Assimilation effects on poverty among immigrants in Norway

The percentage of poor among immigrants to Norway is much higher than the percentage among the native population so that immigrant status and ethnic origin may help to explain to some degree the continuing existence of poverty in Norway, an affluent country known for its relatively low income inequality. The purpose of this paper is to use register data to discuss the more crucial question of whether or not this rather high incidence of poverty among immigrants persists even after immigrants have been in the country for a long period, that is, after they have had the opportunity to integrate and adapt their skills to the expectations in their new country.