Now, just over 2 years after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, which caused its highest unemployment rate in history, 26 people are losing unemployment benefits. This is more than twice as much as in the entire 400.
The coronavirus pandemic unemployment benefits have been extended in several rounds, but these extensions will expire on March 31, 2022.
Data from the beginning of March show that around 1 jobseekers will lose unemployment benefits on April 20. In April and May, the same will happen to the next 000. A total of 6 people could lose unemployment benefits in the next two months.
10 people were made redundant during the pandemic
During the coronavirus pandemic, it was easier to fire an employee and many have been laid off. After the restraints were lifted, many of the dismissed people returned to work in whole or in part. Of the 26 people currently losing unemployment benefits, 400 were made redundant during the pandemic.
This means that 6 out of 10 people who lose unemployment benefits now are regular jobseekers. Most of them do not have an employer to return to or a relationship with their working life, says head of statistics at NAV, Ulf Andersen.
Largest share in Oslo and Viken
Typical occupational groups where many are currently losing unemployment benefits are: shop work (1600), managers (2400), other commercial work (1500), cleaning (1500), foremen, waiters and support staff (1400), and drivers means of transport (1300).
11500 live in Oslo and Viken, while only 1400 live in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark.
- The proportion of people currently losing unemployment benefits in Oslo and Viken is almost twice as high as the population would suggest compared to Nordland, Troms and Finnmark. This is partly due to demographic factors, but also to different business structures. It also shows which companies were hit hardest in the pandemic, says Andersen.
The situation is special and we have not seen anything like it before
Typically around 12 each year jobseekers leave the benefit period for the unemployed. Now, just over two years since the start of the pandemic that hit Norway, the same thing is happening to 26 job seekers in just two months.
– The situation is quite unique and we have not seen anything like it before. Though unemployment in Norway is low and job vacancies are at record levels, many people who have been unemployed for a long time and are now losing unemployment benefits will find that their skills and experience do not quite meet employers' requirements, says Andersen.
Pictured: NAV's head of statistics, Ulf Andersen.
Source: NAV
