The Department of Labour Market
The department administers, among other things, the Act on Labour Market Services, unemployment benefits (National Insurance Act Chapter 4), support for single parents (National Insurance Act Chapter 15), and the Act on Wage Obligations during Layoffs. The department is also responsible for the regulation of EEA citizens' rights under immigration law, as well as labour immigration from countries outside the EEA. Additionally, the department handles tasks related to income and wage settlements and is responsible for the Technical Calculation Committee for Wage Settlements.
The department coordinates the ministry's international work that affects several of its divisions.
The department consists of the following sections:
Analysis and Income Policy Section (AIS)
This section is responsible for research, studies, monitoring, and analyses related to the labour market, including entry and exit from the workforce, unemployment, labour immigration, income and wage development, etc.
Deputy Director General: Sigrid Russwurm
Measures and Budget Section (TBS)
This section is responsible for designing and sizing labor market measures for job seekers, measures to strengthen the supply of labour, and labour market policies aimed at vulnerable groups in the labour market.
Deputy Director General: Morten Søndergaard Henningsen
Legal Section (JS)
This section is responsible for managing and developing regulations that govern various areas of the labour market, such as unemployment benefits, layoffs, the Labour Market Act, labour immigration, issues related to the free movement of workers within the EEA, and support for single parents.
Deputy Director General: Cathrine Opstad Sunde
Areas of Responsibility
Labour Market
Labour market policy aims to facilitate a well-functioning labor market. High labour force participation and effective utilization of the workforce are prerequisites for high value creation and for maintaining and further developing the welfare society.
An active labour market policy should stimulate a good supply of labour, counteract exits from the labour market to permanent social benefits, and reduce and prevent unemployment. The labour immigration policy should enable businesses to recruit qualified labor from abroad in a simple and efficient manner when needed. High labor force participation is important for reducing economic and social disparities and preventing poverty.
Income Policy
The income policy and the income policy cooperation aim to coordinate wage formation, thereby contributing to moderate price and wage growth, which will strengthen the foundation for sustained high employment and low unemployment.