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The labour market outcomes for native- and foreign-born adults during the first year of the [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 pandemic vary considerably across countries - with inequalities in employment even falling in some cases compared to 2017. In contrast with the 2008 financial crisis, greater educational attainment does not seem to have had a clear protective effect against labour market adversities during the pandemic. This is most likely due to countries' quick action to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic and the high involvement of workers with low qualifications to maintain essential services during prolonged confinement periods. However, in some countries, inequalities in earnings were widening before the pandemic and unless appropriate measures are put in place, the economic effects of the current crisis may have a long-lasting negative effect on the integration of immigrants.

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In the wake of the technological revolution that began in the last decades of the 20th century, labour market demand for information-processing and other high-level cognitive and interpersonal skills is growing substantially. The Survey of Adult Skills, a product of the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), was designed to provide insights into the availability of some of these key skills in society and how they are used at work and at home. The first survey of its kind, it directly measures proficiency in several information-processing skills - namely literacy, numeracy and problem solving in technology-rich environments.

This publication describes the design and methodology of the survey and its relationship to other international assessments of young students and adults. It is a companion volume to 'Skills matter: further results from the Survey of Adult Skills'. This volume presents the results from the 24 countries and regions that participated in the first round of the survey in 2011-12, first published in 'OECD skills outlook 2013: first results from the Survey of Adult Skills' and from the nine additional countries that participated in the second round in 2014-15 (Chile, Greece, Indonesia [Jakarta], Israel, Lithuania, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovenia and Turkey).

Edited abstract from publisher's website.

The contents are as follows: What the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) measures; The background questionnaire of the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC); The methodology of the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) and the quality of data; Reporting the results of the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC); Relationship of the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) to other international skills surveys; Relationship between the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) and the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA); The Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) and 'key competencies'; The Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) and the measurement of human capital. Show less

In 1996, the OECD's Education Committee launched the 14-country 'Thematic review of the transition from initial education to working life'. Within a lifelong learning framework, the review had two key goals: to describe how young people's transition to work changed during the 1990s; and to describe the education, labour and social policies, and the interaction between these, that lead to successful youth transitions. Participating countries prepared a background report describing the general context of youth transitions and noting key policy concerns. The review team that visited each country prepared a country note to summarise its observations and suggestions. This background report for Norway contains: institutional and contextual background to the transition of young people into working life; an explanation of the transitions from lower and upper secondary education and from higher education to working life; concerns about and policy responses to transitions; the changing expectations and objectives of the various participants in transition policy formation; and the monitoring and research being undertaken in the area of transitions.

The country note for Norway is indexed at TD/TNC 77.102. The final report of the OECD review is indexed at TD/TNC 62.156. Show less

Lifelong learning is promoted in Japan across all sectors although funding across sectors varies. The report outlines participation in lifelong learning as well as gaps in the system. The cost of closing the gaps in lifelong learning is estimated. Funding arrangements for lifelong learning are outlined. Case studies are used as examples of successfully supporting lifelong learning practices. The author concludes with questions for future development of financing lifelong learning. Chapters in this report include: (1) Introduction: the country setting; (2) Estimating public costs of implementing lifelong learning; (3) Rising benefits of lifelong learning; (4) Mobilising resources for lifelong learning; (5) Case studies of good practice increasing the affordability and feasibility of lifelong learning; and (6) Conclusions: ways of enhancing affordability of lifelong learning. Show less

Immigrants arriving in a new country face a variety of hurdles in the labour market, such as problems with language, unfamiliar work practices, discrimination and lack of recognition of qualifications and experience, which serve to inhibit their successful integration into the work force.

An assessment of the ways in which these difficulties can be redressed suggests that employers need to develop the ability to properly measure the skills of immigrant workers. Governments also have a role to play in promoting training and education in the workplace as well as the principles of workplace diversity, and immigrants themselves need to adapt to conditions in their host countries. This volume reviews the labour market integration of immigrants and their children in Australia, Denmark, Germany and Sweden, and suggests country-specific recommendations for achieving increased immigrant inclusion in the labour market.

Volume two is indexed at TD/TNC 95.604. Show less

The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a survey of students' skills and knowledge as they approach the end of compulsory schooling to see how well students are prepared for life beyond school. It was launched in 1997 and runs every three years. The focus of the 2003 assessment was mathematics and problem-solving. The PISA international database for 2003 is an online database that contains: downloadable PISA 2003 dataset; interactive data selection that allows users to select particular school-level and student-level questions and relate these to student performance; and a facility to make multi-dimensional data requests to an automated service. Show less

Tackling mental ill-health of the working-age population is becoming a key issue for labour market and social policies in OECD countries. OECD governments increasingly recognise that policy has a major role to play in keeping people with mental ill-health in employment or bringing those outside of the labour market back to it, and in preventing mental illness. This report on the Netherlands is one in a series of reports looking at how the broader education, health, social and labour market policy challenges identified in ‘Sick on the job?: myths and realities about mental health and work’ (OECD, 2012) are being tackled in a number of OECD countries. Over the past two decades, the Dutch Government has strengthened obligations and incentives for individuals and employers to cooperate in return-to-work management. These investments have successfully improved labour market outcomes for people with health problems. Sickness absences and disability benefit claims have fallen overall but absences remain high for people with mental ill-health and the share of mental disorders in disability claims is increasing. Important challenges persist in the area of mental health and work, including the lack of attention for people with mild-to-moderate mental disorders (such as psychological distress, depression or anxiety) in all sectors; little attention on the prevention of mental ill-health at work; limited public support to help sick people return to work; and the lack of coordinated and integrated (mental) health and employment support. The report makes recommendations aimed at improving sustainable labour market inclusion of people with mental illness in the Netherlands.

Edited excerpts from publication.

The contents are as follows: Executive summary; Assessment and recommendations; Mental health and work challenges in the Netherlands; Mental health of Dutch youth and the transition into the labour market; Working conditions and sickness management in the Netherlands; Employment support in the Netherlands for people out of work; The role of the Dutch health care sector in improving mental health and work outcomes. Show less

In mid-2008, high employment and low unemployment rates characterised the Estonian labour market in comparison with the average of the [European Union] EU15 countries. While aggregate outcomes improved during 2000-07, large inequalities persisted across regions, ethnic groups, and workers with different skill levels. As Estonia entered recession in 2008, the unemployment rate almost doubled between the second and the fourth quarter, and is expected to rise further in 2009 and 2010. More flexible labour markets will be a key adjustment mechanism during the recession as well as in the medium term if Estonia is to become a knowledge-based economy. Given the currency board arrangement and low synchronisation with the euro area, flexibility is also needed to cushion asymmetric shocks. In December 2008, parliament adopted the new Employment Contract Act, deregulating employment protection while increasing income security of the unemployed. This paper discusses options for removing the remaining barriers that impede worker reallocation across jobs, sectors, and regions into more productive activities.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

During 2002 and 2003, the OECD Programme on Institutional Management in Higher Education (IMHE), jointly with the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) managed a project on financial management and governance of higher education institutions. The project examined strategic financial management needs in the changing policy and funding environment in higher education, with particular reference to the financial sustainability of institutions. This report is aimed at policy makers and senior managers and governors in higher education who are concerned about the ability of higher education institutions to deliver educational goals in a sustainable way. Eight countries participated in the project: Australia, England, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, and the USA. In each country, a national author produced a report on the higher education policy context, and on the systems of governance and management of higher education with particular reference to their impact on the financial viability of higher education institutions. These national reports provide a valuable base of knowledge on the current status and changing objectives of policies, governance, funding, and management of higher education institutions in these countries. The project was steered by a Task Group with representatives of the eight participating countries, the IMHE, and HEFCE.

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Tackling mental ill-health of the working-age population is becoming a key issue for labour market and social policies in OECD countries. OECD governments increasingly recognise that policy has a major role to play in keeping people with mental ill-health in employment or bringing those outside of the labour market back to it, and in preventing mental illness. This report on Sweden is the second in a series of reports looking at how the broader education, health, social and labour market policy challenges identified in ‘Sick on the job?: myths and realities about mental health and work’ (OECD, 2012) are being tackled in a number of OECD countries. It concludes that Swedish policy makers recognise the need to take steps to tackle mental ill-health and its labour market implications, but that a more comprehensive reform effort and a long-term commitment to it is needed in order to prevent problems from arising in the first place and respond more effectively when they do occur.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less