Population's level of education and connection with the labour market.

This report presents statistics and analyses that are based on data obtained from the surveys on education completed abroad. Before the surveys the education of almost one of two immigrants was unknown in the level of education register. Even though the results of the surveys were more information, the education level of one out of five is still unknown. The report presents an overview over those with an unknown education and what we know about the population’s highest level of education. The percentage figures only refer to those we know the education. The correlation between immigrants' education level and their participation in the labour market in the fourth quarter of 2012 are examined here, but not the cause and effect.

One in four of the 445 000 immigrants resident in Norway aged 25-66 years completed their education in this country. Norway is therefore the largest completion country for immigrants residing in Norway. Poland is by far the largest completion country outside Norway. This is naturally related to the fact that Polish immigrants have an absolute majority, and these are followed by Swedish and Lithuanian nationals.

In 2012, employment was lower among immigrants than the rest of the population. The share for male and female immigrants is 10 and 16 percentage points lower respectively than for the rest of the population. The share outside the labour force is higher for immigrants than for the rest of the population. For female immigrants, the share that is outside the labour force is 12 percentage points higher than for the rest of the women. Compared with immigrants employed, the share of immigrants outside the labour force with a lower education level is greater in all age groups. This group also has a higher share of persons who have not completed any education.

Fourteen per cent of employed immigrants from Europe except EU/EFTA, Asia, Turkey, Africa, South- and Central-America, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand have a long higher education, while the corresponding share among the rest of the population is 11 per cent. The share for employed immigrants from the EU/EFTA, North America, Australia and New Zealand with a long higher education is 21 per cent. With regard to short higher education and upper secondary education, the rest of the population has the highest share. One in every four employed immigrants from Africa, Asia etc. have a short higher education, while for employed immigrants from the EU, North America etc. and the rest of the population, the corresponding figures are 29 and 30 per cent respectively. Additionally, employed immigrants from Africa, Asia, etc. have the greatest share of persons with a lower secondary education as their highest completed education. A total of 31 per cent have only a lower secondary education. This share is high compared to employed immigrants from the EU, North America etc. and the rest of the population, who have 12 and 15 per cent respectively.

A high share of immigrants from some of the largest countries has only a basic education. This is particularly the case among immigrants from Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, where most have a lower secondary education and a high share have not completed any education. Among women from Afghanistan and Somalia who are not in employment, 30 and 25 per cent respectively have no completed education and 47 and 58 per cent have completed a lower secondary education.

At the opposite end of the scale are immigrants from North America and Oceania, who have a higher level of education than the rest of the population. Seventy-five per cent of the men and 80 per cent of the women have a higher education. Compared with the rest of the non-immigrant population, this is high. For the latter group, 34 per cent of the men and 47 per cent of the women have a higher education.