Sickness Absence Among Immigrants in Norway: Does Occupational Disparity Matter?

Non-Western immigrants in Norway have more sickness absence than other immigrants and native Norwegians. Measured in wages, income, and positions of authority, non-Western immigrants have less favourable jobs. Using panel data models and matching techniques, we examined whether occupational factors are associated with non-Western immigrants’ greater sickness absence. We found significantly more sickness absence (in terms of the probability and length of absences) for non-Western immigrants compared with native Norwegians, but occupational status explained relatively little of these immigrants’ greater sickness absence. We did not find any between-group gender differences in sickness absence. In all groups, women had more sickness absence than men.