Our research topics

Labour relations | Skills | Migration and integration | Welfare research

Fafo's research are centered around the following five research areas. These pages will guide you to more specific research topics and pages offering information about our researchers, publications and projects.

Labour relations

Labour migration

The EU expansions in 2004 and 2007 led to significant labour immigration to Norway. This provided businesses with access to labour but also brought challenges such as low-wage competition and labour market crime. Fafo researches how wages and working conditions are under pressure, as well as the working conditions for foreign workers.

Atypical forms of employment

A key question, both in Norway and internationally, is whether we will see a more two-tier working life, where the gap between "good" and "bad" jobs increases. Is the labour market moving towards a greater divide between permanent, full-time positions with good development opportunities and jobs with various forms of atypical attachment characterized by uncertainty?

The Nordic model

The Nordic countries have the world's smallest income disparities and highest standard of living. This is linked to the Nordic social model, characterised by extensive public welfare schemes, an organised labour market, and stable economic management. Fafo particularly researches how changes in the model affect employment, welfare, and distribution.

Green and digital transition

Digitalisation and climate change are two of the co-called megatrends shaping the future of work. New technologies and the green transition required to meet climate goals are reshaping the labour market and the nature of work. Work practices and industries are changing, jobs and work tasks are created and lost, affecting working conditions and workers’ opportunities. Fafo's research contributes to understanding these processes.

Wage formation

Norwegian working life is characterised by relatively small wage differences and decent working conditions. At the same time, Norwegian working life is changing, and as in many European countries, wage differences have increased. Fafo researches pay and working conditions, both across the breadth and depth of Norwegian working life.

Collective agreements

The organisations in working life (the social partners), collective agreements, and wage settlements constitute what is known as the collective working life. High levels of organisation and collective agreement coverage are prerequisites for the Norwegian labour market model. Central to this are the collective institutions that facilitate the social partners in reaching agreements on new collective agreements.

Workplace democracy

The cooperation between employees and employers in the workplace is a cornerstone of the Norwegian labour market model. Fafo has for several decades conducted research on how cooperation between the parties functions at various levels in Norwegian working life.

Skills

Vocational education and training (VET)

Vocational education and training constitute an important part of the education system. About half of the students in upper secondary education start a vocational education. A distinctive feature of vocational education is that it takes place in a combination of learning at school and learning in the workplace.

Dropout and attendance challenges in upper secondary education

Dropout from upper secondary education, particularly in vocational education and training, and among boys with an immigrant background, is a continuous concern in the public debate. The media’s focus is directed towards political interventions, social inequalities and youth risking permanent labour market marginalisation.

New skills at the work place

Working life is undergoing rapid change, which requires continuous learning throughout one’s career. Norwegian labour is expensive regardless of educational background, and wage differences are relatively moderate. This has made it profitable for companies to invest broadly in skills development and labour-saving technologies. At the same time, the conditions and frameworks for skills development vary between workplaces. In general, those with the lowest levels of formal education are the least likely to receive opportunities for further skills development.

School as arena for social development and learning

The Norwegian school system serves as a platform for both social development and academic learning. It is continuously evolving through various national and local initiatives aimed at improving students’ learning outcomes and learning environments.

Migration and integration

Exclusion and marginalisation

The multi-cultural society

Immigration has existed in Norway for many centuries. According to Statistics Norway (Statistisk sentralbyrå), immigrants, who stem from 200 countries, presently make up 14 per cent of the overall population.

Integration and skills

Integration policy and measures

Fafo has conducted research on immigration, integration, and public integration measures since the late 1990s. We examine the goals, feasibility, and effectiveness of various initiatives, as well as user involvement, user experiences, and the ethical implications of different policy tools. Many of our projects explore what happens at the intersection between different parts of the welfare state and vulnerable groups, such as refugees.

Migration

Welfare research

Inclusive working life

High labour market participation is a cornerstone of the Norwegian and broader Nordic welfare model. To sustain high-quality welfare services, a well-functioning labour market with strong levels of inclusion is essential. Fafo conducts research on effective and appropriate measures to ensure access to meaningful, income-generating, and developmental employment opportunities – benefiting both individuals and society as a whole.

Living conditions and poverty

Ensuring good living conditions, combating poverty, and preventing social exclusion are core goals of Norwegian welfare policy. These ambitions are also reflected in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Since its founding, Fafo has placed living conditions research at the heart of its work.

Pensions, retirement behaviour and senior policy

Fafo conducts research on pensions, retirement behaviour, and senior workforce policy. Our work focuses on the design, coverage, and use of various pension and social security schemes, and their effects on employment and income distribution. This includes studies of the National Insurance Scheme’s old-age pension, disability benefits, occupational pensions in both the public and private sectors, and the contractual early retirement scheme (AFP). Particular attention is given to labour market-based pensions and the role of the social partners. Older workers’ labour market participation, retirement behaviour, and the implementation of senior workforce policies are also key areas of research.

Services and service development

Fafo conducts research on the development, organisation, and implementation of welfare services – and how these services reach and affect users.