Migrations

Updated: 12 March 2024

Next update: Not yet determined

Migration to Norway
Migration to Norway
2023
86 589
persons
 
In-migration and out-migration, by citizenship
In-migration and out-migration, by citizenship
20232022
ImmigrationEmigrationNet immigrationNet immigration
Total86 58934 01152 57857 939
Norway7 09610 180-3 084-2 220
Foreign79 49323 83155 66260 159
EU27/EFTA31 94925 6466 3036 540
European countries outside EU27/EFTA35 8093 16332 64634 359
Africa3 3386802 6583 044
Asia12 5532 9949 55911 584
North America1 082764318765
Latin America and the Caribbean1 4595559041 248
Oceania21018327161
Selected citizenship
Ukraine32 9352 43030 50532 119
Syria3 1161133 0032 266
India2 1136921 4211 941
Poland6 4444 4571 9871 849
Philippines1 2104397711 175
Pakistan980170810926
Afghanistan70959650908
Congo73015715892
Romania1 672849823838
Sweden2 2421 307935764
Explanation of symbols

Selected tables and charts from this statistics

  • All migrations, internal and immigration/emigration, by county
    All migrations, internal and immigration/emigration, by county1
    2023
    In-migrationEmigrationNet-migration
    All migrationFrom abroadInternalAll migrationTo abroadInternalAll migrationFrom abroadInternal
    The whole country239 69586 589153 106187 11734 011153 10652 57852 5780
    Viken (2020-2023)59 62919 27540 35442 8167 63935 17716 81311 6365 177
    Oslo46 22412 61833 60642 0067 88734 1194 2184 731-513
    Innlandet15 8065 9409 86611 9841 58210 4023 8224 358-536
    Vestfold og Telemark (2020-2023)17 6136 32311 29012 6721 83310 8394 9414 490451
    Agder13 3375 7937 5449 9891 2508 7393 3484 543-1 195
    Rogaland16 8767 1729 70411 5293 3648 1655 3473 8081 539
    Vestland20 0808 53911 54116 0903 65712 4333 9904 882-892
    Møre og Romsdal9 9994 0375 9627 7631 3996 3642 2362 638-402
    Trøndelag - Trööndelage17 3366 49310 84313 6402 81010 8303 6963 68313
    Nordland - Nordlánnda10 9995 0415 9588 7861 1167 6702 2133 925-1 712
    Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku (2020-2023)11 7965 3586 4389 8421 4748 3681 9543 884-1 930
    1Except migration between municipalities within the county
    Explanation of symbols
  • Immigration and emigration. Total, Norwegian and foreign citizenship.
    Immigration and emigration. Total, Norwegian and foreign citizenship.
    Immigration, totalEmigration, totalNet migration, totalNorwegian citizens, immigrationNorwegian citizens, emigrationForeign citizens, immigrationForeign citizens, emigration
    197119 29712 6826 6158 4027 45410 8955 228
    197218 38813 9654 4237 9857 36610 4036 599
    197317 38313 9393 4447 4908 2239 8935 716
    197419 20914 2874 9227 6918 23811 5186 049
    197519 55114 7824 7697 6317 97111 9206 811
    197618 95514 0664 8896 9467 24212 0096 824
    197719 40314 3695 0347 5747 28911 8297 080
    197818 82514 8513 9746 6427 22712 1837 624
    197917 83115 0852 7466 6187 46611 2137 619
    198018 77614 7054 0716 9437 41711 8337 288
    198119 69814 5225 1766 6377 27013 0617 252
    198220 46814 7285 7406 4787 51013 9907 218
    198320 06315 7784 2856 9737 82313 0907 955
    198419 68815 9273 7616 8518 31012 8377 617
    198521 85815 6306 2286 9528 10814 9067 522
    198624 19616 7457 4517 6628 32116 5348 424
    198731 14917 38013 7697 3568 78923 7938 591
    198829 96419 82110 1436 92310 50123 0419 320
    198925 84727 300-1 4537 46316 73718 38410 563
    199025 49423 7841 7109 80014 01615 6949 768
    199126 28318 2388 04510 2099 88116 0748 357
    199226 74316 8019 9429 5818 74417 1628 057
    199331 71118 90312 8089 4168 45222 29510 451
    199426 91119 4757 4369 0449 89217 8679 583
    199525 67819 3126 3669 19610 32016 4828 992
    199626 40720 5905 8179 21110 55817 19610 032
    199731 95721 25710 7009 93111 22322 02610 034
    199836 70422 88113 8239 95710 87626 74712 005
    199941 84122 84218 9999 61110 15232 23012 690
    200036 54226 8549 6888 75711 92327 78514 931
    200134 26426 3097 9558 85211 09325 41215 216
    200240 12222 94817 1749 33410 67530 78812 273
    200335 95724 67211 2859 17010 32726 78714 345
    200436 48223 27113 2118 6189 41527 86413 856
    200540 14821 70918 4398 7939 08131 35512 628
    200645 77622 05323 7238 3519 56337 42512 490
    200761 77422 12239 6528 2768 79853 49813 324
    200866 96123 61543 3468 1408 45758 82115 158
    200965 18626 54938 6378 5048 16856 68218 381
    201073 85231 50642 3468 7879 01065 06522 496
    201179 49832 46647 0328 7399 58370 75922 883
    201278 57031 22747 3438 5589 92970 01221 298
    201375 78935 71640 0738 85510 68066 93425 036
    201470 03031 87538 1558 6018 55561 42923 320
    201567 27637 47429 8028 20810 09059 06825 844
    201666 80040 72426 0768 2929 99458 50830 730
    201758 19236 84321 3498 41810 22049 77426 623
    201852 48534 38218 1038 0799 85644 40624 526
    201952 15326 82625 3277 5839 25644 57017 570
    202038 07526 74411 3317 2576 88430 81819 860
    202153 94734 29719 6507 3438 28846 60426 009
    202290 47532 53657 9397 1949 41483 28123 122
    202386 58934 01152 5787 09610 18079 49323 831
    Explanation of symbols
  • Internal migration. Total between municipalities
    Internal migration. Total between municipalities
    TotalPer 1000 mean population
    2014237 86146.3
    2015245 73547.3
    2016241 36246.1
    2017248 52747.1
    2018244 35346.0
    2019245 46745.9
    2020247 25746.0
    2021260 34548.1
    2022254 85446.7
    2023264 14947.9
    Explanation of symbols
  • Internal migration
    Internal migration1 2
    2023
    MigrationsMigration per 1000 mean population
    Between municipalities264 14947.9
    Within counties153 10627.7
    Between six regions (2020-)103 05918.7
    1Oslo and Viken are here considered as one county.
    2Regions: Oslo and Viken; Innlandet; Agder and South Eastern Norway (Agder, and Vestfold og Telemark); Western Norway (Rogaland, Vestland, and Møre og Romsdal); Trøndelag; Northern Norway (Nordland, and Troms og Finnmark).
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

The statistics show the extent of immigration to and emigration from Norway, as well as the numbers moving within and between Norwegian municipalities and counties. A person who moves several times during the calendar year is counted the corresponding number of times.

The information under «About the statistics» was last updated 3 June 2021.

Resident

Who is regarded as a resident of Norway and where in Norway a person shall be counted as a resident, is stipulated in the Population Registration Act of January 16th 1970. The regulations to the act were amended effective February 1st 1980.

The following main points from the registration rules decide who is regarded as a resident of Norway

Persons from countries outside the Nordic countries are regarded as residents of Norway when they have lived here or intend to live here at least 6 months, even though the stay is temporary. The same six-month rule applies to migration from Norway to a country outside the Nordic countries.

The aforementioned six-month rule does not always apply to migration between Norway and another Nordic country. In Denmark, for example, a person is registered as a resident if the person intends to stay in the country at least 3 months. The same limit is used for out-migration. In Sweden and Finland the limit is one year. For persons who come/move to Norway from another Nordic country, the six-month rule is still valid, as residence is decided by the country of immigration's rules, cf. the Nordic agreement on inter-Nordic migration dated 8 May 1989. This agreement replaced a similar agreement from December 5th 1968.

People living in Svalbard, on Jan Mayen or in Norwegian dependencies who on departure were registered in the population register of a Norwegian municipality shall still be counted as residents of that municipality. The same rules apply to people on the Norwegian continental shelf.

Norwegian foreign and consular service staff and Norwegian military personnel posted for duty abroad are counted as residents of Norway. The same applies to their families.

Foreign staff at foreign embassies and consular services and foreign personnel attached to NATO are not counted as residents of Norway. The same applies to their families.

The main rule for where in Norway a person is regarded as a resident is that the person resides where he/she has their regular daily rest (night's sleep). If the daily rest is taken in shifts at one or more places, the person is regarded as residing where, overall, they can be said to live on a regular basis. Spouses with a joint home and persons sharing a joint home with their children are regarded as residing in this home without regard to where they have their daily rest.

Single persons who attend school in another municipality are as a main rule still regarded as resident of the place they lived before starting school (the residence of their parents). Similar registration principles also apply to conscripts serving their initial military service, alternative national service conscripts, prisoners, and people admitted to hospitals. Persons admitted to or placed in other institutions or private care are as a main rule regarded as residents when the stay is intended to last, or turns out to last, at least 6 months.

From March 1987 to January 1994 asylum seekers were usually counted as immigrants and hence also as residents even though the processing of their application for residence had not been completed. Before and after this period, only asylum seekers with residence permits have been registered.

In-migration, out-migration

Migration is when one person moves from one Norwegian municipality to another or between a Norwegian municipality and abroad. If a person moves several times during the same calendar year, each move counts. In the migration figures for counties and regions moves between the municipalities in the county/region are not counted.

Net migration

The difference between in-migration and out-migration.

Rate: Events in a period divided by population. The period is often 1 year. For five year periods the tables are published with the average for the five-year period, e.g. internal migration broken down by five age groups per 1 000 mean population in the same age group.

Centralisation

Centralisation is the geographical location of a municipality compared to an urban settlements of a particular size. The level of centralisation is classified in 4 main categories, coded 3 – 0. Code 3 centralisation is achieved when the physical centre of the population of a municipality is within 75 minutes of travel from an urban settlement with a population of minimum of 50 000 inhabitants (90 minutes from Oslo). To achieve code 3, an additional requirement is that the urban settlement in question acts as a regional centre. Code 2 means a maximum travel of 60 minutes to an urban settlement with the minimum of 15 000 inhabitants. Code 1 means a maximum travel of 45 minutes to an urban settlement with the minimum of 5 000 inhabitants. The municipalities that do not fulfil any of these requirements get the code 0.

“Central municipalities” is coded 3, “Fairly central municipalities” is coded 2, “Fairly remote municipalities” is coded 1, and “Remote municipalities” is coded 0.

Name: Migrations
Topic: Population

Not yet determined

Division for Population Statistics

Country, county and municipality.

Annually

Eurostat and UN

Data files at the individual level that are processed and stored long-term.

The historical data on migration only cover emigration to other parts of the world (overseas countries) for the years 1825-1965. Annual total figures for emigrants are given in Historical Statistics. Norway has kept more comprehensive statistics on migration since 1951. The establishment of the population registries made it possible for Statistics Norway to prepare statistics on migration, both between Norwegian municipalities and to and from abroad. Migration is defined as change of residence. Migration within municipalities was included in the statistics for the first time in 1999. Intramunicipal migration was not included before. Statistics on migration is generally somewhat less reliable than statistics on other population changes. Due to a lack of reporting, emigration figures in particular are too low.

Public administration, politicians, the press and electronic media, schools and institutions involved in research on demographics and living standards, and private persons.

No external users have access to the statistics and analyses before they are published and accessible simultaneously for all users on ssb.no at 08 am. Prior to this, a minimum of three months' advance notice is given inthe Statistics Release Calendar. This is one of Statistics Norway’s key principles for ensuring that all users are treated equally.

Migration is included in the population accounts as one of the components for understanding the changes in the Population.

The statistics Population and population changes cover the quarterly figures for migrations, but with fewer variables. Country background, country of emigration/immigration, gender, age, marital status of migrants, are only available in the Statbanktables produced for the yearly migration statistics you’re now looking at.

The migration statistics that show migration to/from Norway by foreign nationals over the course of one year can have an impact on the number of the naturalisations in Norway seven years later.

Statistics Act § 10

Not relevant

The statistics cover all migration registered in the course of the year between Norwegian municipalities and between a Norwegian municipality and abroad. A person who moves several times during the calendar year is counted the corresponding number of times. Migration within the municipalities was included in the statistics for the first time in 1999. From 1998 the statistics mainly cover migration that actually took place in the course of the year. Migration from the years before 1998 is included in the 1998 figures if the report was made from 1 March 1998 to 29 February 2000, i.e. too late to be included in the 1997 statistics or earlier editions.

From 1985 to 1997 the statistics covered migration that actually had taken place that year and in addition only migration from the previous year, i.e. those who were too late to be included in the statistics.

Migration statistics are based on population register data. The figures from 1995 and later are based on the Central Population Register (DSF) at the Directorate of Taxes, while the figures for 1968-1994 are taken from its predecessor, the National Population Register (DSP). The register was built up from 1964 to 1966 on the basis of the 1960 census, at the same time as the 11-digit national identity number was introduced as identification. The Office of the National Registrar, which administrates the register, was transferred in 1991 from Statistics Norway to the Directorate of Taxes.

Since 1946 each municipality has had a local population registry that registers all residents in the municipality, pursuant to the Population Registration Act and its regulations. The population registries receive reports of births, deaths, marriages, divorces, migration etc. from various sources.

Reports of internal migration are based on reporting obligations to the population registry and to the post, immigration and emigration are based on reporting obligations to the population registry of the in-migration municipality, and to the out-migration municipality in cases of emigration. Migration reports shall be given by the person who is moving within 8 days of the move. This also applies to migration from abroad to a Norwegian municipality. Persons who leave the country are obligated to notify the out-migration municipality. Immigration and emigration shall be reported if the person intends to stay at least 6 months.

Updating of the Central Population Register is done in part by the local population registries, which are connected to the DSF via terminals, and in part by the Directorate of Taxes. The basis of the statistics on changes in the population is electronic copies to Statistics Norway of all such register updates. The reports are also used to update a separate Statistics Norway population database kept for statistical purposes, which forms the basis for the statistics on the composition of the population.

In addition to checks made by the DSF, Statistics Norway performs checks for statistical purposes.

Not relevant

If a number in a table consists of three or fewer units and disclosing these units can lead to identification of individuals, the number is rounded up or the table cell left empty.

Because of migration surges in 1960, 1970 and 1980 the comparability is not as good for these years as for other years. In 1998 the scope of the migration that is included was changed, leading to an increase in emigration which could impact comparability.

Mergers, divisions and redrawing of the borders of regional units need to be taken into consideration if the statistics are to be compared at regional levels over time.

The migration figures for the first years the reporting routines were in use are the most uncertain. The figures for 1960 and 1970 cover a number of moves across municipal borders that took place during the preceding 10-year period, but were not discovered and registered before the population registers were checked against the 1960 and 1970 censuses. Moreover, it turned out that a number of persons registered as residing in Norway at the time of the censuses had actually moved abroad. This explains the pronounced increase in migration these two years. A somewhat similar but smaller surge in internal migration seems to apply to 1980. The higher figure this year is probably ascribable to the fact that moves that took place earlier were reported/registered in 1980 even though the population was the control source.

From March 1987 to January 1994 asylum seekers as a rule were counted as immigrants - and therefore also as residents of Norway - even though their application for a residence permit had not been completely processed. Before and after this period only asylum seekers with a residence permit were registered. Persons who leave the country without reporting that they have moved have also been a major source of error in recent years. As a result of surveys conducted in 1993, the population registries registered as having migrated abroad nearly 3 000 foreigners who had previously left Norway without reporting the move. Oslo was the most affected by the out-registration (1 600 persons). Some of this out-migration should have been spread over several years. Out-registrations were also done in 1994, 1995, 1997 and 1998. In 1998 nearly 1 100 persons who had left Norway before 1997 were registered as having migrated abroad. They are included in the emigration figures for 1998. Since 2012 there has been out-registrations of persons who migrated earlier years without reporting the move.

Register errors: The quality of the reports is generally very good, although the emigration figures have been somewhat low due to reporting failures.

Not relevant

Key figure pages

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