They work in Norway but may not be granted permanent residence. The government sets a condition

Since March 2022, more than 84,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Norway. People covered by collective protection currently hold temporary status, which does not automatically guarantee them the right to permanent residence. The government has therefore prepared a new solution. It is intended to enable people who work and earn enough to support themselves to obtain a more stable status. Representatives of the Ukrainian community warn, however, that the proposed conditions may prove too difficult to meet.

The income threshold has not yet been finally determined. The government is considering two options, requiring an annual income of at least NOK 382,337 or NOK 409,647. Other foreign nationals applying for permanent residence are currently subject to a threshold of NOK 341,373. This means that both proposed options for Ukrainians set higher financial requirements.

The proposal was presented in mid-September. Consultations are to continue until 30 October 2026, and the launch of the new pathway to obtain a residence permit is planned for summer 2027. At the same time, the government wants to extend collective protection for Ukrainians until March 2028. However, such an extension will not mean that the right to permanent residence is granted automatically. The new solution is intended for people who are able to support themselves and their families from their own income.

Reaching the required income may be difficult. Data from Statistics Norway (SSB) show that around half of working-age Ukrainians who came to Norway after 2022 have found employment. Many of them, however, work part-time. Vilde Hernes from the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR) at OsloMet points out that around half of those employed have temporary contracts, forcing them to continually look for further job opportunities. According to the researcher, single parents and pensioners are in a particularly difficult situation.

However, the government does not intend to lower the requirements. Minister of Labour and Integration Kjersti Stenseng stresses that the basis of the new solution is to be the ability to support oneself without relying on social benefits. The proposal is also criticised by opposition representatives. Guri Melby of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and Tage Pettersen of the Conservative Party (Høyre) believe that Ukrainians should be subject to the same requirements as other foreign nationals. Hanne Stenvaag of the Red Party (Rødt), meanwhile, claims that fewer than 20 per cent of employed Ukrainians could reach the proposed income threshold.

NRK describes the issue through the example of 34-year-old Tetiana Shevchenko, who fled Kyiv with her two children four years ago. She has a higher education degree in administration and management, but in Norway she works as an accountant on a 30 per cent contract and receives a housing allowance. She would like to work full-time. Her nine-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son attend school in Norway, have friends there and hope they will be able to remain in the country. Shevchenko stresses that having stable employment and being able to plan her family’s future are important to her.