First published: 14 Mar 2007, 11:36

Norway's biggest minority

Polish immigrants in Norway are shedding their seasonal worker image, extending their contracts and starting to bring over their families, a Norwegian study on immigration showed on Tuesday

In the biggest wave of immigration into the rich Nordic country, tens of thousands of Poles have arrived since restrictions were lifted in 2004. [color="Navy"]Poles have even passed neighboring Swedes as Norway's biggest minority.

[color="navy"]The influx of Poles, and other predominantly East European workers, has boosted economic growth in Norway as it has in other migrant-friendly countries such as Britain and Ireland. But industry groups in Norway, as well as its central bank, have warned that migration patterns are unpredictable and that many foreign workers could uproot with little notice and hurt the fast growing economy.

The study, funded by a Norwegian trade union, allays such fears, saying Polish workers were likely to stay as long as the difference between Polish and Norwegian wages was large enough, despite improving job prospects back in Poland.

"We see no signs of the workers going back home," researcher Line Eldring from the Fafo institute told a news conference.

By some accounts, Norwegian wages in the construction sector are about four to five times higher than in Poland.

The study found competition for Polish workers will probably increase as existing shortages of skilled labor intensify and potential new migrants find jobs in Poland, where unemployment rates were gradually dropping.

(Reuters)

http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1689367.ece