In 2020, Norway registered a strong decline in immigration due to the corona pandemic

A total of 24,400 non-Nordic citizens immigrated to Norway in 2020, 14,000 fewer than the year before. There was also a smaller influx of people with a refugee background.

This is the lowest number of first-time immigrants to Norway since 2005. The decline is mainly due to the corona pandemic, Statistics Norway (SSB) states.

In comparison, 38,400 non-Nordic citizens immigrated to Norway in 2019. Work was the most important immigration background in 2020, similar to the two previous years.

Weaker growth in the number of refugees

At the beginning of the year, there were 240,200 residents with a refugee background in Norway, about 1,900 more than the year before, SSB writes.

However, that is a weaker growth compared to the previous two years.

Persons with a refugee background accounted for 30% of all resident immigrants at the beginning of 2021 – down 0.1% from last year. Out of the entire population, people with a refugee background accounted for 4.5%, roughly the same as the year before.

Most refugees from Syria

A total of about 3,800 people with a refugee background settled in Norway last year. Out of these, 1,200 came from Syria, while around 500 came from Eritrea.

At the beginning of the year, the most people with a refugee background were from Syria, a total of 31,400 people. The second-largest group was from Somalia, with 27,200 people.

As of January 1, 2021, there was no increase in the number of people with an asylum background compared with the same time the year before. 

Few people with an asylum background settled in Norway last year, only about 1,100 people.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

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