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Labour migration Norway's integration and diversity policy

Timothy SzlachetkoNorwegian Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi)

FAFO, 15 October 2013

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Outline

• Integration and diversity policy in Norway• Facts and figures• Measures aimed at labour immigrants and their

families

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Norwegian integration and diversity policy

Key principles

Equal rights and

responsibilities

Sector responsibility

(mainstreaming) principle

Labour market participation

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A Comprehensive Integration Policy: Diversity and Community• White Paper launched

October 2012. Divided into 2 sections

Living conditions and participationCommunity and belonging

• Overarching goal for integration and diversity policy

All people who live in Norway are able to utilise their resources and participate in the community

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Directorate of Integration and Diversity:Integrerings- og mangfoldsdirektoratet (IMDi)

• IMDi promotes equal opportunities and living conditions in a diverse society by strengthening the opportunities of immigrants to participate in, and contribute to, the community

IMDi has 6 regional offices: Oslo, Gjøvik, Trondheim, Kristiansand, Bergen and NarvikOffice of the Director, as well as other administrative and strategic offices - Oslo

IMDi implements policy on behalf of the Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion• Norwegian language and social studies• Introductory programs for refugees – with benefits• Equitable public services• Interpretation services• Community engagement• Grants to immigrant organisations• Partnership agreements (funded/grants) with major non-

government/voluntary organisations (e.g. Red Cross)• Dialogue and consultative bodies• Citizenship and the right to vote in local elections (for

permanent residents)• Research and development

• In addition, services and benefits aimed at the general population through the Norwegian welfare state

IMDis most important partners are…..

• Municipalities• Public authorities• Research community

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Immigration facts and figures:14% of the population has an immigrant background

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Immigration facts and figures:Immigrants live in all municipalities

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Poles in Norway:Poles are the largest immigrant group in Norway

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0100002000030000400005000060000700008000090000

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Total resident

Net immigration

Poles in Norway

• 17% of all residents in Norway with foreign citizenship are Polish

• 77 100 Poles live in Norway

• 81% are between 20-66 years of age. Double so many men as women

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IMDis role

Monitor labour migration and its impact on integration, both for individuals and society as a whole

• Practical information on laws, regulations, rights and obligations for new arrivals and their families

• Practical advice about day-to-day life in Norway

• 18 contributors – public agencies, organisations

• IMDi is editor and responsible for developing Ny i Norge

• Over 100 000 copies in Polish distributed between September 2009 and September 2013

• 20% of all visitors to nyinorge.no er Polish (from Poland and abroad)

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Ny i Norge/New in Norway Practical information for labour migrants

www.nyinorge.no

Grants to non-government organisations (NGOs)• Grants to NGOs for information

and guidance projects targeting immigrants

Established in 2008 primarily for projects targeting labour migrantsGrant scheme varies between 2-7 NOK million7 organisations received funding in 2013 for projects aimed at labour migrants and their families

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Outcomes for immigrants and their children

• In general, integration is progressing well over timeAlthough the process of integrating into society takes longer for some groups than others

• Immigrants are relatively well integrated into the labour market, performing relatively well in education and training (particularly Norwegian-born children of immigrants), increasingly participating in civil society and democracy

• Important factors effecting integration include: socio-economic background, labour-market participation and Norwegian language proficiency, access to housing, discrimination

For more informationNorwegian Ministry of Children, Equality and Inclusion

www.regjeringen.dep.no/bld/english

Norwegian Directorate of Integration and Diversitywww.imdi.no/en/Sprak/English/

Statistics Norwaywww.ssb.no/innvandring_en/