Resettlement

1
Resettlement Best Practices and experiences
from Norway

• Kjell Østby, Deputy Director General,
• Department of Integration and Diversity,
• Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion
• 21st January 2009, Third Swiss Asylum Symposium

2
Overview

• The Big Picture and a Statistical Overview
  2008-2009
• Norwegian Policy
• Who does what roles in resettlement
• Norwegian policy on integration and inclusion
• Integration in Practice
• Financing Integration
• Results and challenges

3
Population structure, 1. January 2008
The total immigrant population 460 000 9.7
of the total population
Total population 4 737 200
460 000
Descendants of immigrants 79 000
First generation 381 000 persons
Statistical data provided by Statistics Norway
(SSB)
4
The fifteen largest immigrant groups in Norway,
1. January 2008
Statistical data provided by Statistics Norway
(SSB)
5
Overview quota refugees 2000-2008
6
Quota refugees for 2009

• 1 200 places for the 2009 quota
• Places from previous years ( 3 year perspective)
• Nationals from Iran, Palestine, Afghans,
  Eritreans, Bhutanese, Burmese

7
Norwegian Policy

• Norway has an annual quota of 1 200 places
• Norway sets and allocates its quota on the
  UNHCRs assesment of current resettlement needs
  and priorities
• Quotas are suggested by the government and
  ratified by the Parliament
• Annual quotas have a three-year perspective
  giving flexibility

8
Norwegian Policy continued

• Places allocated additionally for fulfilling
  other criteria
• Norway has implemented a Cultural Orientation
  Program
• Refugees are resettled directly in
  municipalities. The goal is rapid, good and
  stable resettlement

9
Who Does What roles in resettlement

• The Directorate of Integration and Diversity
  (IMDi) is responsible for the placement of
  refugees.
• The municipality is responsible for all municipal
  services (housing, health etc) and for the
  implementation of national integration schemes
  (The Introductory Programme)
• NGOs assist refugees with additional services

10
Three level system of government
Central government
19 County authorities
430 Municipalities
11
Norwegian policy on integration and inclusion

• Integration policy is primarily aimed towards
  newly arrived immigrants while policies of
  inclusion act on organising society to provide
  equal opportunities for all
• Social inclusion means that everyone who lives in
  Norway is intended to have equal rights,
  opportunities and responsibilities.
• This means that rights and obligations exist for
  all members of Norwegian society

12
Integration and inclusion in practice

• Introductory Programme - regulated nationally
  since 01.09.2004.
• Refugees and others start participating within 3
  months of being resettled
• A qualifying measure providing Norwegian language
  skills, civic instruction and assisting in
  employment or starting further education.
• Secures economic self-sufficiency, provides a
  foundation for understanding and participating in
  society and gives an initial network of people

13
Financing integration

• Municipalities receive integration subsidies
  intended to cover expenditures for resettled
  refugees. These consist of
• The integration grant amounting to ca. NOK 3,5
  billion (2009 state budget)
• Training in Norwegian language and civic
  instruction amounting to ca NOK 1,5 billion (2009
  state budget)
• Grants to municipalities and NGOs in assisting
  integration and further developing services that
  aid integration

14
Results and future challenges

• Results of the Introductory Programme
• Improving the quality of the programme to provide
  increased differentiation (language/employment)
• The effects of the financial crisis on the labour
  market