Directorate of Immigration (UDI) removes 7,000 seats in the asylum centers in Norway. The reason is that it has come far fewer asylum seekers than expected this year.
– It has both come fewer than expected and many of those who came last year, have now been settled in a municipality or have returned, says Director Christine Wilberg in the UDI.
To 21 August this year only 2,139 asylum seekers have come to Norway. Last year 31.000 came.
– It is always sad to have to lay down reception centers when it affects our skilled employees, many communities, adult residents and children. But we cannot defend it economically to have such a large spare capacity, says Wilberg.
The reduction primarily affects ordinary reception, but some reception centers for unaccompanied minors and transit center will also be closed down. Most contracts have three months’ notice, and then the end date will be 1. December.
When a new forecast of the number of asylum seekers is determined later this fall, it will be able to get another round of further closures, alerts UDI. Depending on the number of asylum seekers and forecasts for 2017, it may be necessary to lay down even more reception places next year.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
