Labour Market — Nordic Labour Journal

Swedish work environment tempts Chinese

(May 10, 2010) Oscar Berger is Sweden's Counsellor of Labour Market Affairs in Beijing. His job is to study the Chinese labour market and employment issues for the future - including Chinese competence and labour immigration.

Nordic region balancing the need for labour and risk of dumping

(May 10, 2010) It's a balance all the Nordic countries need to strike when they want to attract highly competent labour: how do employers gain easier access to necessary manpower, and how should countries protect their labour markets against social dumping?

Indians discover there's more to Denmark than dairies

(May 10, 2010) Denmark opened a Workindenmark office in New Dehli in October 2008. Now some Indians are slowly getting to know about this Nordic country. Danish authorities are holding back a larger recruitment campaign until they have more knowledge about what career opportunities exist for Indians in Denmark.

Hanne Bjurstrøm: Norway's new Minister of Labour with a vision

(May 05, 2010) Norway's new Minister of Labour, Hanne Bjurstrøm, wants to sort out the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, find efficient systems to deal with social dumping and help more people with reduced work capacity. Her vision: to help anyone who is able to do some work get out of being passive recipients of state support. To do that she needs the support of companies.

New skills for new jobs - the Nordic way

(Mar 03, 2010) Even though unemployment is still high in the Nordic region, new careers are also emerging. The Nordic Labour Journal takes a closer look at a few completely new jobs: meet the Office Nomad, the DNA-interpreter and some Living Statues.

The life and death of a profession

(Mar 02, 2010) How does a new occupation emerge? It's a simple question which is hard to answer. Why can't existing occupations cover the needs created by new technology and changes in consumer habits?

Joint fight against long-term unemployment

(Feb 25, 2010) Getting the long-term unemployed back into work is hard. You need focus, determination, the will to try new things and good cooperation between companies, job centres and education, says Denmark's Minister of Labour Inger Støjberg. She is gathering inspiration for a new initiative against long-term unemployment.

The Nordic region tightens sick leave rules

(Feb 09, 2010) One of the pillars of Nordic welfare systems is the right to sickness pay. But should employees enjoy the same pay whether or not they are at work? Who decides how long a person can be off sick? What kind of contact should the worker maintain with the employer? These questions are fuelling a heated debate in several Nordic countries. We take a closer look at new measures and rules being tightened.

New rules for long-term sick leave in Sweden

(Jan 14, 2010) Swedish job centres face busy times as 16,000 people on long-term sick leave are transferred from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency to the Public Employment Service. From now on they should be offered individual help and advise to help them re-join working life. The move has been met with fierce criticism, forcing the government to back down on several points.

Towards a common EU integration policy

(Jan 10, 2010) Integration policy is a national responsibility within the EU, but the Swedish presidency has made an effort to make it easier to compare just how well member states integrate new arrivals.

Immigration amplifies differences between Nordic countries

(Jan 08, 2010) One of the things separating the Nordic countries from each other is what immigrant groups they have attracted, and how long they have stayed. Compared to many other European countries though, they have something in common: the refugee percentage is high.

Helping new arrivals realise their dreams

(Jan 08, 2010) "I have been thinking lately that I have experience many others lack, which allows me some degree of authority to speak on what works and what doesn't when it comes to integration policy," says Nyamko Sabuni, Sweden's Minister for Integration and Gender Equality.

Immigration policy change: from humanism to pragmatism

(Jan 08, 2010) The term refugee could be disappearing. People are deemed immigrants and allowed in if a country feels they could be useful. Current demography dictates a stimulation of labour immigration, while asylum policies are being tightened. Europe's migration policy is changing shape.

Holding on to the foreign workers

(Jan 08, 2010) More and more Danish companies are increasing their drive to recruit foreign workers. Wind turbine producer Vestas has experienced the importance of creating a social network for foreign workers, and how important it is to help their spouses to find work too.

Labour ministers up the fight to prevent a lost generation

(Nov 26, 2009) How do you fight youth unemployment? That was the theme when Nordic labour ministers met in Reykjavik in November. One in five European youths is unemployed. There is fear of a lost generation. The Nordic countries focus on education and help on an individual level to help young people into working life.

Youth, unemployment and new thinking

(Sep 22, 2009) New thinking is needed if the young generation is to secure the older generation of the future. Youth unemployment is on the rise and is forecasted to continue growing in 2010. For many there is real danger of permanent unemployment. Nordic Labour Journal takes a look at how unemployment affects Nordic youths.

Iceland's crisis

(Sep 22, 2009) The money, the assets - have they all evaporated? Once upon a time there was a tiny country - an island - far out at sea, west of Scandinavia, east of the large American continent.

Downturn hits youth hardest - Sweden takes undesirable lead

(Sep 21, 2009) An economic downturn often hits young people fastest and hardest. The current crisis is no exception. The Nordic countries usually boast some of Europe's lowest unemployment figures. Now 27.3 percent of Swedish 15 to 24 year-olds are out of work.

Finland's system of "job alternation" becomes permanent

(Sep 20, 2009) The popular Finnish system of "job alternation" will continue. The system proved so popular and efficient the government decided in September to draft a law to make it permanent.

Iceland: light at the end of the tunnel?

(Jun 19, 2009) When faced with an economic crisis, Icelanders used to simply buckle down and work harder for a while. Now they're faced with the unusual situation of having no jobs to go to. This economic crisis has hit everybody hard, and especially the unemployed.