Einar H. Dyvik
Research expert covering Nordics and global data for society, economy, and politics
Up until the second half of the 20th century, immigration to Norway was relatively low. Especially in 19th and early 20th century, a high number of people left the country in search of a better life on the other side of the Atlantic, just as in its neighboring countries Denmark and Sweden. However, since the 1960s, more and more people started to immigrate to Norway, with labor immigration being the most prevalent reason. This wave was superseded by asylum seekers throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with a high number of people fleeing from countries such as Iran, Chile, Vietnam, and the former Yugoslavia. The next phase started due to the expansion of the European Union in 2004, when labor immigrants from new EU countries in Eastern Europe started to dominate immigration to the Scandinavian country. Today, Poles make up the largest group of foreign citizens living in Norway, followed by Lithuanians.
Whereas Syrians topped the number of residence permits received in Norway, recent numbers reflect the consequences of Brexit, with UK citizens receiving the second highest number of residence permit statistics in 2022. To achieve a permanent Norwegian residence permit, applicants must have stayed three years in the country without exceptions. Additionally, they must have been economically independent for the past 12 months without having received any social benefits.
Falling number of immigrants, but a new record in 2022
The number of people immigrating to Norway reached a new record in 2022. This must be seen in relation with the Russian invasion of Ukraine that year, with more than 65,000 refugees arriving from Ukraine since the outbreak of the war (as of October 2023). Before then, the number of immigrants arriving in the country dropped annually, especially falling from 2016, a trend that could be observed all around Europe. Despite the falling number of immigrants, net migration to Norway remained positive as more people are immigrating than emigrating. In fact, the population increase the country has seen over the past decade is due to the positive migration rate, as the birth rate in the country has been falling over the same period.Decreasing number of asylum seekers
Norway received the highest number of asylum applications in 2015, when Europe saw a high number refugees arriving, especially from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. That year, over 31,000 people applied for asylum in the country and the following year, 16,000 people were granted asylum. However, the neighbor Sweden received a far higher number of refugees around 2015, which is reflected in the fact that Syrians and Iraqi make up the two largest group of foreigners there. The number of asylum seekers dropped significantly in the years that followed as the main routes for refugees to Europe have been closed. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposed travel restrictions led to a further reduction of immigrants in 2020 and 2021.Whereas Syrians topped the number of residence permits received in Norway, recent numbers reflect the consequences of Brexit, with UK citizens receiving the second highest number of residence permit statistics in 2022. To achieve a permanent Norwegian residence permit, applicants must have stayed three years in the country without exceptions. Additionally, they must have been economically independent for the past 12 months without having received any social benefits.
