Our research topics

The Eastern enlargements of EU in 2004 kick-started a new phase in the Norwegian working life. This led to unparalleled labour and service mobility to Norway.

The Nordic model has gained much attention, both politically and scientific, in recent years. In the 1980s and 1990s the model was considered as not being viable, the model is now viewed as a role model for other societies, and there is strong international interest in knowledge that explains the model's growth and success.

Social dialogue is central to the Norwegian model. The social dialogue lay down the foundation for both representative and individual arrangements aimed at employee participation. Both social parties have rights and obligations, and the social dialogue is based on joint responsibility for a just and productive work life.

Wages and working conditions may be regulated by statutory law and collective agreements and employment contracts. Collective agreements are agreements between a trade union and an employer organisation or an individual employer. In a Norwegian context, such agreements usually consist of two parts: A basic agreement that governs the relationship between organisations and predominant rules, and a national agreement regulating wages and working conditions for a certain industry or a sector.

Education is an important political tool for achieving high participation in working life and society, and publicly funded education is a core element in the Nordic welfare and working life model. In Norway, the right to free upper secondary education has contributed to almost all young people going straight from compulsory education to upper secondary education. About half of the students start a vocational education.

Dropout from upper secondary education, particularly in vocational education and training, and among boys with an immigrant background, is a continuous concern in the public debate. The media’s focus is directed towards political interventions, social inequalities and youth risking permanent labour market marginalisation. 

Immigration has existed in Norway for many centuries. According to Statistics Norway (Statistisk sentralbyrå), immigrants, who stem from 200 countries, presently make up 14 per cent of the overall population.

A total number of 31 145 persons applied for asylum in Norway in 2015, representing a huge increase from the 11 000 who applied for asylum in 2014. This development follows a decade that has witnessed the largest growth of immigrants in modern times.

Project details in Norwegian only, please contact the research coordinator for more information.

In the early 2000s, poverty was rediscovered as a social political issue in Norway. Since 2001, several action plans against poverty has been launched and all governments have had poverty alleviation as a goal in their governmental platforms. Several state subsidies to prevent poverty have been established and many poverty reduction initiatives have been developed in the municipalities.

At Fafo a group of researchers are working on pensions and benefits, including retirement and disability pension from the National Insurance, occupational pensions and contractual early retirement pension (AFP).