The number of participants from Syria more than doubled

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In 2016, 24 000 persons participated in the introduction programme for new immigrants. This is an increase of 34 per cent from the previous year. The number of participants from Syria more than doubled to 7 500.

The number of participants in 2016 is the highest since the programme started in 2005, according to new figures from the statistics Introduction programme for immigrants.

Many participants from Syria

In 2016, the highest number of participants came from Syria, followed by Eritrea and Somalia. Syria had the highest increase in participants compared with the previous year.

Figure 1. Participants by largest country of birth 2016 and year of participation

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Syria 53 66 66 65 79 75 81 78 433 1228 3233 7504
Eritrea 82 221 372 581 1418 2424 3249 3425 3412 3576 4840 7057
Somalia 1806 1753 1506 1561 1541 1921 2341 3007 3793 4209 4273 3430
Sudan 103 99 68 72 117 225 306 521 727 927 1075 1404
Ethiopia 171 196 230 334 454 673 753 773 776 872 934 1125

Figure 2. Participants in the introduction programme 2016 who immigrated during 2015 as a share of all immigrants in 2015. Ten largest countries 2016. 18-55 years

Per cent
China 7
Iraq 28
Iran 41
Afghanistan 56
Ethiopia 57
Somalia 75
Congo 77
Sudan 90
Eritrea 90
Syria 93

47 per cent increase in male participants

In 2016 14 700 men and 9 300 women participated in the programme. The number of male participants increased by 47 per cent in a year. 46 per cent of all participants were between 26 and 35 years old.

Three of four were still registered in the programme at the end of the year

Seventy-five per cent of the participants in 2016 were still registered in the programme at the end of the year.

Figure 3. Participants by country of birth and sex. 2016

Males Females
Uganda 42 18
Usbekistan 37 23
Libya 53 14
Palestinian Territory 27 46
Saudi Arabia 68 46
Russia 42 74
China 61 78
Congo 96 114
Iraq 155 163
Iran 235 310
Afghanistan 363 626
Ethiopia 601 524
Sudan 1008 396
Somalia 1577 1853
Eritrea 4879 2178
Syria 5164 2340

More municipalities involved

Over the last years more municipalities have settled refugees and thereby also participants in the introduction programme. In 2016 407 municipalities had participants, while the number the previous year was 366.

Some received social assistance

Every participant in the introduction programme receives an introduction benefit. One of the main ideas behind this payment is to create an alternative to social assistance.

Among the 7 500 who received the introduction benefit for the whole of 2016, 17 per cent received social assistance in addition to the introduction benefit for at least six months.