Introduction programme for immigrants, 2014

Among participants who either completed or dropped out of the programme in 2013, 36 per cent were in employment in 2014. Twelve per cent were both working and in education, while 14 per cent were only in education. These figures combined make up 62 per cent in total. A further 11 per cent were registered as unemployed or on employment initiatives, while 27 per cent were in the category ‘other or unspecified status’ in the labour market.

In 2014, the 2013 participants’ status in the labour market was relatively similar to the situation for those who completed or dropped out of the programme in the preceding year. The share in employment or education is the same as for the previous year. 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. Seventy-two per cent of the men and 50 per cent of the women were in work and/or education one year after taking part in the programme.

Just as many women as men were registered as unemployed or on employment initiatives, while far more women than men were in the category other or unknown status: 39 and 17 per cent respectively. Among the women, it is mainly recipients of social assistance (11 per cent) and those with so-called unknown status (14 per cent) who dominate. 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.

Eight in ten 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 2014, the youngest age groups made up the largest share in employment or education one year after the introduction programme. Eighty per cent of those in the 20-24 age group moved on to work or education, which is well above the 70 per cent target. In the 25-29 age group, 69 per cent are in employment or education, and the corresponding figure for the 30-34 year-olds is 63 per cent. For those aged between 35 and 44 years, 56 per cent were in employment or education, and the corresponding figure was less than half for the 45 to 50 year-olds.

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 25 percentage points.

Conversely, there are many more women than men in the category other or unknown status. We assume that many of these women are at home with children or in adult education. In several of the age groups, the share of women is more than 20 percentage points higher than for men in this category. Twenty-six per cent of the women and 11 per cent of the men in the 20-24 age group are in this category.

Gender disparities are, however, small for those who are registered as unemployed or on employment initiatives, except in the age group 45-50 years, where men are far more dominant than women, with 21 and 13 per cent respectively.

Largest share of refugees from Eritrea and Afghanistan in employment or education

Among the eight largest participating countries, those with a background from Eritrea and Afghanistan had the largest share in employment or education in the month of November one year after either completing or leaving the programme, with 70 per cent. Participants from Ethiopia and Iran were not far behind, with 69 per cent. At the other end of the scale are those from Somalia and Iraq, about half of whom were in employment or education (51 and 48 per cent respectively).

At least 60 per cent of the female participants from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Myanmar are in work or education. A relatively high share of former female participants from Iran are also in employment or education (58 per cent). The largest gender disparity is seen among those from Afghanistan, where 86 per cent of the men are in employment or education, compared to just 49 per cent of the women. There is also a large gender gap among participants from Somalia, where only 33 per cent of the women are in work or education, compared with 65 per cent of the men.

Seven in ten in employment or education in several municipalities

The municipality with the highest number of participants who either completed or dropped out of the introduction programme in 2013 was Oslo, with 251. In Bergen, the corresponding figure was 203, and in the municipalities of Trondheim, Kristiansand and Skien, more than 100 people completed or dropped out of the programme.

In Oslo and Bergen, 56 and 57 per cent respectively were in employment or education in 2014. The corresponding figure was 53 per cent in Trondheim and 69 per cent in Kristiansand.

Among the municipalities with the largest programmes, more than eight out of ten former participants in Mandal and Stjørdal were in work or education the year after completing the introduction programme. Around seven out of ten former participants were in work or education in 2014 in the municipalities of Levanger, Kristiansand, Tromsø and Stavanger. Municipalities with the smallest shares in employment or education include Drammen, Skien and Fredrikstad, where less than half are in employment or education the year after completing the programme.

Several of the municipalities with smaller programmes have also done well, with almost all former participants in work or education. Many municipalities have only a small number of participants, and the municipalities’ results are therefore more sensitive to random variations than municipalities with larger programmes.

The two municipalities with the highest number of participants who either completed or dropped out of the introduction programme were Oslo and Bergen. The majority of these in Oslo were women, while in Bergen it was the men who dominated. In Oslo, 71 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: 43 per cent in Oslo and 41 per cent in Bergen, compared with 50 per cent for all women.

More working after five years

When examining the participants’ status in the labour market in 2014, we see that among those who either completed or dropped out of the introduction programme during the period 2009-2013, the number who found employment after studying has increased with time. The increase in the share in employment is particularly prevalent among women. 

The total share who are in work or education is lower among men who completed or dropped out of the introduction programme five years ago than for those who did so one year ago. The trend is reversed among the women, where a higher percentage are in work or education after five years.

For women, the share who are in the category other or unknown status is lower among those who completed or dropped out of the programme five years ago compared with those who did so one year ago. The share for men, meanwhile, is higher.

The share who are registered as unemployed or on employment initiatives is stable.

This article was commissioned by the Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion and the Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi).