Norway increases funding for programmes that help immigrants into work

Norway’s government will allocate 46.3 million kroner in funding to voluntary organisations across the country, an increase of 8.1 million kroner compared to 2024, it wrote in an announcement on Thursday.

“Learning Norwegian, getting a job and becoming part of a local community is necessary for good integration. Volunteering plays a crucial role in achieving this. That is why we are strengthening our efforts,” jobs minister Tonje Brenna said in the announcement.

The funding will be spread across 98 organisations to fund their efforts to improve integration and the number of foreign residents entering the workforce.

Caritas Norway will receive money for its Jobbfokus courses, which help foreigners with finding a job. The course includes tips on writing a CV and cover letter for Norwegian employers, interview training and advice on how to build a network in Norway.

The Norwegian Women’s Public Health Association will receive money for its Språkvenn initiative. The initiative, based in Oslo, acts as a free meeting place where Norwegian language learners can practice their conversational skills, learn grammar and work on their pronunciation.

Money would also be allocated for the Norwegian People’s Aid Folkevenn project, where volunteers help refugees and foreigners integrate.

The Norwegian Red Cross would also receive 2.5 million kroner towards its free language training schemes. The Norwegian Red Cross offers meeting places where foreigners can brush up on their language skills in a number of Norway’s big cities.

The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) would also receive money for its language training schemes which allow foreigners to practice Norwegian while out on hikes.

A full list of the organisations to receive the funding, and what for, is available under the 2025 section of The Directorate of Integration and Diversity's webpage on grant recipients.