Publication of preliminary figures is canceled

Figures for former participants in the introduction programme will be published on 25 January 2024. Publication of preliminary figures on 20 september 2023 is canceled.

Introduction programme for immigrants

Updated: 28 June 2023

Next update: 25 January 2024

Participants in introduction programme for immigrants
Participants in introduction programme for immigrants
2022
17 807
persons
Participants by age and sex
Participants by age and sex
2022
ParticipantsSexPercentage
AllMalesFemalesMalesFemales
Total17 8075 89111 91633.166.9
18-25 years3 1401 2701 87040.459.6
26-35 years6 0721 8374 23530.369.7
36-45 years5 5531 7813 77232.167.9
46-55 years2 4828011 68132.367.7
56 years or older56020235836.163.9
Explanation of symbols

Selected tables and charts from this statistics

  • Participants of introduction programme, by country of birth and sex
    Participants of introduction programme, by country of birth and sex
    2022
    Participants (persons)Participants (per cent)
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    Total17 8075 89111 9161003367
    Of this:
    Ukraine7 7211 7295 9921002278
    Syria3 6031 5982 0051004456
    Congo1 2355167191004258
    Eritrea1 1793458341002971
    Afghanistan7993884111004951
    Türkiye7143863281005446
    Sudan3421272151003763
    Russia342882541002674
    South Sudan235791561003466
    Ethiopia205581471002872
    Iran19394991004951
    Somalia151511001003466
    Iraq14457871004060
    Moldova......
    China5936231006139
    Yemen5429251005446
    Kazakhstan458371001882
    Rwanda4119221004654
    Saudi Arabia3917221004456
    Uganda3513221003763
    Uzbekistan3512231003466
    Libya3417171005050
    Pakistan3116151005248
    Explanation of symbols
  • Participants of introduction programme, sex and selected municipalities
    Participants of introduction programme, sex and selected municipalities
    2022
    ParticipantsParticipants (per cent)
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    Total17 8075 89111 9161003367
    Selected municipalities:
    3002 Moss160551051003466
    3003 Sarpsborg12848801003863
    3004 Fredrikstad219761431003565
    3005 Drammen2641051591004060
    3007 Ringerike10336671003565
    3020 Nordre Follo162501121003169
    3024 Bærum197721251003763
    3025 Asker196681281003565
    3027 Rælingen9234581003763
    3029 Lørenskog10733741003169
    3030 Lillestrøm237871501003763
    3031 Nittedal6829391004357
    3033 Ullensaker8536491004258
    3049 Lier10832761003070
    0301 Oslo municipality1 1693348351002971
    3403 Hamar11437771003268
    3405 Lillehammer9836621003763
    3407 Gjøvik10630761002872
    3411 Ringsaker12442821003466
    3413 Stange10340631003961
    3420 Elverum7522531002971
    3446 Gran3612241003367
    3801 Horten8125561003169
    3802 Holmestrand5819391003367
    3803 Tønsberg171471241002773
    3804 Sandefjord13335981002674
    3805 Larvik12141801003466
    3806 Porsgrunn9432621003466
    3807 Skien13148831003763
    3811 Færder10733741003169
    3814 Kragerø5114371002773
    4202 Grimstad12337861003070
    4203 Arendal140391011002872
    4204 Kristiansand2921001921003466
    4205 Lindesnes150481021003268
    4223 Vennesla9331621003367
    4225 Lyngdal5715421002674
    1103 Stavanger4271273001003070
    1106 Haugesund182571251003169
    1108 Sandnes259791801003169
    1119 Hå9031591003466
    1122 Gjesdal6724431003664
    1127 Randaberg10040601004060
    1130 Strand8632541003763
    1149 Karmøy9728691002971
    4601 Bergen5391913481003565
    4602 Kinn11031791002872
    4621 Voss8333501004060
    4626 Øygarden9830681003169
    4627 Askøy7625511003367
    4631 Alver4620261004357
    4640 Sogndal7331421004258
    4647 Sunnfjord5924351004159
    1505 Kristiansund7321521002971
    1506 Molde15456981003664
    1507 Ålesund14348951003466
    1563 Sunndal8834541003961
    5001 Trondheim4431482951003367
    5006 Steinkjer11647691004159
    5007 Namsos8926631002971
    5028 Melhus7626501003466
    5031 Malvik6623431003565
    5035 Stjørdal11438761003367
    5037 Levanger8627591003169
    5038 Verdal5418361003367
    1804 Bodø229731561003268
    1806 Narvik7320531002773
    1833 Rana4919301003961
    5401 Tromsø244821621003466
    5402 Harstad11950691004258
    5421 Senja7930491003862
    Explanation of symbols
  • Participants of introduction programme by sex an measures
    Participants of introduction programme by sex an measures
    2022
    Participants (persons)Participants (Per cent)
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    Participants, total17 8075 89111 916100100100
    Norwegian language training with social studies15 2174 96910 248858486
    Language in practice2 5418341 707141414
    Approval of education643034010
    Work (in public sector, from 2011 also private sector)512221291342
    Work practice1 5875889999108
    Primary and lower secondary school1 8587731 08510139
    Upper secondary education924452472584
    Labour market courses1 0913477446.15.96.2
    Occupational courses organized by others3141281861.82.21.6
    Measures that promote health / physical activities1 2884508387.27.67.0
    Measures that promote social networking1 1864367506.77.46.3
    Life skills2 3138661 44713.014.712.1
    Parental guidance1 2573569017.121.37.6
    Other6 1082 1153 993343634
    Messures not registered1 4734381 0358.32.55.8
    Explanation of symbols
  • Former participants in the introduction programme for immigrants. Status on the labour market in November, one year after ending/leaving the programme. By sex
    Former participants in the introduction programme for immigrants. Status on the labour market in November, one year after ending/leaving the programme. By sex
    2021
    NumberPercent
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    Labour force status, total4 8132 4572 356100100100
    Employed and / or in education, total2 9271 7481 179617150
    Employed1 199904295253713
    Employed and in education842530312172213
    In education886314572181324
    Registered unemployed and/or on labour market measures, total302163139676
    Jobseekers not registered unemployed19710790444
    Other jobseekers, on labour market measures1055649222
    Other or unknown status, total1 5845461 038332244
    Reduced capacity to work, taking part in a measure1005743222
    Receive work assessment allowances20691115445
    Health related allowances except work assessment allowance35....1....
    Receives cash for care and/or transition benefit53....1....
    Receives social assistance377172205879
    Other groups16149112325
    Unknown65215050214621
    On 25 January 2023 the table was updated with final figures for 2021 after information on self-employed persons in 2021 became available. Information on self-employed persons from 2020, the year prior to the reference year, was utilized in the previously published figures to improve the timeliness of the statistics. However, the mismatch in time of measurement, results in come uncertainty in the preliminary figures.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Former participants in the introduction programme for immigrants. Status on the labour market in November, one year after ending/leaving the programme. By sex and age
    Former participants in the introduction programme for immigrants. Status on the labour market in November, one year after ending/leaving the programme. By sex and age
    2021
    20-24 years25-29 years30-34 years35-39 years40-44 years45-50 years51 years or older
    Both sexes
    Labour force status, total815806991869568440324
    Percent
    Labour force status, total100100100100100100100
    Employed and / or in education, total83696658464131
    Employed18252829262619
    Employed and in education39211713853
    In education2722211613118
    Registered unemployed and/or on labour market measures, total3767869
    Jobseekers not registered unemployed2545545
    Other jobseekers, on labour market measures1223324
    Other or unknown status, total14252935465360
    Reduced capacity to work, taking part in a measure....22446
    Receive work assessment allowances11347915
    Health related allowances except work assessment allowance....111..2
    Receives cash for care and/or transition benefit..2111...
    Receives social assistance3557111819
    Other groups1223558
    Unknown6141417181411
    Males
    Labour force status, total550400438368265237199
    Percent
    Labour force status, total100100100100100100100
    Employed and / or in education, total88817770575138
    Employed24394647383826
    Employed and in education44272013953
    In education20141110989
    Registered unemployed and/or on labour market measures, total386710610
    Jobseekers not registered unemployed..5556..5
    Other jobseekers, on labour market measures..3124..5
    Other or unknown status, total9121623334353
    Reduced capacity to work, taking part in a measure1..2254..
    Receive work assessment allowances1..3..5710
    Health related allowances except work assessment allowance........22..
    Receives cash for care and/or transition benefit........
    Receives social assistance343691918
    Other groups..2..2228
    Unknown35571098
    Females
    Labour force status, total265406553501303203125
    Percent
    Labour force status, total100100100100100100100
    Employed and / or in education, total74575650363019
    Employed512131615128
    Employed and in education27151513643
    In education4130282015138
    Registered unemployed and/or on labour market measures, total2668668
    Jobseekers not registered unemployed..4354..5
    Other jobseekers, on labour market measures..1232..3
    Other or unknown status, total24373843586573
    Reduced capacity to work, taking part in a measure....1234..
    Receive work assessment allowances...3..81222
    Health related allowances except work assessment allowance............
    Receives cash for care and/or transition benefit54221...
    Receives social assistance4677121819
    Other groups..3..59910
    Unknown12242224241916
    On 25 January 2023 the table was updated with final figures for 2021 after information on self-employed persons in 2021 became available. Information on self-employed persons from 2020, the year prior to the reference year, was utilized in the previously published figures to improve the timeliness of the statistics. However, the mismatch in time of measurement, results in come uncertainty in the preliminary figures.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Former participants in the introduction programme for immigrants. Status on the labour market in November, one year after leaving the programme. By sex and country background
    Former participants in the introduction programme for immigrants. Status on the labour market in November, one year after leaving the programme. By sex and country background
    2021
    NumberPercent
    Labour force status, totalLabour force status, totalEmployed and / or in education, totalRegistered unemployed and/or on labour market measures, totalOther or unknown status, total
    Both sexes
    Total4 81310061633
    Türkiye6210092....
    Eritrea80510073423
    Ethiopia14510071....
    Congo6210061632
    Somalia169100401249
    Sudan14210057637
    Afghanistan21210078319
    Iraq22010063730
    Iran20210071425
    Saudi Arabia3010063....
    Syria2 51610055738
    Yemen4010060....
    Males
    Total2 45710071722
    Türkiye....91....
    Eritrea36110083413
    Ethiopia4710089011
    Congo3010070....
    Somalia3910067826
    Sudan5710074....
    Afghanistan1461009127
    Iraq13410069525
    Iran12310075....
    Saudi Arabia1410064....
    Syria1 34610065827
    Yemen2710070....
    Females
    Total2 35610050644
    Türkiye....93..0
    Eritrea44410064431
    Ethiopia9810062....
    Congo3210053....
    Somalia130100321355
    Sudan8510046....
    Afghanistan6610048547
    Iraq8610053937
    Iran7910066....
    Saudi Arabia1610063....
    Syria1 17010044650
    Yemen1310038062
    On 25 January 2023 the table was updated with final figures for 2021 after information on self-employed persons in 2021 became available. Information on self-employed persons from 2020, the year prior to the reference year, was utilized in the previously published figures to improve the timeliness of the statistics. However, the mismatch in time of measurement, results in come uncertainty in the preliminary figures.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Former participants in the introduction programme for immigrants. Status on the labour market in November, one year after ending/leaving the programme. By sex and residence while in programme
    Former participants in the introduction programme for immigrants. Status on the labour market in November, one year after ending/leaving the programme. By sex and residence while in programme
    2021
    Persons, by residence while in programme
    NumberPercent
    TotalTotalEmployed and / or in education, totalRegistered unemployed and/or on labour market measures, totalOther or unknown status, total
    Both sexes
    The whole country4 81310061633
    3001 Halden6100..0..
    3002 Moss3810058....
    3003 Sarpsborg4310067923
    3004 Fredrikstad8010065530
    3005 Drammen81100631027
    3006 Kongsberg....40..30
    3007 Ringerike41100562024
    3014 Indre Østfold13100......
    3020 Nordre Follo4710066....
    3021 Ås15100..0..
    3024 Bærum9010068..32
    3025 Asker6210079....
    3029 Lørenskog22100......
    3030 Lillestrøm3810058....
    3031 Nittedal1710047....
    3033 Ullensaker3210075....
    3034 Nes1210058042
    3035 Eidsvoll11100......
    3048 Øvre Eiker1910047....
    3049 Lier3210069....
    0301 Oslo municipality39510057835
    3403 Hamar21100....33
    3405 Lillehammer2910083..17
    3407 Gjøvik6710072721
    3411 Ringsaker1210033..67
    3413 Stange2110067....
    3420 Elverum19100..0..
    3801 Horten23100....43
    3802 Holmestrand5100..0..
    3803 Tønsberg73100591526
    3804 Sandefjord5210062....
    3805 Larvik6310056....
    3806 Porsgrunn4610054....
    3807 Skien45100561133
    3811 Færder2010060....
    4202 Grimstad2210055....
    4203 Arendal61100....46
    4204 Kristiansand21610051642
    4205 Lindesnes4110076024
    1103 Stavanger19210059833
    1106 Haugesund3510063....
    1108 Sandnes9210067825
    1120 Klepp10100..0..
    1124 Sola1810067....
    1149 Karmøy2110057....
    4601 Bergen11610046450
    4624 Bjørnafjorden15100......
    4626 Øygarden12100..0..
    4627 Askøy9100......
    4631 Alver5100..0..
    4647 Sunnfjord2010055045
    1505 Kristiansund2010070030
    1506 Molde9410064531
    1507 Ålesund5010050....
    5001 Trondheim15210053....
    5006 Steinkjer2910045....
    5035 Stjørdal2210082018
    5037 Levanger3810066....
    1804 Bodø6210081515
    1806 Narvik2710048....
    1833 Rana3110071....
    5401 Tromsø6910052....
    5402 Harstad4610065926
    5403 Alta1210042....
    Males
    The whole country2 45710071722
    3001 Halden....00..
    3002 Moss1610069031
    3003 Sarpsborg1710076..24
    3004 Fredrikstad4810079813
    3005 Drammen5410063928
    3006 Kongsberg......00
    3007 Ringerike1810067....
    3014 Indre Østfold61001000..
    3020 Nordre Follo2410075....
    3021 Ås4100..0..
    3024 Bærum3710084016
    3025 Asker4710089....
    3029 Lørenskog13100100....
    3030 Lillestrøm1910058042
    3031 Nittedal8100......
    3033 Ullensaker17100....0
    3034 Nes4100..0..
    3035 Eidsvoll6100......
    3048 Øvre Eiker5100..0..
    3049 Lier16100......
    0301 Oslo municipality200100651026
    3403 Hamar14100......
    3405 Lillehammer1310010000
    3407 Gjøvik2910072....
    3411 Ringsaker......0..
    3413 Stange7100....0
    3420 Elverum910010000
    3801 Horten12100....33
    3802 Holmestrand......0..
    3803 Tønsberg47100701317
    3804 Sandefjord2910072....
    3805 Larvik3210066....
    3806 Porsgrunn2510064....
    3807 Skien2310065....
    3811 Færder1610075....
    4202 Grimstad1110055....
    4203 Arendal3610067033
    4204 Kristiansand11210063730
    4205 Lindesnes20100..0..
    1103 Stavanger12310067....
    1106 Haugesund2110062....
    1108 Sandnes5610075....
    1120 Klepp410010000
    1124 Sola13100......
    1149 Karmøy1010060....
    4601 Bergen4310056....
    4624 Bjørnafjorden6100......
    4626 Øygarden510010000
    4627 Askøy410010000
    4631 Alver......0..
    4647 Sunnfjord1210067033
    1505 Kristiansund14100..0..
    1506 Molde4710083....
    1507 Ålesund1910068....
    5001 Trondheim6510063....
    5006 Steinkjer1810056....
    5035 Stjørdal13100..0..
    5037 Levanger2310074....
    1804 Bodø4110088..12
    1806 Narvik1110055....
    1833 Rana1810083170
    5401 Tromsø3510066....
    5402 Harstad2210086014
    5403 Alta......00
    Females
    The whole country2 35610050644
    3001 Halden......060
    3002 Moss2210050....
    3003 Sarpsborg26100621523
    3004 Fredrikstad3210044..56
    3005 Drammen27100631126
    3006 Kongsberg9100....33
    3007 Ringerike2310048....
    3014 Indre Østfold7100......
    3020 Nordre Follo2310057043
    3021 Ås1110064036
    3024 Bærum5310057..43
    3025 Asker1510047..53
    3029 Lørenskog9100......
    3030 Lillestrøm1910058....
    3031 Nittedal9100..0..
    3033 Ullensaker15100......
    3034 Nes8100..0..
    3035 Eidsvoll5100..0..
    3048 Øvre Eiker14100....57
    3049 Lier16100..0..
    0301 Oslo municipality19510049744
    3403 Hamar7100......
    3405 Lillehammer1610069..31
    3407 Gjøvik3810071....
    3411 Ringsaker..........
    3413 Stange14100..29..
    3420 Elverum10100..0..
    3801 Horten11100....55
    3802 Holmestrand......0..
    3803 Tønsberg26100381942
    3804 Sandefjord2310048..52
    3805 Larvik3110045....
    3806 Porsgrunn2110043....
    3807 Skien2210045....
    3811 Færder4100......
    4202 Grimstad1110055045
    4203 Arendal25100....64
    4204 Kristiansand10410039655
    4205 Lindesnes21100..0..
    1103 Stavanger6910045....
    1106 Haugesund1410064036
    1108 Sandnes3610056....
    1120 Klepp6100..0..
    1124 Sola5100..0..
    1149 Karmøy1110055045
    4601 Bergen7310040....
    4624 Bjørnafjorden910044056
    4626 Øygarden7100..0..
    4627 Askøy5100......
    4631 Alver......0..
    4647 Sunnfjord810038063
    1505 Kristiansund6100..0..
    1506 Molde4710045....
    1507 Ålesund3110039061
    5001 Trondheim8710046....
    5006 Steinkjer1110027..73
    5035 Stjørdal9100..0..
    5037 Levanger1510053047
    1804 Bodø21100671419
    1806 Narvik1610044056
    1833 Rana1310054....
    5401 Tromsø3410038....
    5402 Harstad24100461738
    5403 Alta..........
    On 25 January 2023 the table was updated with final figures for 2021 after information on self-employed persons in 2021 became available. Information on self-employed persons from 2020, the year prior to the reference year, was utilized in the previously published figures to improve the timeliness of the statistics. However, the mismatch in time of measurement, results in come uncertainty in the preliminary figures.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Former participants in the introduction programme for immigrants. Status on the labour market in November for those who ended/left the introduction programme last five years. By sex
    Former participants in the introduction programme for immigrants. Status on the labour market in November for those who ended/left the introduction programme last five years. By sex
    2021
    Persons, by residence while in programme
    Five years earlierFour years earlierThree years earlierTwo years earlierOne year earlier
    Both sexes
    Labour force status, total4 6676 1718 0478 0514 813
    Percent
    Labour force status, total100100100100100
    Employed and / or in education, total6870736961
    Employed4946423525
    Employed and in education1115201917
    In education89111418
    Registered unemployed and/or on labour market measures, total88776
    Jobseekers not registered unemployed65554
    Other jobseekers, on labour market measures33222
    Other or unknown status, total2422202433
    Reduced capacity to work, taking part in a measure12122
    Receive work assessment allowances34454
    Health related allowances except work assessment allowance32211
    Receives cash for care and/or transition benefit11111
    Receives social assistance65568
    Other groups22223
    Unknown765814
    Males
    Labour force status, total2 6433 9945 6215 3242 457
    Percent
    Labour force status, total100100100100100
    Employed and / or in education, total7578797671
    Employed6156514437
    Employed and in education1116212122
    In education4671113
    Registered unemployed and/or on labour market measures, total88777
    Jobseekers not registered unemployed65554
    Other jobseekers, on labour market measures22222
    Other or unknown status, total1715141722
    Reduced capacity to work, taking part in a measure......12
    Receive work assessment allowances33344
    Health related allowances except work assessment allowance2211..
    Receives cash for care and/or transition benefit......0..
    Receives social assistance44457
    Other groups11112
    Unknown54346
    Females
    Labour force status, total2 0242 1772 4262 7272 356
    Percent
    Labour force status, total100100100100100
    Employed and / or in education, total5856585550
    Employed3328221813
    Employed and in education1314181613
    In education1214182124
    Registered unemployed and/or on labour market measures, total99986
    Jobseekers not registered unemployed66654
    Other jobseekers, on labour market measures33332
    Other or unknown status, total3435333844
    Reduced capacity to work, taking part in a measure......22
    Receive work assessment allowances44555
    Health related allowances except work assessment allowance3321..
    Receives cash for care and/or transition benefit......2..
    Receives social assistance98889
    Other groups44345
    Unknown910111621
    On 25 January 2023 the table was updated with final figures for 2021 after information on self-employed persons in 2021 became available. Information on self-employed persons from 2020, the year prior to the reference year, was utilized in the previously published figures to improve the timeliness of the statistics. However, the mismatch in time of measurement, results in come uncertainty in the preliminary figures.
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

The statistics include content in the introduction programme and encompass recipients of introductory benefit. The figures for previous participants include those who have completed or dropped out of the programme, as well as status in relation to employment and education for a five-year period after the programme.

Participant

A person who, during the reference year, was registered by a local authority as a participant on the introduction programme.

Former participant

A former participant is someone who completed the programme or for different reasons dropped out of the programme in a given year, and is registered as resident in Norway in November the following year.

Introduction benefit

The introduction benefit is the benefit that introduction programme participants receive from the local authority to cover subsistence expenses during the period of the programme. The benefit on an annual basis is equal to twice the basic amount of National Insurance (2G). Participants under the age of 25 receive two-thirds of the benefit. The benefit is taxable, and if the participant is absent from training and initiatives without a valid reason, their benefit is reduced for each hour they are not in attendance. Everyone receives the same amount of benefit as it is not means tested. This means that it is not reduced due to child allowance, cash support etc. Nor is the benefit reduced due to income from self-employment or other work, or due to the possession of capital. To the extent that paid work is included in the programme, the benefit is reduced correspondingly for the period that the work is carried out. National insurance benefits, such as sickness benefit and unemployment benefit, are nevertheless reduced accordingly.

Initiatives in the introduction programme

The introduction programme is available for persons in need of basic qualification, and as a minimum must include Norwegian language training, knowledge about society and initiatives that prepare participants for further education/training or the labour market.

In addition to traditional Norwegian language training, initiatives are also offered outside the traditional classroom teaching, such as language practice in a workplace. Language practice is part of the Norwegian language training, where participants are placed in a workplace for part of the week in order to practice their Norwegian skills in an authentic setting.

Initiatives that prepare participants for further education/training or the labour market may entail practice work or other initiatives organised by NAV, vocational training, computer training, lower secondary or upper secondary studies etc. Vocational training is a method of real competence assessment that documents both theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

Ending reasons

When a participant finishes the introductory program, detailed reasons for ending the programme are recorded in NIR. The statistics use the following categorization of ending reasons: work, high school and higher education, elementary school, public-sector qualification measures, social assistance, other benefits and relocation.

Immigrants

Persons born abroad to two foreign-born parents and four foreign grandparents. Immigrants have immigrated to Norway at one time or another.

Persons with a refugee background

Persons who have come to Norway seeking refuge, and family members of these groups who came here as part of family reunification. Children born to persons with a refugee background after their parents came to Norway are not included in this category, and neither are asylum seekers.

Country of birth

Mainly the mother’s country of residence when a person was born.

Employment/education

Made up of persons who are registered as employed or in education, and those who are registered with a combination of employment and education. Employed persons are defined as those who performed paid work for at least one hour during the reference week, and persons who had such work but were on temporary leave during the reference week due to illness, holiday, paid leave etc.

Registered unemployed/on initiative is defined as persons who are registered as unemployed with NAV, and persons on ordinary labour market initiatives.

Other or unknown status

Part of a collective term for the weakest degree of labour market attachment. Other status relates to individuals with a reduced ability to work who are on initiatives organised by NAV, those on long-term sick leave and recipients of social assistance. Unknown status means that they are not registered in any of the available data sources we use in the status reporting for labour market attachment. These individuals are therefore not employed, in education, registered unemployed or participating in labour market initiatives.

Country background is a person or a person’s mother’s or father’s country of birth. Persons without an immigrant background only have Norway as a country background. When both parents are foreign-born, they are normally born in the same country. In cases where the parents were born in different countries, the mother’s country of birth is used.

Municipality in this context is the programme participant’s municipality of residence.

Name: Introduction programme for immigrants
Topic: Education

25 January 2024

Division for Population Statistics

National, county, municipal and district in Oslo for previous participants, and breakdown by industry region.

Annual.

Not relevant

Files at an individual level with data are processed and stored long term.

Act no. 80 of 4 July 2003 on an introduction programme and Norwegian language training for newly arrived immigrants (the Introduction Act) made the introduction programme and introduction benefit mandatory for local authorities as of 1 September 2004. Prior to the programme being made mandatory, a growing number of municipalities had various types of trial schemes.

The purpose of the Introduction Act is to strengthen immigrants’ potential to participate in the labour market and society, and facilitate their financial independence. Section 2 of the Act stipulates who has the right and obligation to participate in the introduction programme. These are persons with a refugee background, family members of these groups who came here as part of family reunification, and persons who have been allowed to stay on an independent basis following a relationship breakdown due to abuse. Furthermore, the person must be between 18 and 55 years old and in need of basic qualification. The introduction programme is adapted to the individual’s needs for qualification and can generally last up to two years. In special cases, the programme may be extended to three years. The aim of the programme is to provide newly arrived immigrants with a refugee background with basic skills in Norwegian, a basic insight into Norwegian society, and to prepare them for participation in the labour market and/or education. Programme participants are entitled to introduction benefit, which, on an annual basis, equals twice the basic amount of the National Insurance. Participants under the age of 25 receive two-thirds of the benefit.

Users of the statistics include the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (until 16 December 2015: Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion), Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi), KS (the municipal sector’s association), municipalities, researchers, students and the media. Statistics based on KOSTRA data aim to provide management information on local authorities and county authorities, for use by the population and media, local authorities and central government bodies.

No external users have access to the statistics and analyses before they are published and accessible simultaneously for all users on ssb.no at 08 am. Prior to this, a minimum of three months' advance notice is given inthe Statistics Release Calendar. This is one of Statistics Norway’s key principles for ensuring that all users are treated equally.

Statistics Norway has retrieved the information about participation in the introduction scheme from the Introduction Act. Pursuant to section 10 of the Statistics Act Statistics Norway will compile official statistics from data received.

Not relevant

Participants

The statistics on participation in the introduction programme include information about each participant of the introduction programme in the municipalities. The statistics include all who are registered as participants in the current year, and include information about the participant's gender, age, marital status, start date and end date of participation in the introduction programme, which initiatives they have participated in during the reference year, their ending reasons/status, which months they have received the benefit, and the total benefit amount for the year.

Former participants

Information about former participants on the introduction programme includes those who have completed or for various reasons left the programme in a given year. We follow their status in the labour market and in education over the next five years.

Participants

From 2017, statistics on participants in the introduction programme are based on data from the National Introduction Register (NIR) of the Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi).

In addition, information about the municipalities' reporting of payment of introduction benefit is obtained from the A-melding.

Until 2016 the statistics are based on local authorities’ annual submissions of electronic forms and file extractions in relation to participants who are registered on KOSTRA form 11B.

The data is then synthesised with the population statistics of 31 December in the reporting year.

Full count, i.e. all local authorities with participants on the programme should report to Statistics Norway.

Former participants

The statistics of former participants are based on KOSTRA information for all years, up to and including those who completed the introductory program in 2016.

For former participants, the data is further synthesised with the System for personal data, where information from a number of registers is collated. Register data has a reference date in November each year and contains information about whether a person is employed, registered unemployed, on an employment initiative, in education, or is in receipt of specific types of state benefits or measures. A person may, on the reference date, have more than one status at the same time, for example where they are both in employment and receiving benefit. One of the aims of these statistics is to examine how many people are active, and we have examined the activities of employment and education in addition to the combination of these. The following prioritisation was made: if a person is registered as unemployed, but is also in education, they are considered to be in education and not unemployed. As regards the other statuses, such as health-related benefits and social assistance, there are many who receive these in combination with, for example, employment, education or registered unemployment. In such cases, work and other activities, as well as registered unemployment, are prioritised.

Data is collected from the local authorities through the KOSTRA reporting. Most of the local authorities have their own business systems from which data is retrieved, while some report using an electronic form. All participants with a valid personal identification number are linked to population data from 31 December of the reporting year. Only persons who are resident in Norway at the end of the year are included in the statistics. The KOSTRA tables, however, include all participants in the year.

Checks are performed on personal identification numbers, in addition to logical value verification. In addition to the checks carried out in the National Population Register, Statistics Norway also performs checks for statistical purposes.

Former participants, leaving cohort
In order for former participants to be assigned a leaving cohort, the following processing is done: (a) All participants on the introduction programme whose status in KOSTRA is ‘completed’ or ‘dropped out’ at the end of the year are initially included in the population; (b) Only those who have actually completed the course, i.e. who are not just on temporary leave from the programme, are included in the cohort. The population is therefore checked against those who participated in the programme the following year; and (c) Women who drop out of the programme because they give birth immediately after dropping out of the programme or who for various reasons do not return to the programme once their leave ends, are added to the next cohort. Thus, they are only included in the statistics once they have had a year’s leave for child care.

Not relevant

Figures are not shown where there are fewer than four units.

The statistics were first published in 2006 for the statistics year 2005.

Errors in connection with the collection and processing of data can occur. There may be coding errors, revision errors, or errors in the electronic data processing etc. Extensive efforts are made to minimise such errors. Thus, they can normally be disregarded in a statistical context.

There should in principle be no sampling errors as this is a full count.

Not relevant

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