Integration in Norway - Statistics & Facts
Much of the migration flows of Norway in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century was characterized by Norwegians leaving the country. Emigration from Norway to the United States was very common and highly encouraged by the United States by offering acres of land for the Norwegian migrants to settle on. Today, more people immigrate to Norway than Norwegians leaving the country. With Norway having one of the highest living standards in the world, high income levels, and an excellent education system it is the perfect destination for migrants around the world. In 2023, 11 percent of Norwegian inhabitants had a foreign citizenship. The majority of foreign citizens in Norway originated from other European countries including Turkey. The second largest group of foreigners were from Asia with around 104,000 citizens in 2023.
Looking at income levels, compared to the total population, immigrants have been earning less than the total population in the last ten years. Furthermore, a higher share of immigrants has relatively high working hours in comparison to the rest of Norway. This is especially true for immigrants from nonwestern countries.
Even though immigrants have been increasingly represented throughout Norwegian society, many still face discrimination because of their ethnic background. Nearly one third of immigrants in Norway have experienced hateful comments. For immigrants from countries like Somalia and Pakistan, the percentage is even higher.
Difficulties with employment among the foreign-born population
Depending on the origins of Norwegian inhabitants their chance at employment differs drastically. For example, the employment rate of the general population excluding immigrants is at around 80 percent whereas immigrant’s employment rate barely reached 69 percent. Further analyzing the employment rate among immigrants, there are also differences among immigrants based on the reason of immigration. The highest employment was registered among migrant workers, reaching 80 percent in 2022. Refugees, on the other hand, had a hard time finding employment in Norway, with an employment rate of only 53 percent in the same year. There is also a gender gap in employment among the foreign-born population of Norway, with women being employed less frequently than men in the last decade, but this is in line with employment figures among the general Norwegian population.Looking at income levels, compared to the total population, immigrants have been earning less than the total population in the last ten years. Furthermore, a higher share of immigrants has relatively high working hours in comparison to the rest of Norway. This is especially true for immigrants from nonwestern countries.
More diversity in the Norwegian education system
With the foreign-born population increasing in Norway, so is the number of immigrants in upper secondary schools. Though students with an immigration background are receiving lower grades than native Norwegian primary school pupils, the differences are decreasing. This is especially true for pupils who immigrated to Norway with their parents. Similar trends are visible in higher education. The share of students graduating from higher education with an immigrant background has been increasing annually. In the academic year 2021/22, 12 percent of higher education graduates were immigrants.Even though immigrants have been increasingly represented throughout Norwegian society, many still face discrimination because of their ethnic background. Nearly one third of immigrants in Norway have experienced hateful comments. For immigrants from countries like Somalia and Pakistan, the percentage is even higher.
