Norway
Destination country · migration, permits and visas
- Inflow of foreign nationals, 2023 (OECD)
- 79,108
- Largest group, 2023
- Ukraine
- First residence permits, 2025 (Eurostat)
- 25,112
- Schengen visa refusal rate, 2024
- 12.8%
DestinationNO2023–2025
Year by year
Data as at 2025
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Who moves to Norway
Inflows of foreign nationals recorded by Norway, by nationality (OECD).
All inflows by year
Data table
| 2000 | 26,787 |
| 2001 | 24,707 |
| 2002 | 29,863 |
| 2003 | 26,106 |
| 2004 | 26,988 |
| 2005 | 30,638 |
| 2006 | 36,766 |
| 2007 | 52,943 |
| 2008 | 57,826 |
| 2009 | 55,275 |
| 2010 | 64,229 |
| 2011 | 70,112 |
| 2012 | 69,431 |
| 2013 | 66,313 |
| 2014 | 60,671 |
| 2015 | 58,067 |
| 2016 | 57,368 |
| 2017 | 49,020 |
| 2018 | 44,026 |
| 2019 | 44,281 |
| 2020 | 30,611 |
| 2021 | 46,375 |
| 2022 | 82,713 |
| 2023 | 79,108 |
Source: OECD, International Migration Database (OECD.ELS.IMD), accessed 24 Oct 2026Data as at 2023
Foreign nationals living in Norway
Stock of foreign nationals by nationality (latest year reported) and acquisitions of Norway's nationality (OECD).
- Syria9,033
- Poland3,358
- Eritrea2,588
- Sweden2,384
- United Kingdom1,054
- Russia910
- Somalia899
- Afghanistan867
- Philippines861
- Iraq832
- Serbia778
- Denmark719
- Romania702
- Germany660
- Ethiopia655
Acquisitions of nationality by year
Data table
| 2000 | 8,104 |
| 2001 | 9,574 |
| 2002 | 8,367 |
| 2003 | 7,502 |
| 2004 | 7,736 |
| 2005 | 11,644 |
| 2006 | 10,717 |
| 2007 | 13,312 |
| 2008 | 9,903 |
| 2009 | 10,742 |
| 2010 | 11,133 |
| 2011 | 13,068 |
| 2012 | 11,203 |
| 2013 | 12,157 |
| 2014 | 14,599 |
| 2015 | 11,977 |
| 2016 | 13,298 |
| 2017 | 20,801 |
| 2018 | 9,562 |
| 2019 | 12,438 |
| 2020 | 19,013 |
| 2021 | 40,648 |
| 2022 | 39,081 |
| 2023 | 36,932 |
Source: OECD, International Migration Database (OECD.ELS.IMD), accessed 24 Oct 2026Data as at 2023
International migrants
People living in Norway who were born in another country, or who hold foreign citizenship where country of birth is not recorded: mid-year estimates (UN DESA).
International migrants by year
Data table
| 1990 | 192,587 |
| 1995 | 233,302 |
| 2000 | 292,440 |
| 2005 | 361,144 |
| 2010 | 524,601 |
| 2015 | 746,375 |
| 2020 | 852,238 |
| 2024 | 1,012,404 |
- International migrants, 2024
- 1,012,404
- Share of the population, 2024
- 18.2%
- Counted by
- country of birth
Source: United Nations, DESA Population Division, International Migrant Stock 2024 (CC BY 3.0 IGO)Data as at 2024
Migrants in the labour market
Labour force survey results for Norway: residents aged 15 and over who were born abroad, compared with those born in the country (ILOSTAT).
| Indicator | Born in the country | Born abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Employment-to-population ratio, 2025 | 61.7% | 66.1% |
| Unemployment rate, 2025 | 3.4% | 8.0% |
- Born abroad: share of all workers, 2025
- 21.6%
- Born abroad: share of high-skill jobs, 2025
- 16.5%
- Born abroad: share of medium-skill jobs, 2025
- 25.0%
- Born abroad: share of elementary jobs, 2025
- 49.1%
Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT (CC BY 4.0)Data as at 2025
Earnings by occupation
Mean gross annual earnings of employees in Norway by major occupation group, in enterprises with 10 or more employees (Eurostat, Structure of Earnings Survey 2022).
| Occupation group | Mean annual earnings, NOK | Index, all occupations = 100 |
|---|---|---|
| All occupations | 656,469 | 100 |
| Managers | 991,946 | 151 |
| Professionals | 742,389 | 113 |
| Technicians and associate professionals | 756,343 | 115 |
| Clerical support workers | 558,350 | 85 |
| Service and sales workers | 488,029 | 74 |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | 508,751 | 77 |
| Craft and related trades workers | 578,781 | 88 |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | 596,934 | 91 |
| Elementary occupations | 471,040 | 72 |
- Mean gross annual earnings, all employees, 2022
- 656,469 NOK
- Women's mean earnings as a share of men's, 2022
- 84.3%
Source: Eurostat, Structure of Earnings Survey 2022 (CC BY 4.0)Data as at 2022
Residence permits
First residence permits issued by Norway to non-EU citizens (Eurostat).
First permits by year
Data table
| 2008 | 23,598 |
| 2009 | 25,420 |
| 2010 | 25,725 |
| 2011 | 26,258 |
| 2012 | 27,746 |
| 2013 | 27,234 |
| 2014 | 25,360 |
| 2015 | 29,897 |
| 2016 | 37,340 |
| 2017 | 30,112 |
| 2018 | 25,530 |
| 2019 | 25,153 |
| 2020 | 17,249 |
| 2021 | 24,546 |
| 2022 | 30,385 |
| 2023 | 28,365 |
| 2024 | 23,443 |
| 2025 | 25,112 |
- Family11,575
- Work7,983
- Education3,629
- Other reasons1,925
- Other paid activities5,115
- Highly skilled workers (national schemes)2,812
- Researchers56
- Valid residence permits, 31 Dec 2025
- 169,111
- Long-term residence permits issued, 2025
- 10,920
- Changed status into work, 2025
- 565
Schengen visas issued by Norway
Short-stay visa applications at Norway's consulates worldwide.
Applications by year
Data table
| 2009 | 103,795 |
| 2010 | 130,837 |
| 2011 | 151,071 |
| 2012 | 130,933 |
| 2013 | 197,826 |
| 2014 | 179,550 |
| 2015 | 185,557 |
| 2016 | 188,737 |
| 2017 | 196,082 |
| 2018 | 164,591 |
| 2019 | 178,532 |
| 2020 | 20,985 |
| 2021 | 9,895 |
| 2022 | 72,463 |
| 2023 | 108,536 |
| 2024 | 149,988 |
| Country of the consulate | Applications 2024 | Refusal rate |
|---|---|---|
| China | 43,652 | 4.4% |
| Thailand | 30,359 | 8.1% |
| India | 27,282 | 9.5% |
| United Arab Emirates | 12,007 | 27.6% |
| United Kingdom | 11,688 | 15.4% |
| Türkiye | 6,439 | 25.3% |
| South Africa | 4,679 | 8.4% |
| United States | 4,228 | 17.1% |
| Ghana | 3,833 | 54.4% |
| Jordan | 3,125 | 43.6% |
| Kenya | 2,622 | 35.6% |
| Russia | 52 | 5.8% |
| Iran | 12 | 0.0% |
| Spain | 3 | 33.3% |
| Sweden | 2 | 0.0% |
National statistics office
Immigrations to Norway by reason for immigration and continent of first citizenship; Statistics Norway publishes the reasons by continent, not by country.
| Year | All | Work | Study | Family | Protection | Other or unknown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 40,982 | 10,545 | 2,882 | 12,995 | 13,870 | 690 |
| 2024 | 52,057 | 13,581 | 3,041 | 12,105 | 22,829 | 501 |
| 2023 | 73,441 | 17,013 | 3,242 | 15,053 | 37,354 | 779 |
| 2022 | 76,563 | 17,415 | 5,326 | 17,432 | 35,801 | 589 |
| 2021 | 39,900 | 18,392 | 4,504 | 12,188 | 4,355 | 461 |
| 2020 | 25,998 | 12,044 | 2,228 | 8,841 | 2,479 | 406 |
| 2019 | 38,405 | 16,635 | 4,230 | 12,797 | 4,344 | 399 |
| 2018 | 37,424 | 15,193 | 4,221 | 12,927 | 4,653 | 430 |
| 2017 | 42,579 | 14,018 | 4,075 | 16,240 | 7,852 | 394 |
| 2016 | 51,023 | 14,585 | 4,156 | 16,738 | 15,231 | 313 |
| 2015 | 49,341 | 18,111 | 4,963 | 16,728 | 9,282 | 257 |
| 2014 | 50,110 | 21,436 | 5,029 | 16,367 | 7,027 | 251 |
| 2013 | 54,517 | 23,541 | 5,854 | 17,446 | 7,376 | 300 |
| 2012 | 56,752 | 25,544 | 5,430 | 18,132 | 7,188 | 458 |
| 2011 | 54,550 | 26,727 | 5,817 | 16,272 | 5,360 | 374 |
| 2010 | 50,672 | 23,755 | 5,274 | 15,019 | 6,421 | 203 |
- Europe26,773
- Asia8,911
- Africa2,534
- Latin America and the Caribbean1,244
- North America1,203
- Oceania243
- Stateless74
Source: Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB), Statbank 07113 (CC BY 4.0)Data as at 2025
Norway's embassies and consulates abroad
Countries in which Norway has an embassy or consulate, as recorded in Wikidata.
| Country | Embassies | Consulates-general | Consulates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 1 | — | — |
| Algeria | 1 | — | — |
| Angola | 1 | — | — |
| Argentina | 1 | — | — |
| Australia | 1 | — | — |
| Austria | 1 | — | — |
| Bangladesh | 1 | — | — |
| Belgium | 1 | — | — |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | — | — |
| Brazil | 1 | — | — |
| Canada | 1 | — | — |
| Chile | 1 | — | — |
| China | 1 | 1 | — |
| Colombia | 1 | — | — |
| Croatia | 1 | — | — |
| Cuba | 1 | — | — |
| Cyprus | 1 | — | — |
| Czechia | 1 | — | — |
| DR Congo | 1 | — | — |
| Egypt | 1 | — | — |
| Estonia | 1 | — | — |
| Ethiopia | 1 | — | — |
| Finland | 1 | — | — |
| France | 1 | — | — |
| Georgia | 1 | — | — |
| Germany | 1 | — | — |
| Ghana | 1 | — | — |
| Greece | 1 | — | — |
| Guinea | 1 | — | — |
| Hungary | 1 | — | — |
| Iceland | 1 | — | — |
| India | 1 | — | — |
| Indonesia | 1 | — | — |
| Iran | 1 | — | — |
| Ireland | 1 | — | — |
| Israel | 1 | — | — |
| Italy | 1 | — | — |
| Japan | 1 | — | — |
| Jordan | 1 | — | — |
| Kenya | 1 | — | — |
| Kosovo | 1 | — | — |
| Latvia | 1 | — | — |
| Lebanon | 1 | — | — |
| Lithuania | 1 | — | — |
| Malawi | 1 | — | — |
| Malaysia | 1 | — | — |
| Mali | 1 | — | — |
| Mexico | 1 | — | — |
| Morocco | 1 | — | — |
| Mozambique | 1 | — | — |
| Myanmar | 1 | — | — |
| Nepal | 1 | — | — |
| Nigeria | 1 | — | — |
| Pakistan | 1 | — | — |
| Philippines | 1 | — | — |
| Poland | 1 | — | — |
| Portugal | 1 | — | — |
| Romania | 1 | — | — |
| Russia | 1 | — | — |
| Saudi Arabia | 1 | — | — |
| Serbia | 1 | — | — |
| Singapore | 1 | — | — |
| Slovakia | 1 | — | — |
| South Africa | 1 | — | — |
| South Korea | 1 | — | — |
| South Sudan | 1 | — | — |
| Spain | 1 | — | — |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | — | — |
| Sudan | 1 | — | — |
| Sweden | 1 | — | — |
| Switzerland | 1 | — | — |
| Tanzania | 1 | — | — |
| Thailand | 1 | — | — |
| Türkiye | 1 | — | — |
| Uganda | 1 | — | — |
| Ukraine | 1 | — | — |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 | — | — |
| United Kingdom | 1 | — | — |
| United States | 1 | 2 | — |
| Vietnam | 1 | — | — |
- Countries
- 80
- Missions
- 83
Source: Wikidata (CC0)Data as at Oct 2026
Remittances sent abroad
Personal remittances paid from Norway to other countries, in current US dollars (World Bank).
Remittances paid by year, US$ million
Data table
| 2000 | 1,060 |
| 2001 | 1,022 |
| 2002 | 923 |
| 2003 | 1,430 |
| 2004 | 1,749 |
| 2005 | 2,174 |
| 2006 | 2,597 |
| 2007 | 3,577 |
| 2008 | 4,750 |
| 2009 | 4,174 |
| 2010 | 4,118 |
| 2011 | 4,427 |
| 2017 | 4,025 |
| 2018 | 4,411 |
| 2019 | 4,619 |
| 2020 | 3,871 |
| 2021 | 3,990 |
| 2022 | 5,412 |
| 2023 | 5,463 |
| 2024 | 5,702 |
| 2025 | 6,313 |
- Remittances paid, 2025
- US$6,313 million
- Average cost of sending US$200 from Norway, 2023
- 1.2%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)Data as at 2025
Corridors into Norway
Nationalities with a dedicated corridor page.
- Ukraine → Norway
- China → Norway
- Poland → Norway
- Thailand → Norway
- India → Norway
- Syria → Norway
- Vietnam → Norway
- United Kingdom → Norway
- Philippines → Norway
- United States → Norway
- United Arab Emirates → Norway
- Lithuania → Norway
- Sweden → Norway
- Pakistan → Norway
- Afghanistan → Norway
- Romania → Norway
- Germany → Norway
- Spain → Norway
- Türkiye → Norway
- Eritrea → Norway
- Latvia → Norway
- Denmark → Norway
- DR Congo → Norway
Source: OECD, International Migration Database (OECD.ELS.IMD), accessed 24 Oct 2026Data as at 2023
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