Former participants in the Introduction programme 2009-2013

The Introduction programme for new immigrants is an integration policy initiative that all Norwegian municipalities are obliged to offer newly arrived refugees according to the Introduction Act (Act no. 80 of 4 July 2003). The main activities in the programme are Norwegian language training and social studies, along with work experience and vocational guidance. The Introduction programme for new immigrants is an important tool for municipalities in their work to integrate newly arrived refugees. Since 2010, the government’s target has been for a minimum of 70 per cent of all previous participants of the programme to be employed or in education one year after the end of the programme.

This report describes the activities of those who completed or dropped out of the Introduction programme in the years 2009–2013. We describe their participation in employment and further education, as well as their income situation one year after completing or dropping out of the Introduction programme, and then annually until 2014.

In 2014, 62 per cent of those who completed or dropped out of the programme in 2013 were employed or in education. This share is the same as in 2013 for those who left the Introduction programme in 2012. For all years dating back to 2009, the share in work or education one year after completing the programme is between 60-63 per cent. The share in employment or education slightly increases from the first to the second year after the end of the Introduction programme, and then flattens out or goes down. This applies to both men and women, except for men who left the Introduction programme in 2010, for whom the share in work or education remains stable in all years.

The proportion of women in employment and education is significantly lower than for men. Among women who completed or dropped out of the programme in 2013, 50 per cent were employed or in education one year later. Among women who completed in 2012, 52 per cent were employed or in education in 2013. However, the corresponding figures for men in the same years were 72 and 70 per cent.

Income from work gives an indication of attachment to the labour market and shows whether households manage to support themselves. Income from work increases for all groups in the years after the end of the Introduction programme. There is some decrease in social support such as social assistance, housing benefit and qualification benefits in the years after the end of the programme. Student grants constitute a relatively large part of the total income in the first couple of years after the end of the programme, thereafter decreasing.