Politicians clash over how to bring 110,000 young adults into work

New figures reported by NRK show that 110,000 people aged 20 to 29 in Norway were outside the workforce at the end of 2025, equivalent to 15.6 percent of young adults.

Overall, 702,000 people aged between 20 and 66 were outside work and education, according to figures from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, Nav.

The issue was set to be a central topic at a debate among youth party leaders during Arendalsuka in Arendal. Politicians agree that more people must enter work, but disagree over which measures should be used.

Østfold had the highest proportion of people outside work and education, at 24.9 percent. Agder followed with 23.2 percent, while Vestland and Akershus were below 19 percent.

Sarpsborg Mayor Magnus Arnesen of the Conservative Party said the figures represented people he met in his work.

“I meet families, children and adults who are part of these statistics. Those meetings affect me as mayor,” he said.

Arnesen called for the state, municipalities and other organisations to work together on solutions.

“I think it is urgent. I am an impatient person,” he said.

Disagreement over private agencies

Østfold has faced long-term challenges related to the labour market, education and living conditions. Labour Party parliamentarian Hashim Abdi, who represents the county, said the region was part of “a rust belt” and performed poorly in several statistics while having substantial needs.

Abdi said the problems could not be solved with a single measure. He pointed to a government allocation of 758 million kroner to help more children and young people take part in cultural and leisure activities. He described the effort as preventive work.

The political disagreement is particularly focused on the methods to be used. The Conservative Party has proposed using private recruitment agencies to help more people enter work. Labour and Inclusion Minister Kjersti Stenseng has called the proposal naive.

Arnesen criticised Stenseng’s response.

“It is too good an idea to dismiss immediately. I think that is rather arrogant of the Labour Party and Stenseng,” he said.

Nav Director Hege Nilssen said the proportion of young people outside work and education had returned to its 2021 level and that the situation remained serious.

“As a society, we must become better at opening the doors to working life and giving more people the opportunity to use their resources,” Nilssen said.

Focus on child poverty

Abdi said exclusion from work could have roots much earlier in life. More than 100,000 children are growing up in families with persistently low incomes, according to Statistics Norway.

“As long as 100,000 children in Norway live in poverty, things can always improve,” Abdi said.

Arnesen said politicians also had to be honest about how long it would take to reverse the trend. He called for funding and long-term measures based on a 10 to 15-year perspective.