Next to Nothing: The Impact of the Norwegian Introduction Programme on Female Immigrants’ Labour Market Inclusion

Elisabeth Ugreninov,Lena Magnusson Turner

doi:10.1017/s004727942100043x

Abstract

AbstractIn 2003, Norway implemented an ‘Introduction Programme’ that aimed to increase labour market inclusion among newly arrived immigrants. Its main objectives were to facilitate free courses in Norwegian language training and social studies, and education or on-the-job training. The participants were given an allowance to attend the programme. This paper uses administrative register data to evaluate the effect of the Norwegian introduction programme on female immigrants’ employment and earnings prospects. The sample consists of female immigrants from Asia or Africa who immigrated to Norway 18 months before or after the implementation of the introduction programme. The study measures their probability of being employed and their mean earnings 4–6 and 7–9 years after immigration. The results show that the Norwegian introduction programme had a small but significant effect on women’s employment, but not on their earnings. This article suggests that the small effect of the programme on employment and non-effect on earnings may imply a displacement effect rather than an improvement in language skills and labour market skills.

Highlights

Immigrants’ substantial disadvantages in the labour market are a major barrier to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal, which promotes inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Our results extend previous research findings by documenting an employment effect of the Norwegian introduction programme (NIP) among refugees and family-reunited immigrants: partly deviating from a study presented in a Norwegian report (Røed et al, ), which suggests that the introduction of the NIP had no effect on employment
To the best of our knowledge, this is because our study has a narrower focus on the time span close to the reform date, includes African countries (AAC) immigrants and uses a more nuanced division of family reunification, which enables us to use a stable control group that was not covered by the NIP

Summary

Introduction

Immigrants’ substantial disadvantages in the labour market are a major barrier to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal , which promotes inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. The facilitation of free courses in Norwegian language and social studies, and the focus on on-the-job training, this study expects the NIP to have a positive effect on treated immigrants’ acquisition of host-country human capital, and enhance their employment prospects compared to nontreated immigrants.

Results

Conclusion