Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Greenland

Article 1 of the Convention. Active labour market measures. The Government indicates that in recent years there has been a paradox in the labour market, as a large number of Greenlanders are unemployed, while at the same time enterprises are experiencing difficulties finding and recruiting skilled labour. The Government adds that young persons make up the majority of those who are unemployed, pointing out that as of 2018, there were many young persons between the ages of 16 and 25 who were neither in education nor employment (NEETs). The Government points out that far too many young persons do not start an education and therefore never become active participants in the labour market, whereas the country needs to ensure that young Greenlanders become part of the work force and develop the right skills for the future labour market. To address the challenge of youth unemployment, the Government reports that young persons are included as a target group in all labour market policy initiatives, to improve employment opportunities for this specific group. The Committee notes with interest that, in 2020, the Government adopted an "Innovation Potential Competence" employment strategy for 2021-2023, which contains a number of initiatives and reforms. Part of these initiatives constitute an extension of the 2015 employment strategy “A safe labour market”, while providing for new labour market initiatives and reforms to be taken to address the country’s major social challenge: unemployment, a problem affecting both unskilled persons as well as the skilled and educated. The 2021-2023 employment strategy is based on four central priorities for action: the development of specific business sectors able to create economic growth and jobs; the achievement of a significant reduction in youth unemployment; the development and implementation of regional employment initiatives aimed at ensuring increased employment throughout the country; and ensuring improved job matching between companies and workers. In addition, noting the Government’s indication that the number of apprentices has been declining in the country, the Committee welcomes the adoption of the Apprenticeship Act on 27 November, which entered into force on 1 January 2021, to provide young persons with employment opportunities and skills acquisition. The Act requires all companies and public authorities with at least one skilled employee to offer apprenticeships and traineeships in collaboration with trade schools. The Government adds that the national labour market continues to evolve. While the country’s most important source of jobs and income remains the fishing sector, the Government is working to develop a more diversified economy, to protect the country from global economic shifts. The Government adds that it has actively promoted and marketed the national online job portal, leading to an increase in the number of job vacancy notices and resumes being posted on the site. Moreover, rehabilitation wage subsidies are offered to help persons who have been outside of the labour market to access or return to work. In addition, the Government offers benefits to promote mobility, providing work and accommodation to unemployed persons to encourage them to work outside of their own localities. The Government also refers to its Increased Self-Sufficiency project, which was created in 2018 and aims to reform the current public assistance model by replacing labour market benefits with job search benefits. In this respect, the Committee notes that bills developed in relation to job search benefits and the reform of public assistance have been presented for external consultation and subsequent adoption by the Parliament (Inatsisartut). With respect to the existing procedures for deciding on employment policy measures and keeping them under review, the Government informs that the National Labour Market Council holds two to three meetings annually to discuss, among other things, possible political and legislative initiatives. The Council recently decided that efforts should be made to encourage all cities to set up their own local labour market councils, led by the Job, Counselling and Skills Upgrading Centres (Majoriaq), with the objective of creating the best possible cooperation between the Majoriaq and enterprises, in order to ensure the provision of a workforce with the skills needed now and in the future. Lastly, the Government reports that aid packages were developed, funded and made available with the aim of mitigating the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses and workers. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed updated information, including statistical data disaggregated by age and sex, on the scope and impact of the abovementioned labour market measures on access to sustainable employment and decent work. In particular, the Committee requests the Government to indicate how these measures have contributed to the achievement of the objectives of its 2021-2023 employment strategy, such as the reduction of youth unemployment. The Committee also requests the Government to keep it informed of progress made regarding the adoption of the two bills presented in the framework of the Increased Self-Sufficiency project, and to provide copies of these once they are adopted.

Article 2. Employment trends. Labour market information. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that its labour market statistics are collected from a series of administrative data, and that its knowledge of the market is maintained by using information technology systems such as IT-reg. The Government reports that, in recent years, there has been a marked decrease in the number of unemployed people in Greenland, indicating that the average monthly number of registered jobseekers declined from 3,456 in 2015 to 1,946 in 2020. It also points out that most people who register as jobseekers do so for a limited time. Between 2015 and 2020, 54 per cent of jobseekers registered for a period of approximately one to three months. The Government indicates that the number of employees on average per month went from 26,844 in 2015 to 27,141 in 2019, which constitutes a 1.1 per cent increase. It reports that, in 2019, most private sector jobs were in the fishing and fishing-related industries (16 per cent), wholesale and retail trade (11.4 per cent) and transport and goods handling (7.7 per cent), while public administration and services made up 41.6 per cent of employment. The Government points out that unemployment is lower in cities than in rural areas. Between 2015 and 2019, unemployment decreased from 8.8 per cent to 4.7 per cent in cities, falling from 11.3 per cent to 8.1 per cent in rural settlements. The Government explains that the positive developments in recent years were more pronounced in larger cities, due to the lack of local jobs in smaller towns and settlements. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide detailed updated information, including statistical data disaggregated by sex, age and rural and urban areas, on the size and distribution of the labour force, as well as the level and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment. It also requests the Government to indicate the manner in which the information obtained is used for theformulation, implementation, monitoring and review of active labour market measures.

Skills development. The Government reports that its 17 Job, Counselling and Skills Upgrading Centres (Majoriaq) offer a number of courses in collaboration with trade schools, as well as vocational guidance and other services aimed at providing unskilled jobseekers with needed skills and improving their employability. The Government reports that, in 2019, it concluded a partnership with the technical vocational training school NiuernermikIlinniarfik, to develop and implement a new educational programme for the staff employed by the Majoriaq Centres, with a view to ensuring that jobseekers are provided with consistent, good quality services. The Committee also notes the Government’s indication that, between 2016 and 2020, 2,668 Greenlanders participated in the Skills Development for Unskilled Unemployed People project (PKU), which provides people in vulnerable professions with skills development courses designed to address unemployment and meet demands for labour within growth professions. The Government indicates that the majority of those persons who participated in the PKU courses are no longer unemployed. The Committee notes that the Government also refers to the entry into force of the Apprenticeship Act in January 2021. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information, including statistical data disaggregated by age and sex, on the nature and content of its vocational training programmes and measures, the number of programme participants, as well as on the impact of these programmes and measures. It further requests the Government to indicate the manner in which the social partners and the persons affected participate in the development and implementation of these initiatives.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners. The Government reports that the social partners are consulted or engaged in all matters related to the labour market, indicating that the latest example of this is their involvement in the elaboration of COVID-19 aid packages during the pandemic. The Committee also welcomes the Government’s indication that it has established an ILO tripartite committee was established with the aim of coordinating and promoting tripartite cooperation with respect to the labour market. The Committee will meet at least once a year, and held its first two meetings in December 2020 and May 2021, respectively. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the nature, frequency and outcome of the consultations held with the social partners with respect to the development, implementation, monitoring and review of employment policy measures and programmes. The Government is also requested to indicate the manner in which representatives of the persons affected by the measures to be taken are consulted and how their experience and views are taken into account, as required under Article 3 of the Convention.