Strong decline in refugee migration

Refugees from Congo.

Around 7 800 refugees migrated to Norway in 2017. This is almost half the number compared to the previous year. Much of the reason is a strong decline in refugees from Syria

 

The statistics on reasons for immigration show that the number of refugees granted protection in Norway since 1990 has varied considerably. In 2017, 7 800 new refugees migrated to Norway. This is almost half that of 2016, when nearly 15 200 refugees were granted protection. It is only when an asylum seeker’s application is accepted, and he/she is classified as a refugee in Norway that he/she is included in the population statistics.

The year 2016 stands out in the statistics as having by far the highest number of refugees migrating to Norway in one year. The large influx of refugees into Europe in the autumn of 2015 brought many refugees from Syria to Norway. Schengen border controls and the EU-Turkey agreement were introduced during spring 2016 to limit the influx of refugees into Europe, explaining much of the strong decline in refugees granted protection in Norway last year.

Majority of refugees are still from Syria
As in 2016, Syrians continued to make up the largest group of refugees migrating to Norway last year – constituting 58 per cent of all refugees granted protection. A total of 4 600 Syrian refugees migrated in 2017 compared to 9 500 the year before. Migrants from Eritrea and Afghanistan also made up large groups of refugees in 2017, with nearly 800 persons from each country. However, there was also a substantial decline in the number of refugees from these two countries compared to the year before. In 2016, 1 700 refugees from Eritrea and 1 800 refugees from Afghanistan were granted protection.

4 800 family members of refugees
In 2017, 4 800 persons migrated to Norway because they had a family member who is a refugee in this country. The year before, the corresponding figure was 4 300 persons. Most family migrants of a refugee came from Syria, with 1 900 persons, followed by Eritrea with 1 200 persons.

 

Source: SSB / Norway Today