Norway calculated the cost of supporting Ukrainian refugees and was unpleasantly surprised

By the end of 2024 there will be about 100 thousand Ukrainians in Norway

The number of refugees from Ukraine is growing in Norway. Municipalities in the Scandinavian country are expected to accept more than 30 thousand refugees in 2024. Because of this, the kingdom is experiencing crises in various areas. The health service has restructured operations, but there are concerns this could impact other council residents. There are also preconditions that there will not be enough housing to accommodate newly arrived migrants and refugees.

The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) believes that by the end of this year there will be about 100 thousand Ukrainians in Norway. They point to good Norwegian support schemes as one of the reasons for this “popularity”.

“We were surprised by the amount of costs incurred,” comments Jan Kåre Melsaeter, head of the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration (NAV).

The municipality of Asker in Akershus resettled 340 Ukrainian refugees in 2023 and will resettle 355 in 2024. The Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and Director Frode Forfang maintain daily statistics on Ukrainians who apply for protection in Norway. After low numbers before the new year, there has been an upward trend in recent days.

“Now their number has exceeded 70 thousand. Our forecast, with all possible reservations, is that in 2024 there will be another 30 thousand new arrivals. By the end of the year this will be about 100 thousand,” says a UDI representative.

Forfang notes that there are many factors that could affect the number of arrivals, even if the Norwegian authorities introduce austerity measures. And the government announced some measures.

In an interview with NRK, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration explained that the country’s support schemes are most different from other European countries due to the entire integration program that migrants receive in Norway after they settle in a Norwegian municipality. It is also noted that annual such support costs the country’s budget 237 thousand crowns. Payments include housing and a number of other benefits associated with living in the municipality.

According to Forfang, the principle in Norway is that Ukrainian refugees should undergo an integration course similar to what others receive.

According to the Asker municipality, payments place a heavy burden on the budget, which is now being reduced to nothing. In addition, there is a strain on municipal services. According to the leader of the Norwegian Labor and Social Security Administration, Melsaeter, they receive no more support than others.

“This is no higher than what other social assistance recipients receive. There is no difference in nationality or where you are from as a refugee. We take the government’s estimated rates as a starting point and conduct individual estimates. But over time the amounts increase. That’s all,” explains Melsaeter.

Forfang believes that many of those who arrived intend to stay in the country.

“Coming to Norway is probably more of a very clear choice for the future than going to countries like Poland or the Czech Republic,” says the UDI director. He believes that Norway has thus still taken in a disproportionate share of Ukrainian refugees.

Since this does not matter for obtaining a residence permit in Norway, the head of UDI simply sees no reason why Ukrainians should indicate the wrong home address.

“So far we see that the clear majority of those who arrived are from the eastern or southeastern regions of Ukraine,” Forfang shares statistics.