Norway experienced an increased migration flow over the past decade, with more immigrants entering the country than emigrants leaving it. Since 2011, the number of people who immigrated to Norway decreased annually. As of 2020, around 52.2 thousand foreigners settled in the Nordic country, most of whom came from Poland, Sweden, and Denmark. During the same year, approximately 26.8 thousand people moved from Norway. That was around 15 thousand people less compared to 2016 when emigration numbers peaked. The highest number of emigrants moved to Sweden, followed by Denmark, and Poland. In terms of destinations, immigration to and emigration from Norway thus seem to follow the same pattern.
Norway received the most asylum applications in 2015, when the European migrant numbers were at the highest level. That year, over 31 thousand people applied for asylum in the country, while roughly 10 thousand people were granted asylum. The number of asylum seekers dropped significantly in the years that followed, reaching 2.3 thousand people as of 2019. Over five thousand people were granted asylum that same year, however. Syrians, Turks, and Eritreans received the most asylum grants in 2019.
During that year, people of Syrian and Eritrean origin were also granted the most permanent residence permits in Norway. Over 7.7 thousand Syrians and nearly 2.5 thousand Eritreans became permanent citizens in 2019. To achieve a permanent Norwegian residentship, applicants must have stayed three years in Norway without exceptions. Additionally, they must have been economically independent for the past 12 months without having received any social benefits. Considering citizenships, nearly three thousand Somalians became Norwegian citizens in 2019 and thus obtained Norwegian passports.
