1000 more intervention places – more money for Nav – NRK Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
– We make it possible for Nav to increase staffing by giving them 175 million kroner into the 2022 budget, and we put money into 1,000 new initiative places. It is about getting more people into work, says Tajik to NRK.
At the same time as the Støre government is inheriting an economy in strong growth and a labor market in improvement, hundreds of thousands of Norwegians of working age are still out of work.
Now it will be Tajik’s job to get more of them into the job.
The first step is taken in the government’s extra budget, where the Labor Party and the Center Party present their priorities and initiatives.
Job package
The entire budget will be presented on Monday. But already now NRK can tell that Tajik comes with a broad package of job initiatives.
– There is an enormous need for political priorities, so that more people get jobs, says the Minister.
These are the main steps she takes:
- 1,000 more intervention places – an increase of NOK 136 million.
- 250 more VTA places (permanently adapted work) – increase of 38.5 million.
- 175 million for lasting strengthening of Nav – 100 million extra in the 2022 budget.
- Strengthening of the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority – increase of 20 million.
- Strengthening of the subsidy scheme «Jobbsjansen» – 10 million.
The Solberg government proposes in its budget for next year and temporary strengthening of Nav next year of NOK 75 million. The new government will invest NOK 100 million in 2022 and will thus also make the surcharge permanent.
– This is important at a time when there are many who are out of work, at the same time as there is a great need for labor, says Tajik.
Lacks competence
The problem is that many of those who are outside today do not have the right education or knowledge to the many jobs that are vacant.
– Those who are out of work may need closer follow-up. They may also need to build up skills to get the prerequisites to take the jobs that are currently vacant, says Tajik.
– You are not afraid that many people on measures will displace others from the same jobs?
– No, there is no reason to believe it. Precisely because there is such a clear mismatch between the need for labor and the skills of those who go unemployed.
– In the alternative budget for 2021, you announced 4,000 intervention places and 300 VTA places. Why should you have less now?
– The situation in the labor market has changed recently. We see that the need for labor has increased. This means that our assessment of 1,000 new intervention sites covers much needed for 2022.
Many young people are disabled
Although the labor market is improving after the pandemic, there are still some structural problems. Tajik specifically points to three conditions.
- Norway still has a very large number of long-term unemployed.
- Several young people have become disabled in recent years.
- Mainland exports from Norway are seriously weak.
Tajik warns of plans to increase initiative placements and VTA placements significantly in the years ahead, and that next year’s escalation is only the first step on the road.
The new Minister of Labor will also start to prevent so many young people from feeling that they are being pushed out of working life at a young age. Many end up with work clearance allowance (AAP) and disability benefits.
– This government will also look at legislative changes related to the work clearance allowance scheme. The goal is to ensure that people get the time and follow-up they need to be able to get a chance in working life, says Tajik.
– But can you guarantee that there will be fewer disabled people in four years than there are today?
– This government has great ambitions for the field of working life and not least for people who need it to receive close follow-up. With these budget priorities, we better enable our country to do so.