72,000 refugees from Ukraine have sought protection in Norway
Preliminary figures show that 72,381 Ukrainian refugees have sought protection in Norway after the outbreak of war in 2022.
In 2022, 35,920 refugees arrived, while 36,461 arrived in 2023. The vast majority have received collective protection, but there are also some who are assessed as individual asylum seekers.
Must have resided in Ukraine to receive collective protection
Shortly after Russia launched its major offensive, the Norwegian government decided that Ukrainian refugees should receive collective protection. Of the refugees who have come to Norway, 70,440 have applied for collective protection. 66,917 refugees have had their application approved.
Runar Pedersen, Protection Adviser at the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI), explains that there are some specific requirements to qualify for collective protection. Among other things, you must have been resident in Ukraine when the war broke out on 24 February 2022.
— There is a small proportion of the refugees from Ukraine who do not fall under the regulations on collective protection, and they are therefore assessed individually. We are working to determine a practice for these cases, and the cases have been put on hold until this is determined, says Pedersen.
As of 5 January 2024, there are 861 refugees from Ukraine who have an individual asylum application with UDI. Pedersen says that most of these are people who have lived and worked in other European countries, for example in Poland, when the war broke out.
Collective protection with other nationalities
The vast majority of people who are granted collective protection are Ukrainian citizens, but it is also possible to qualify even if you have a different nationality. As of 5 January 2024, this applies to 204 people.
Pedersen explains that these are mostly refugees from other countries who had asylum in Ukraine before the war broke out.
— Persons who were under international protection in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 will be able to qualify for collective protection. The same applies to family members of Ukrainian citizens who qualify for collective protection, concludes the Protection Adviser.
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