Eight out of ten Ukrainian refugees are satisfied with Norway

Eight out of ten Ukrainian refugees who participated in an induction program last year find it useful. Participants particularly pay attention to Norwegian education and the way they are perceived by teachers participating in the program.

“Norwegian municipalities have made – and continue to make – an impressive effort to accommodate the large number of Ukrainian refugees that Norway had to settle and integrate so quickly,” says Lisbeth Fransplass Røren, acting director of the Directorate for Integration and Diversity (IMDi).

The group of Ukrainian refugees who took part in the study last autumn differed from the other participants in three areas; they have been in the introductory program for too short a time.

Satisfaction with programs

In the "National user survey among participants of the Norwegian and social studies introductory and training program", which IMDi conducted last autumn among over 6500 participants, both refugees from Ukraine, as well as other refugees, are consistently very satisfied with the program.

The 2022 results show that most participants have a good relationship with the program advisor. A program advisor must be appointed and monitor each individual participant in the introduction program. All participants must have their own designated advisor. 93 percent respond that this person always or often treats them with respect, and 84 percent he experiences support when he needs it.

Almost all respondents say that they are respected by the teacher (98%) and that they receive help from the teacher when they need it (95%).

– For refugees who arrive to experience reception in the communes as useful, educational and respectful, it is valuable for all parties. This also motivates us to further develop the introduction programme, says Lisbeth Fransplass Røren.

Cooperation and projects focused on taking up work.

Many of those who come from Ukraine have higher education, but the language often stands in the way of finding a job. Seven out of ten Ukrainian refugees believe that the introduction program is too short to learn Norwegian well enough to qualify for participation in the Norwegian labor market.

IMDi wants to enable even more people to gain work experience through the introduction programme. Several municipalities are already underway and IMDi is now organizing regional capacity building meetings where municipalities can learn from each other.

– There is a need for more work-oriented content in the introduction program. Language is important, but it is important that language training is combined with work-oriented content - so that together we contribute to a quick transition to work. The time in the program must be used in the best possible way, emphasizes acting director Lisbeth Fransplass Røren.

Also read: Ukrainian refugees have extended driving rights in Norway