Registered unemployed among immigrants (discontinued in Statistics Norway), Q3 2002

Immigrant in this statistics is a person born abroad by foreign-born parents

The unemployment among immigrants from Africa increased the most, by 2.8 percentage points.This group also had the highest unemployment rate, 17.4 per cent, while immigrants from Asia and Eastern Europe had 12.4 and 10.6 per cent respectively. The rates for immigrants from the western regions were as usual only a few decimals higher than for the entire population, 3.8 (Nordic countries) and 3.9 per cent (Western Europe else). These trends are in fact very stable in the Norwegian labour market.

Every sixth unemployed is an immigrant

13 799 immigrants were registered as unemployed at the end of August 2002. These persons represent 17 per cent, or every sixth person, of the total group of 82 496 registered unemployed at that point of time. Among the 13 799 unemployed immigrants 11 564 had a non-western background, a proportion of 84 per cent. Hence unemployment among immigrants is in particular a non-western phenomenon.

High increase in number of unemployed Nordic immigrants

Despite a much lower level in registered unemployment, the immigrants from the Nordic countries had the highest percentage growth in the absolute numbers of unemployed from August 2001 to August 2002, with 35 per cent. Immigrants from Africa and Asia had a growth at 28 and 25 per cent respectively. In the whole population as well as in the whole immigrant group, the growth among registered unemployed was 23 per cent.

More unemployed immigrant-men

Males, in the whole population as well as among immigrants, had a higher increase in the absolute numbers of registered unemployed. From August 2001 to August 2002 the increase in both of these groups were 24 per cent , while the corresponding growth among women was 22 per cent (both in total and among immigrants). In the entire population both men and women had a registered unemployment rate at 3.5 per cent. Among immigrants the unemployment rate was as usual higher among men, 9.7 per cent versus the women's 8.6 per cent.

Still decrease in labour market schemes

Despite an increasing unemployment rate, the number of persons covered by ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes) continues to decrease. At the national level there has been a decrease at one per cent from August 2001 to August 2002 (6 330 to 6 260 participants). Among immigrants this decrease was much stronger, about 17 per cent (2 469 to 2 059 participants). These 2 059 immigrant-participants accounted for 33 per cent of all persons covered by such schemes and included mostly non-westerners. In relation to the whole immigrant population 16 - 74 years, immigrants had a percentage of participants of 0.9 while the percentage for the whole population was 0.2.

Tables:

• Table 1 Registered unemployed aged 16-74 years, by region of birth and sex. In absolute numbers and per cent of the labour force. By the end of May 2001, August 2001, May 2002 and August 2002
• Table 2 Participants in ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes), by region of birth and sex. In absolute numbers and per cent of persons aged 16-74 years. By the end of May 2001, August 2001, May 2002 and August 2002
• Table 3 Registered unemployed and participants in ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes), by region of birth and time of residence in Norway. In per cent of persons in total aged 16-74 years. By the end of August 2001 and 2002
• Table 4 Registered unemployed, by region of birth and county of residence. Absolute numbers and in per cent of persons in total 16-74 years. By the end of August 2001
• Table 5 Registered unemployed, by region of birth and county of residence. Absolute numbers and in per cent of persons in total 16-74 years. By the end of August 2002
• Table 6 Registered participants in ordinary labour market schemes, by region of birth and county of residence. Absolute numbers and in per cent of persons in total 16-74 years. By the end of August 2002