The Ministry of Education and Research Strategy

Integration through knowledge The Government’s integration strategy for 2019-2022

2

Contents

Foreword ...... 4 5 - Economic and Administrative Consequences ...... 63 Introduction ...... 7 Financial means ...... 63 Integration measures in the budget ...... 65 1 - Education and Qualification ...... 13 Early intervention - the education process for 6 - The Road Ahead ...... 67 children and young people ...... 15 Qualification and education for adult immigrants Attachments - Other Relevant ...... 25 Ongoing Work ...... 71 2 - Work ...... 33

3 - Everyday Integration...... 43

4 - The Right to Live a Free Life ...... 55

3

Foreword

One of the Government’s main projects is to negative about the integration situation. reinforce the integration effort. The aim is to Integration presents us with clear challenges, but increase immigrants’ participation in working life much is also moving in the right direction. The and in society in general. Those who are going to main challenge is that the employment rate is too start a new life in must be a part of large low, which also leads to exclusion and children and small communities in our society. living in poverty. An important explanation for this is that many people, refugees in particular, lack The most important goal of the integration the skills that the Norwegian labor market strategy is that more immigrants should work, so demands. that they are able to provide for themselves and their families. Work also brings people together At the same time, we see that education is a and ensures their economic freedom and source of strong social mobility, especially among independence. Through their work efforts, those born in Norway with immigrant parents. immigrants must contribute to development and Many children and young people with an value creation, and an economically sustainable immigrant background are making an impressive welfare society. social journey, and they are powerfully driven towards education. Therefore, a strong and clear The Norwegian welfare society is built on trust, investment in education, qualification and skills is cohesion, minor disparities and opportunities for a priority in our strategy. This will help many all. To protect this, we must make sure we have a immigrants acquire the skills both they and community with room for diversity, and respect for society need, and enable them to find work and the basic values and norms on which our society contribute to value creation and welfare. is built. We must prevent segregation and promote a community spirit. This is important for The strategy also involves strengthening the effort securing the sustainability of society. A restrictive to prevent segregation and exclusion. We will and legally sound immigration policy is also promote participation and togetherness. It is the necessary for successful integration. small and close communities that play the greatest part in ensuring a good life. It is The Government’s integration strategy sets the especially important for children and young course we need to take to reach our goal of people with an immigrant background to be able higher labour participation among immigrants and to participate in activities and on social arenas on participation in society in general. The strategy equal terms as other children. Voluntary specifies the main steps and the most important organisations, sports and cultural life are key measures. areas where we will cooperate, to make everyday integration a success. We should be neither too optimistic nor too

4

A good integration process and a well functioning country with different backgrounds, resources, society require a common understanding of challenges and opportunities. Some seek Norwegian society and culture. The Government protection from war and conflict, others come to will also strengthen support for the basic values work or to be united with their spouse or family and norms on which the Norwegian society is members. built. Everyone living in Norway should be able to live a free life and pursue their own dreams We require everyone to make a real effort to learn without coercion or negative social control. Norwegian, understand Norwegian society, participate in the community and contribute. As a Integration is a two-way process, requiring the society, we will provide good education and authorities to provide good opportunities, and qualification measures, and increase participation. individual immigrants to make their own Our goal is opportunities for all, regardless of contribution. To reinforce the integration effort background. demands input from many players in public services, in working life and in civil society. But, first and foremost, it requires an effort from individuals themselves. Immigrants come to our

[SIGNATURE] [SIGNATURE]

Erna Solberg Prime Minister Minister of Education and Integraton

[SIGNATURE] [SIGNATURE]

Siv Jensen Minister of Finance Minister of Culture and Equality

5

6

Introduction

The aims of the integration strategy Low rate of employment and skills gap. The reinforced integration effort is one of the The main challenge for the integration policy is Government’s six main areas of commitment. The that too many immigrants, particularly refugees main challenges are low employment rates and women, remain outside the labor market. In among immigrants, a skills gap, and exclusion comparison with the population as a whole, along economic, social and cultural dividing lines. immigrants have lower employment rate, less job The goal of the strategy is, through a coordinated security, more part-time work and short-term and comprehensive effort, to increase labour contracts, a higher unemployment rate and more participation and participation in society in people who are without work or education. general,. The reinforced integration effort and the Immigrants also face discrimination at work, they strategy are important in order to ensure are often over-qualified for the positions they hold, economic and social sustainability, opportunities and more stop working before retirement age. for all and a welfare society with trust, cohesion There are large variations in employment and and only minor disparities. self-sufficiency between different groups of immigrants. Among refugees in particular, a The integration policy must be seen in the context significantly lower proportion are employed and of the immigration policy. The Government is self-sufficient compared to the population as a pursuing a restrictive, responsible and legally whole. The employment rate increases with years sound immigration policy. This provides the basis of residence, but decreases among certain groups for good integration. The Government’s objective after some years. is a sustainable immigration and integration policy. One of the main reasons for low employment, especially among refugees, is that they lack the The main challenges formal skills required by Norwegian employers. The knowledge on which the integration policy is Around 70 per cent of the refugees who came to based is solid. It includes important statistical Norway in 2015 and 2016 had no education, or indicators that are monitored over time, , only a primary school education. As shown in both committee work in recent years, and a number of the NOU (Norwegian Official Report) 2017:2 studies on selected topics. The Government’s Integration and Trust (Brochmann 2 Committee) analysis of the main challenges is presented and the evaluation Introductory Programme and below. Norwegian Language Teaching. What works - for whom? (FAFO report 2017:31), we are not

succeeding in closing this skills gap through the current system. The variations in the results of the

introductory programme between the municipalities are too great. In some

7 municipalities, 8 out of 10 participants enter schooling are poorly equipped to complete their education or work after completing the secondary education, and they have a worryingly introductory programme, while in other high drop-out rate, especially boys. municipalities only 3 out of 10 do so. There are large variations between the results for women Exclusion and men. There are also large variations in the Statistics Norway’s survey of living conditions in the qualifications that are offered, and few 2016 shows that, on the whole, immigrants have municipalities offer formal qualification as part of poorer living conditions and lower social and the introductory programme. democratic participation than the population in general. Children with an immigrant background, Norwegian language courses are of of varying i.e. both children who have immigrated and quality, and the results of tests in Norwegian fall children born in Norway with immigrant parents, below national targets in many municipalities, are strongly overrepresented in households with although the target is being reached on a country- continually low income. In 2016 almost 37 per wide basis. Many live in Norway for a long time cent of children with an immigrant background without a satisfactory command of Norwegian, belonged to households with continually low and are therefore left outside the educational income, against just over 5 per cent of children arena, work life and other sectors of society. without an immigrant background. One in four Without knowledge of Norwegian, they are also women and one in five men have complex vulnerable and dependent on others. problems to do with living conditions. Immigrants, large families with children and single parents are The requirements for formal skills will increase in more vulnerable on the housing market than other the future as a result of the digitisation and groups. Living conditions, and social and modernisation of society. At the same time, there democratic participation among immigrants is a need for more skilled professionals. improve with years of residence, however, and Projections show that we will be lacking around from one generation to the next. 70,000 skilled workers by 2030. If we succeed in giving more immigrants the skills required by Negative social control Norwegian employers, they will be able to both There are girls and boys, women and men living help meet important needs in society, and in Norwegian society today who do not have the become self-sufficient. freedom to make their own choises in life. They are subjected to what we call negative social We see a significantly higher employment rate control, forced marriage and female genital among persons born in Norway with immigrant mutilation (FGM). Negative social control refers to parents comparted to those who have immigrated different kinds of supervision, pressure, threats themselves. Persons born in Norway with and force that is exercised systematically to immigrant parents also have a higher level of ensure that individuals live in accordance with education and income than their parents, and are, family or group norms. This may be a matter of generally speaking, well integrated in Norwegian serious abuse in contravention of Norwegian law society. and international human rights conventions. It may also involve more concealed forms of control There are challenges, however. A number of that are not subject to the law, but which all the minority language children do not speak same constitute serious restrictions for the Norwegian well enough when they start school. individual’s life and freedom. Negative social More children attend kindergarten, but the the control appears in communities where honour and percentage is still lower for minority language shame play a central role. A new generation of children than for other children. This is particularly immigrants and their descendants have come to the case for very young children. Pupils who have grips with and distanced themselves from immigrated have lower primary school marks than negative social control, coercion and abuse. The children born in Norway with immigrant parents public authorities and civil society alike must do all and other pupils, and this applies in particular to they can to support their struggle, and ensure those with only a short period of residence. Many everyone is able to live a free life. who have immigrated at a late stage in their

8

The strategy independent and establishing trust and a sense of The main goal of the strategy is: Greater belonging. participation in working life and in society in general. Knowledge and a highly skilled population are also crucial for successful societal change and The integration strategy has four priority areas: value creation in the future, and for the 1. Education and Qualification sustainability of the welfare society. The investment in knowledge, skills and qualification is 2. Work therefore the most important step in the Government’s integration strategy. This will help 3. Everyday Integration immigrants and their descendants gain the skills they and society need, to enable them to find 4. The Right to Live a Free Life work and become independent and active participants in society. The social journey that children and young people with an immigrant background undertake through Through early intervention, the Government seeks the education system, shows how powerful a tool to ensure that children and young people with an education is for social mobility. Knowledge, immigrant background receive a high-quality education and proficiency in the Norwegian education on a par with that of children in general, language form the most important basis for finding giving them good opportunities for work, work and building a good life. Knowledge provides independence and participation in society. insight and understanding of society. Knowledge Attending kindergarten and receiving good follow- and good Norwegian language skills are up the first years of schooling are crucial. prerequisites for familiarisation with Norwegian Important reforms are proposed in order to ensure society, mastering everyday life, becoming that young people who have lived in Norway only a few years, receive a better primary education

9 and are able to complete their secondary and growth. education. Everyday integration concerns how we all Everyone who lives in Norway must be able to contribute to integration through day-to-day speak and understand Norwegian. Language is contact in formal and informal meeting places in the key to access large and small communities in society. Immigrants with Norwegian friends have Norwegian society. Lackof Norwegian proficiency better prospects for finding work and participating leads to exclusion,vulnerability, and dependence in other formal and informal social arenas. The on others. It is difficult to find work, participate in Government will place greater emphasis on society and provide good support for your children measures that promote participation and if you cannot speak Norwegian. The Government togetherness and prevent segregation. This is will renew and improve Norwegian language followed up with, among other things, measures education, with clearer requirements both for the to increase children’s and young people’s municipalities and for each person’s participation participation in activities, through settlement in learning. This will help many find a job and policy, housing policy and cooperation with integrate in society, making them more voluntary services and civil society. independent and active participants and contributors in society. Most people in Norway own their own home. There is also a high proportion of home owners In order to ensure a smoother transition to work or among immigrants, although it is lower than in the education for newly arrived immigrants, it is vital population as a whole. The Government believes that there is coherence between the mapping of home ownership contributes to stability, belonging the individual’s i skills, settlement in and good living environments, and will therefore municipalities, qualification and regional labour prioritise actions that can help more people to force needs. Main steps and actions within move from rental to ownership. several priority areas in this strategy will help to strengthen this coherence. The Government will strengthen the work to increase the understanding of and support for the The calculations of the Brochmann 2 Committee shared basic norms and values on which show that, with given conditions, it is socio- Norwegian society is built. This is important for economically profitable to invest in education for maintaining a society with trust, cohesion and refugees, as it gives considerable returns in the minor disparities. The inclusion of compulsory form of increased employment. For example, five parental guidance in the introductory programme years of schooling in order to provide secondary and a requirement for participation in Norwegian education to a refugee with a primary school language learning and courses in social education or lower will produce up to four times as knowledge, are some specific measures in this much yield as the investment costs. In addition, regard. there is the social impact in terms of self- sufficiency, independence and participation. Both To ensure that everyone is able to live a free life, the introductory programme and other the Government will strengthen efforts to prevent qualification measures will to an increasing negative social control, forced marriages and degree be designed to provide formal FGM. Measures are directed at changing the qualifications and education, so that immigrants attitudes and practices in the communities who will be living in Norway can be part of our concerned, ensuring better help and legal labour force and help meet important social needs protection for the vulnerable, and contributing to in the future. Better education and increased more knowledge among support services and employment are the most important tools for others. increasing participation, improving living conditions and reducing exclusion among The strategy will run from 2019 until 2022. The immigrants. efforts will therefore take place over several years. The following chapters present the most It is important for the Government to promote the important measures for achieving the objectives in positive effects of diversity in the working life, in each priority area, and the main goal of the order to contribute to innovation, development strategy. 10

Some of the measures are included in the individual’s everyday life. The various priority proposed budget for 2019. In addition, other areas are closely linked, and some of the measures will be evaluated in the strategy period measures in the strategy are mentioned in several and included in the reinforced integration effort. places because they contribute to the Measures will be evaluated in connection with achievement of goals in several priority areas. ongoing and new processes in the Government, for example, reports to the Norwegian Parliament, There are close links between equality, budget proposals and legislative work. The participation in the labour market and good living various measures will be implemented at different conditions for the family’s children. There are also times throughout the strategy period. Some may close links between everyday integration, trust in be implemented as early as in 2019, others can public support services, safe local communities only be implemented after further studies. For and school results. Basic Norwegian proficiency some, implementation will depend on budget and knowledge of Norwegian society is crucial for proposals in the coming years. participation in the working life and in society in general, for both children and adults. The strategy is divided into four priority areas, but these are areas that are mutually connected in an

The goals of the strategy

MAIN GOAL: GREATER PARTICIPATION IN WORKING LIFE AND SOCIETY

1. Education and Qualification 3. Everyday Integration To give children and young people with an Increased sense of belonging and participation immigrant background good Norwegian in society among immigrants language proficiency, basic competences and professional skills, through equal schooling from kindergarten to secondary education to that of children in general.

To increase immigrants’ labour participation through better qualification and education

2. Work 4. The Right to Live a Free Life More immigrants with a strong and stable To prevent negative social control and break foothold in working life down barriers to the freedom of the individual

MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF GRANT FUNDING FOR BETTER ACHIEVEMENT OF GOALS This includes simplifying the grants and assessing increased use of financial incentives in the municipalities’ settlement and integration work

11