Registered unemployed among immigrants (discontinued in Statistics Norway), Q1 2014

In absolute numbers, there were 3 700 more immigrants unemployed in February 2014. Almost half of these came from the EU countries in Eastern Europe, and they were mainly men. The total number unemployed increased by 7 850. Hence, immigrants constituted 47 per cent of the growth in registered unemployment from February 2013 to February 2014.

In total, 77 870 were registered as unemployed in the 1st quarter of 2014. Of these, 28 433 were immigrants, which is 36.5 per cent of the total number of unemployed.

Strongest increase among immigrants from EU countries in the east

Immigrants from Eastern Europe had the strongest growth in the unemployment rate; by 0.6 percentage points (both within the EU group and the non-EU group). The other groups from Asia, Africa etc. had increases of 0.4 and 0.5 percentage points. Immigrants from Western Europe had the weakest growth, of 0.2 percentage points, while immigrants from the Nordic countries and North-America/Oceania had increases of 0.3 and 0.5 percentage points respectively.

The unemployment rate among male immigrants increased by 0.4 percentage points, while the corresponding growth for female immigrants was 0.6 percentage points. In the rest of the population, the increase among men and women was equal, at 0.2 percentage points.

Eastern EU immigrants have same level as Asians

As in previous years, immigrants from Africa have the highest unemployment level, at 13.4 per cent. This was followed by immigrants from Asia and EU countries in Eastern Europe, with 8.3 per cent each. Immigrants from Latin America and Eastern Europe outside the EU had almost equal unemployment rates, with 7.5 and 7.2 per cent respectively. The remaining groups had considerably lower rates, as is normally the case. Immigrants from the Nordic countries and North America and Oceania had the lowest rates, with 2.9 per cent each, while the Western European group had a rate of 3.4 per cent registered unemployed.

Male immigrants had an unemployment rate of 7.2 per cent, while female immigrants lie slightly above, with 7.3 per cent. In the rest of the population, the unemployment rate was 2.5 per cent for men and 1.8 for women.

Weak decline among participants on labour market schemes

Measured as a percentage of the immigrant population aged 15-74 years, the rate of participants on ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes) decreased from 1.5 per cent in the 1st quarter of 2013 to 1.4 per cent in the 1st quarter of 2014. In the remaining population, this rate was stable at 0.3 per cent. Immigrants from Africa and Asia had the highest participation rates at 2.9 and 1.9 per cent respectively. Female immigrants had a higher participation rate than male immigrants, at 1.8 versus 1.0 per cent.

A total of 7 966 immigrants were participants on labour market schemes. In total, 18 258 people participated in the 1st quarter of 2014. Immigrants therefore constituted almost 44 per cent of the total participant group.

Lower unemployment among Norwegian-born to immigrant parents than immigrants

Norwegian-born to immigrant parents is still a rather small group of unemployed persons despite some growth during the last year. This group constituted 1 071 registered unemployed persons in the 1st quarter of 2014. The majority within this group are aged 15-29 years, and the unemployment rate among them was 5.8 per cent, which was 2.2 percentage points below the immigrant group at the same age (with 8.0 per cent) and 2 percentage points higher than the corresponding age group in the rest of the population (with 3.8 per cent).

Among Norwegian-born to immigrant parents between 15 and 29 years of age, the unemployment rate has increased by 0.8 percentage points since the 1st quarter of 2013. The remaining population groups at this age had increases of 0.3 (the majority) and 0.2 percentage points (immigrants).