Escape from the war in March – already in full time job – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country

– My job makes me feel better, that I can think of something other than what is happening in Ukraine, says Olena Novikova (35) from Kyiv. Before the war, Olena worked at a fertility clinic in the Ukrainian capital, where she helped couples with assisted reproduction. Today she does exactly the same at a clinic in central Oslo. She is not the only Ukrainian refugee who has come to work quickly. New figures from Nav show that more than 500 Ukrainians came to work between March and May, either part-time or full-time. About 400 of these are refugees, Nav estimates. Olena has relatives who have lived in Norway for a long time, and came to the country shortly after Russia attacked Ukraine. With her was her daughter of five. The husband and her parents are still in their home country. – The new job has meant that my daughter and I can start our own, independent life in Norway. It also allows me to send money home to the family, Olena says. Nav chief Hans Christian Holte welcomes the new figures. – A number of Ukrainian refugees have entered working life quickly. This is both impressive and gratifying. We know that the workplace is a key arena for inclusion, he says. Nav chief Hans Christian Holte is impressed with Ukrainian refugees. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB Nav’s figures tell little about the background of the 400 refugees who have already found work. Holte believes that there is reason to believe that many have a higher education than is usual among Ukrainian refugees. Despite this, Holte believes that the figures give reason for further optimism. – I am quite confident that more Ukrainian refugees will come to work in the future. We have a working life in Norway that has a great need for labor in a number of areas. Vilde Hernes researches immigration and integration at OsloMet. She believes that it will take time to get most Ukrainian refugees into the labor market. – We must remember that more than 12,000 adult Ukrainian refugees have come to Norway, she says. Researcher Vilde Hernes believes it will take time to get most Ukrainian refugees into work. Photo: Sonja Balci / OsloMet Hernes believes that many must continue their education before they can work in Norway. – The impression in the media is often that Ukrainian refugees speak English and are going straight into the labor market. This is not true. Only 10 percent speak fluent English and over fifty percent have very limited English skills. So the language barrier is very much present for this group as well, says Hernes. Back in Oslo, Olena from Kyiv has started an online course to learn Norwegian. Whether the future will be in Norway or Ukraine depends on how the war develops further. – We want to go home again, but not for a while. First, Ukraine must be a safe place for my daughter, says Olena.



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