Norway reports progress in youth employment via Ungdomsløftet

Norway's Minister of Labour and Inclusion, Kjersti Stenseng, reports that the government's 'Ungdomsløftet' initiative has contributed to a decrease of 4,000 young people being outside of work and education during 2025. Despite this progress, over 100,000 individuals under the age of 30 remain without employment or education, which Stenseng describes as a significant waste of resources.

Stenseng emphasizes that policy alone cannot solve the issue and calls on more employers to provide opportunities for young people. The initiative involves collaboration between the state, labor market parties, large corporations, and user organizations to create pathways into the workforce.

In a related debate, concerns have been raised regarding the professional conduct of employers when handling youth job applications. Critics argue that the lack of basic feedback or acknowledgment of applications from businesses discourages young people and fails to treat their attempts to enter the workforce with necessary respect.