Six in ten participants in programme for new immigrants are working or studying

Among participants who either completed or dropped out of the programme in 2014, 30 per cent were in employment in 2015. Thirteen per cent were both working and in education, while 15 per cent were only in education. These figures combined make up 58 per cent in total. A further 11 per cent were registered as unemployed or on employment initiatives, while 31 per cent were in the category ‘other or unspecified status’ in the labour market. 

Beginning in 2015, data on employment are partially based on a new database, and this makes comparison with earlier figures on employment difficult (read more in the text box in the bottom of this article). 

In 2010, a national target was introduced of at least 70 per cent in employment or education within one year of completing the programme.

More men than women in employment or education

As in previous years, there are major gender disparities in the outcomes of programme participants. Sixty-six per cent of the men and 49 per cent of the women were in work and/or education one year after taking part in the programme. 

Twelve per cent of the men and 10 per cent of the women were registered as unemployed or on employment initiatives, while far more women than men were in the category other or unknown status: 41 and 21 per cent respectively. Among the women, it is mainly recipients of social assistance (11 per cent) and those with so-called unknown status (15 per cent) who dominate. In other words, no data is available for one in seven women, many of whom are assumed to be at home with children. This main category also includes those in primary and lower secondary education who do not additionally have a part-time job, do not receive cash benefit for children or are not otherwise covered by any of the aforementioned categories.

Three in four under 25s are in employment or education

As in previous years, the youngest participants are more likely than the oldest participants to move on to education or employment. In 2015, the youngest age groups made up the largest share in employment or education one year after the introduction programme. Seventy-six per cent of those in the 20-24 age group moved on to work or education, which is above the 70 per cent target. In the 25-29 age group, 62 per cent are in employment or education, and the corresponding figure for the 30-34 year-olds is 58 per cent. For those aged between 35 and 39, 57 per cent were in employment or education, and the corresponding figure was less than half for the over 40s. 

Greater gender disparities among the young adults

Women are less likely than men to be in employment or education after the programme. One possible reason is that many of the participants on the introduction programme are in a period of their life where they have children or are at home with young children. The gender disparity is by far greatest among young adults aged 25 to 39 years: about 20 percentage points. 

Gender disparities are, however, smaller for those who are registered as unemployed or on employment initiatives. However, men are far more dominant than women in the age group 51 years or older (21 per cent of the men and 9 per cent of the women) and in the age group 40-44 (22 per cent of the men and 12 per cent of the women).

One in seven refugees from Ethiopia and Eritrea in employment or education

Among the eight countries with most former participants who completed the programme in 2014, those with a background from Ethiopia and Eritrea had the largest share in employment or education one year after either completing or leaving the programme, with 71 and 68 per cent respectively. Participants from Iran and Myanmar followed with 69 and 59 per cent. At the other end of the scale are those from Somalia and Iraq, where under half were in employment or education (46 and 48 per cent respectively). 

At least 60 per cent of the female participants from Ethiopia, Eritrea and Iran are in work or education. A relatively high share of former female participants from Myanmar is also in employment or education (57 per cent). 

The largest gender disparity is seen among those from Afghanistan, where 78 per cent of the men are in employment or education, compared to just 37 per cent of the women. There is also a large gender gap among participants from Somalia, where only 30 per cent of the women are in work or education, compared with 58 per cent of the men.

Seven in ten in employment or education in several municipalities 

The municipalities with the most former participants in 2014 were Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Kristiansand and Tromsø. In Oslo and Bergen, 52 and 60 per cent were in employment or education respectively in 2015. The corresponding figures were 64 and 65 per cent in Trondheim and Kristiansand, and 70 per cent in Tromsø. 

The majority of the former participants in Oslo were women, while in Bergen it was the men who dominated. In Oslo, 64 per cent of the men found work or went into education, and the corresponding figure for Bergen was 69 per cent. Men in both cities are thus slightly below the male national average. Among the women who participated in the introduction programme in the two cities, the share in work and education after one year is considerably lower than the average for women in Norway: 42 per cent in Oslo and 48 per cent in Bergen, compared with 50 per cent for all women. 

The statistics is commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security and Social Inclusion and the Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi).