How England & Wales Compares: Global Insights on Hiring Ex-Offenders

Inclusive hiring practices play a critical role in reducing reoffending, promoting social inclusion, and unlocking the potential of individuals with criminal records. Around the world, countries are rethinking how they support people transitioning out of the justice system and back into work.

This article explores how Norway, the Netherlands, the United States, and Australia approach inclusive hiring and how England and Wales compare.

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Norway: Rehabilitation Through Coordination and Trust

Norway is often cited as a global leader in criminal justice reform, and its approach to employment after prison is no exception. With a justice system focused on dignity and reintegration, Norway’s model centres on treating ex-offenders as future citizens first. 

This holistic approach prioritises preparation for release well before the end of a sentence, making employment, not an afterthought, but a central goal of imprisonment.

The National Reintegration Guarantee

Norway’s "Reintegration Guarantee" ensures every individual leaving prison has coordinated access to housing, employment or education, ID documentation, and healthcare. The disclosure of criminal records is also delayed or omitted in many hiring processes, allowing applicants to be judged on their merits rather than past convictions.

How do England and Wales compare? England and Wales have adopted voluntary Ban the Box guidance, but Norway’s government-backed model ensures this fair-chance approach is consistent and embedded across sectors.

Looking to embrace inclusive hiring in your workplace? Our free Employing with Conviction guide offers practical advice for employers who want to make a difference.

Skills and social support

Release coordinators inside prisons in Norway help prepare individuals for reentry, linking them with training, jobs, and stable housing. The state assumes responsibility for rehabilitation, helping to integrate ex-offenders into universal labour market programmes.

Strong outcomes

With reoffending rates of approximately 20% and up to 80% of people moving into work or education shortly after release, Norway offers compelling evidence of the success of its approach.

This University of Bergen study found that for inmates who had been unemployed before custody, imprisonment with job training led to a 40% higher post-release employment rate after 5 years and a 46% lower risk of reoffending.

The Netherlands: A measured approach to reintegration

The Netherlands has long promoted the idea of "resocialisation" as a core principle of justice. It seeks to balance reintegration with public safety, using a mix of legal safeguards and community-based aftercare. 

The system places a clear expectation on individuals to actively participate in their rehabilitation, while public agencies are tasked with providing structural support to ease the transition back into society.

The Certificate of Conduct approach

The Dutch system uses the VOG (Certificate of Conduct), which assesses whether a person’s criminal record is relevant to a particular job. This allows for a more individualised approach than blanket exclusions, helping many candidates access employment.

Local support and reintegration pathways

Upon release, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that basic needs, including housing, ID, income, and healthcare, are met. Every municipality appoints an aftercare coordinator to convene case conferences and ensure that ex-offenders can access job centres, social services, and benefits. 

Local authorities can also enrol individuals in work-experience placements or wage subsidy schemes specifically aimed at those with a distance to the labour market, providing structured opportunities for reintegration.

How do England and Wales compare? England and Wales are improving support through initiatives like Universal Credit guidance and Employment Advisory Boards, but lack the universal, locally delivered reintegration model seen in the Netherlands.

Employment and reoffending metrics

Around 49% of Dutch ex-offenders come into contact with the law again within two years. However, while consistent national employment outcomes remain hard to verify, pilot programmes and localised initiatives suggest that tailored support can make a meaningful difference. 

As this Dutch study demonstrates, employment is strongly linked with lower reoffending, and efforts to streamline reintegration, such as coordinated municipal support and access to wage subsidies, offer promising foundations for improving long-term outcomes.

The United States: Incentives, Innovation and Advocacy

The United States presents a complex picture: while many barriers remain, it is also home to some of the most ambitious post-imprisonment employment programmes and employer engagement initiatives in the world. 

It is important to note that US prisons are divided between federal and state systems, with significant differences in regime and programming depending on each state's Governor and Department of Corrections. 

Driven by both grassroots advocacy and private-sector leadership, efforts across the U.S. demonstrate the powerful role incentives and messaging can play in shifting employer attitudes.

Incentives and employer buy-in

Financial incentives play a big role: employers can access tax credits through the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and free bonding insurance via the Federal Bonding Program. National companies like Walmart, JPMorgan Chase, and Koch Industries actively champion second-chance hiring. SHRM data reports that 85% of HR professionals say employees with criminal records perform as well or better than others.

How do England and Wales compare? England and Wales have well-known business advocates such as Timpson and Virgin, but lack national-scale financial incentives to engage a broader base of employers.

Legal progress and The Second Chance Act

Ban the Box legislation exists in 37 states, and federal employers are now prohibited from asking about criminal records before a conditional offer is made. The Second Chance Act, introduced in 2008, funds workforce and mentoring programmes nationwide.

The results and remaining gaps

General unemployment rates among those with previous convictions in the US remain high, with this study from the U.S Chamber of Commerce finding approximately “6 out of every 10” individuals with previous convictions remain unemployed up to 4 years after their imprisonment. 

However, initiatives such as the CEO programme have reported results of reducing reoffending by 22%, while the Fortune Society reports over 70% of its graduates with prior convictions remain conviction-free after two years.

Looking to embrace inclusive hiring in your workplace? Our free Employing with Conviction guide offers practical advice for employers who want to make a difference.

Australia: A Decentralised Approach to Reintegration

Australia’s criminal justice approach varies by state, but recent years have seen a growing focus on employment-based reintegration, particularly for marginalised communities such as Indigenous Australians. 

Innovative programmes and nonprofit partnerships have shown real promise, though implementation remains inconsistent and subject to geographic disparities.

Introducing diverse state programmes

Initiatives like Workforce Australia, Road to Redemption (SA), and Workskil Australia, have all provided culturally relevant, employment-focused support for ex-offenders. However, concrete statistics from the results of these programs have yet to be consolidated. 

Legal and structural frameworks

At the federal level, the Workforce Australia initiative, launched in 2022, provides employment services tailored to various disadvantaged groups, including ex-offenders. This program funds providers such as Workskil Australia and MAX Solutions to deliver specialised support for individuals with criminal histories.

Reoffending levels in Australia

Reoffending in Australia ranges from 29% to 58% depending on the region. One study found that while most ex-prisoners were unemployed or homeless six months post-release, participants in targeted programmes had reoffending rates as low as 7.46%.

How do England and Wales compare?: While centralised government control ensures consistency, Australia’s experience shows it may hinder local innovation and responsiveness to regional priorities.

Notable Mentions: Sweden and Singapore

While our focus has been across Norway, the Netherlands, the US, and Australia, it’s worth mentioning that Sweden and Singapore are two other countries with similar approaches:

• Sweden: For prison leavers, rehabilitation support is provided through their strong welfare services, leading to one of the lowest incarceration rates across the globe. More specifically, a progressive criminal justice system strongly emphasises alternatives to imprisonment and a more seamless reintegration into society.

• Singapore: Another internationally recognised approach for ex-offender reintegration due to its progressive and holistic framework, largely driven by Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG). As a result of this initiative, YRSG provided assistance to 2,500 prisoners, with 94% securing employment prior to their release by collaborating with over 6,000 employers across a range of different sectors and industries.

England & Wales: How Do We Compare Internationally?

When viewed against global leaders in inclusive hiring, England and Wales show both encouraging progress and further potential for growth. The increasing visibility of inclusive hiring, supported by key government and employer-led initiatives, reflects growing momentum. 

As we have seen, international examples show how a more unified and strategic approach could unlock even greater impact.

What’s working, and what’s missing

England and Wales are already on the path toward change. Programmes like the New Futures Network and Ban the Box initiatives are reshaping hiring conversations, and post-release employment rates are trending upwards. 

However, across the UK as a whole, only 17% of ex-offenders are in work within 12 months of leaving prison, highlighting a clear need for improved support and reintegration systems for ex-offenders.

When compared to countries like Norway, where the Reintegration Guarantee ensures multi-agency planning for every prison leaver, England and Wales’ approach still shows room for growth.

The Netherlands demonstrates the value of local authority involvement in coordinating aftercare, and Australia’s community-led programmes point to the benefits of culturally responsive support. Meanwhile, the U.S. model shows how employer incentives can drive broader participation, something England and Wales have yet to embrace on a large scale.

The Global Benefits of Hiring Inclusively

Across the world, inclusive hiring practices offer profound social and economic benefits:

• They reduce reoffending and create safer communities.

• They expand the talent pool for employers, especially in sectors facing labour shortages.

• They foster a more equitable society by recognising people as more than their past mistakes.
  

As we have seen, the research consistently shows that employment is one of the most effective tools for preventing reoffending.

Countries that coordinate reintegration, reduce stigma, and support employers consistently report better employment outcomes and lower reoffending rates. These examples show that inclusive hiring is not just a social good, but a strategic workforce solution that strengthens communities and economies alike.

Summing up:

While England and Wales are making good progress towards fairer, more inclusive employment for those with previous convictions, international comparisons show what is possible with stronger coordination, tailored support, and employer engagement. 

By learning from global leaders and scaling what already works, we can build a fairer, more resilient workforce.

Want to adopt global best practices in your hiring? Download Offploy’s Employing with Conviction guide

Contact us to explore inclusive hiring solutions for your organisation.