Norwegian Ministries Immigration and Immigrants 2015–2016 IMO Report for Norway Prepared by the correspondent to OECD’s reporting system on migration: Espen Thorud Ministry of Justice and Public Security In collaboration with Toril Haug-Moberg Ministry of Justice and Public Security Taryn Galloway Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs Edit Skeide Skårn Ministry of Education and Research Else Margrete Rafoss and Ragnhild Bendiksby Ministry of Children and Equality Arild Haffner Naustdal, Pia Buhl Girolami, Truls Knudsen, Joachim Kjaerner-Semb Ministry of Justice and Public Security Statistics Norway: Statistics on migration, employment, education etc. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration: Permit statistics Acknowledgement We are grateful for the valuable assistance provided by Statistics Norway, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigra- tion, the Norwegian Directorate of Education, and the Norwegian Directorate of Integration and Diversity and for contributions from colleagues in the four ministries. Table of contents 1 OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................................... 9 2 MIGRATION – GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................................ 13 2.1 Legislation and policy ........................................................................................................................................ 13 2.2 Migration ........................................................................................................................................................... 14 2.3 Immigration according to entry categories ....................................................................................................... 16 3 FAMILY-RELATED IMMIGRATION ................................................................................................................................ 21 3.1 Legislation and policy ........................................................................................................................................ 21 3.2 Permits and EU/EFTA-registrations – family migrants .................................................................................... 22 4 LABOUR MIGRATION .................................................................................................................................................. 25 4.1 Legislation and policy ........................................................................................................................................ 25 4.2 Permits and EU/EFTA-registrations – labour migrants .................................................................................... 26 4.3 Labour migrants and service providers on short-term stay ............................................................................... 28 5 MIGRATION FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING .............................................................................................................. 31 5.1 Legislation and policy ........................................................................................................................................ 31 5.2 Permits and EU/EFTA-registrations – education .............................................................................................. 31 6 ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES .............................................................................................................................. 33 6.1 Legislation and policy ........................................................................................................................................ 33 6.2 Asylum applications ........................................................................................................................................... 35 6.3 Asylum decisions ................................................................................................................................................ 37 6.4 Resettlement of refugees .................................................................................................................................... 38 6.5 Settlement of refugees in municipalities ............................................................................................................ 39 7 IRREGULAR MIGRATION AND RETURN ........................................................................................................................ 43 7.1 Legislation and policy ........................................................................................................................................ 43 7.2 Facts and figures ............................................................................................................................................... 43 8 FOREIGNERS, IMMIGRANTS AND NORWEGIAN-BORN WITH IMMIGRANT PARENTS ...................................................... 47 8.1 Population growth ............................................................................................................................................. 47 8.2 Foreign citizens ................................................................................................................................................. 47 8.3 Immigrants and Norwegian-born with immigrant parents ................................................................................ 48 8.4 Marriage and divorce ........................................................................................................................................ 51 9 INTEGRATION POLICY ................................................................................................................................................. 53 9.1 General policy principles .................................................................................................................................. 53 9.2 Action Plans and strategies ............................................................................................................................... 54 10 TRAINING AND SKILLS .............................................................................................................................................. 57 10.1 Basic qualifications ......................................................................................................................................... 57 10.2 Recognition of the skills of immigrants ............................................................................................................ 62 11 EDUCATION .............................................................................................................................................................. 63 11.1 Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)................................................................................................ 63 11.2 Primary and secondary education ................................................................................................................... 65 11.3 Adult education ................................................................................................................................................ 73 11.4 Higher education ............................................................................................................................................. 74 12 THE LABOUR MARKET .............................................................................................................................................. 77 12.1 Labour Market and Social Policy .................................................................................................................... 77 12.2 General application of collective agreements ................................................................................................. 77 12.3 Employment ..................................................................................................................................................... 78 12.4 Unemployment ................................................................................................................................................. 81 13 POLITICAL AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION ........................................................................................................... 87 13.1 Elections .......................................................................................................................................................... 87 13.2 Voluntary activities .......................................................................................................................................... 90 14 CHILD WELFARE SERVICES ...................................................................................................................................... 93 14.1 Legislation and policy ...................................................................................................................................... 93 14.2 Facts and figures ............................................................................................................................................. 94 15 DISCRIMINATION ...................................................................................................................................................... 97 16 CITIZENSHIP AND NATURALISATION ........................................................................................................................ 99