Registered unemployed among immigrants (discontinued in Statistics Norway), Q1 2010

The relative growth in the unemployment rate was almost the same among immigrants in total as in the majority population. Among the larger immigrant groups, those from the EU countries in Eastern Europe had the strongest increase together with those from the Nordic countries. African and Asian immigrants are to a lesser degree affected by last year’s unemployment increase, and they experienced a weaker relative growth than the majority population. This tendency is related to the employment pattern, since these immigrants mainly work in different industries to those mostly affected by the economic cycles, such as the construction and the manufacturing industries.

A total of 21 906 immigrants settled in Norway were registered unemployed in the first quarter of 2010. There was growth of 4 974 unemployed immigrants from the corresponding quarter in the previous year. Settled immigrants constituted in total 28 per cent of the total number of 78 762 registered unemployed in Norway in the first quarter, which was almost the same percentage as in the previous year.

Immigrants from the EU countries in the east had the next highest unemployment

Immigrants from the EU countries in Eastern Europe had an unemployment rate of 10.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2010. Only the African group had a higher rate, at 13.7 per cent. This group has had the highest registered unemployment rate for several years, irrespective of the economic cycles. Immigrants from Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe outside the EU all had rates approximately the same as the immigrants’ average of 7.9 per cent. The Western European group had, as usual, an unemployment rate far below this average, at 4.3 per cent, while the Nordic group still had the lowest rate at 3.5 per cent, despite a strong increase within this group.

Men are more affected by the rise in unemployment

Immigrant men still experience a stronger growth in the unemployment rate than immigrant women, i.e. 1.7 versus 0.9 percentage points. This gave rates of 9.1 among immigrant men and 6.2 per cent among the women in the first quarter of 2010. In the rest of the population, the unemployment rate among men was 3.2 per cent and 1.7 among women. Also within this majority population we find the strongest growth among males. This pattern is related to the increased unemployment within the male dominated industries of construction and manufacturing.

Increase also among Norwegian-born to immigrant parents

Norwegian-born to immigrant parents (previously referred to as “descendants”) is still a rather small group of registered unemployed despite growth among them too - from 557 in February 2009 to 750 in February 2010. The majority within this group are aged 15-29 years, and the unemployment rate among them was 5.5 per cent, which was 1.1 percentage points higher than the corresponding age group in the majority population (at 4.4 per cent), but 3.3 per cent lower than the immigrant group at the same age (at 8.8 per cent). Among these three young population groups, the Norwegian-born to immigrant parents had the strongest relative growth in the unemployment rate.

Weaker growth among unemployed not registered as residents

A total of 1 826 of the unemployed were not registered as residents in Norway in the first quarter of 2010. Of these non-residents, 854 were citizens from the EU countries in Eastern Europe and 505 from the Nordic countries. The group of unemployed non-residents has expanded by 46 per cent since the first quarter of 2009, when it constituted 1 252 people. This is a weaker growth compared to the previous quarters. As much as 87 per cent of the non-residents in the first quarter of 2010 were men.

Further increase among participants on labour market schemes

The number of immigrants on ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes) increased from

5 231 in February 2009 to 8 247 in February 2010, which constitutes growth of nearly 58 per cent. Among non-immigrants, the number of participants increased from 8 578 to 13 575 participants, i.e. a growth almost similar to the immigrant group. In total, 21 822 people participated in labour market schemes, of which immigrants constituted 38 per cent. Among the immigrant participants, 65 per cent came from Africa or Asia.

Tables:

• Table 1 Registered unemployed by immigrant background, region of birth and sex. In absolute figures and in per cent of the labour force. By the end of February 2009 and 2010
• Table 2 Participants on ordinary labour market schemes (job programmes), by immigrant background, region of birth and sex. Absolute numbers and in per cent of persons aged 15 to 74 years. By the end of February 2009 and 2010
• Table 3 Registered unemployed, by region of birth and time of residence in Norway. By the end of February 2009 and 2010. Absolute figures and in per cent of persons in total aged 15-74 years
• Table 4 Registered unemployed, by immigrant background, region of birth and county of residence. Absolute numbers and in per cent of persons aged 15 to 74 years in each group. By the end of February 2009 and 2010
• Table 5 Participants on ordinary labour market schemes (job-programmes), by immigrant background, region of birth and county of residence. Absolute numbers and in per cent of persons aged 15 to 74 years in each group. By the end of February 2008 and 2010
• Table 6 Registered unemployed, by sex, immigrant background, region of birth and age. Absolute numbers and in per cent of the labour force. By the end of February 2009 and 2010
• Table 7 Unemployed persons not registered as resident, by region of cictizenship and sex. By the end of February 2009 and 2010
• Table 8 Unemployed persons not registered as resident, by region of citizenship and age. By the end of February 2009 and 2010