Published November 13, 2024 at 12:22 p.m
Foreign. The proportion of social benefits that go to immigrants in Norway has increased sharply – and 69 percent of all payments now go to people born abroad, according to new figures from the authority SSB.
In total, 6.7 of the 9.7 billion Norwegian kroner that was distributed in social benefits in 2023 went to immigrants. The sharp increase worries politicians, especially within the Høyre party, reports The online newspaper.
Høyre’s immigration policy spokesperson, Mari Holm Lønseth, believes that immigrants are not getting to work quickly enough. She proposes stricter requirements, including compulsory activity for welfare recipients under the age of 40 and a tightening of rules for family reunification.
Labor and Integration Minister Tonje Brenna comments that the government has already implemented several of Høyre’s proposals. She highlights that the introduction program for refugees has become more work-oriented and that more measures are being taken to support the work line in the integration policy.
A large part of the increase in social benefits is explained by the many Ukrainian refugees who have arrived since 2021, according to Nettavisen. Tonje Brenna emphasizes that the government is focusing on getting more people into work, but states that language barriers and the need for qualification take time.
Source: www.friatider.se
