, 888 were citizens from the EU countries in Eastern Europe and the Nordic countries. The group of unemployed non-residents has more than doubled since the second quarter of 2008 when it constituted 516 people. Almost 85 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.

Strongest increase is still among those from the EU countries in the east

Immigrants from EU countries in Eastern Europe had a growth in the unemployment rate of as much as 6.3 percentage points since the second quarter of 2008. Among the other immigrant groups, the growth was between 0.6 and 2.7 percentage points. Of those, the Western European and the Nordic group had the largest relative growth. It must, however, be emphasised that the level was very low within these two groups in the second quarter of 2008. Thus, the relative growth will be stronger compared to groups with much higher unemployment rates at the starting point.

The strong growth among immigrants from the Eastern European EU countries gave an unemployment rate of 8.4 per cent within this group. This was the second highest rate registered in the second 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 of 7.8 per cent among the Asian immigrants, 7.2 per cent in the Eastern European group outside the EU and 6.4 per cent among immigrants from South and Central America. Immigrants from the Nordic countries and Western Europe still have the lowest rates, at 3.0 and 3.5 per cent respectively.

Men are more affected by the rise in unemployment

Immigrant men experienced a much stronger growth in the unemployment rate than immigrant women, i.e. 3.9 versus 1.3 percentage points. This gave rates of 7.7 and 5.5 per cent respectively.

In the rest of the population, the unemployment rate among men was 2.6 per cent and 1.6 among women. Also within this majority population we find the strongest growth among males. This tendency is due to the increased unemployment within male dominated industries, such as construction and some 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 the former industry.

Few Norwegian-born to immigrant parents

Only 589 Norwegian-born to immigrant parents (previously referred to as “descendants”) were registered unemployed in May 2009. The majority within this group are aged 15-29 years, and the unemployment rate among them was 4.2 per cent, which was only 0.1 percentage point higher than the corresponding age group in the population as a whole.

Increase among participants on labour market schemes

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

5 155 in May 2008 to 6 448 in May 2009, i.e. 1 293 more participants and hence a growth of 25 per cent. In total, 17 872 people participated in labour market schemes, and there was an increase of 3 576 participants - i.e. 45 per cent - in the majority population.

As a percentage of the immigrant population aged 15-74 years, the participation rate within this group was 1.6 per cent. In the rest of the population, the participation rate was 0.4 per cent. Immigrants from Africa had the highest participation rate at 3.9 per cent in May 2009. Almost 70 per cent of all participants who are immigrants came from Asia or Africa.

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 May 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 the population aged 15 to 74 years. By the end of May 2008 and 2009
• Table 3 Registered unemployed, by region of birth and time of residence in Norway. By the end of May 2008 and 2009. Absolute figures and in per cent of the population aged 15-74 years in each group
• Table 4 Registered unemployed, by immigrant background, region of birth and county of residence. Absolute numbers and in per cent of the population aged 15 to 74 years in each group. By the end of May 2008 and 2009
• Table 5 Participants on ordinary labour market schemes (job-programmes) by immigrant background, region of birth and county of residence. Absolute numbers and in per cent of the population aged 15 to 74 years in each group. By the end of May 2008 and 2009
• Table 6 Registered unemployed, by sex, immigrant background, region of birth and age. Absolute numbers and in per cent of the labour force. By the end of May 2008 and 2009
• Table 7 Unemployed persons not registered as resident, by region of birth and sex. By the end of May 2008 and 2009
• Table 8 Unemployed persons not registered as resident, by region of birth and age. By the end of May 2008 and 2009