Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents

Updated: 7 March 2025

Next update: Not yet determined

Immigrants
Immigrants
2025
965 113
 
Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents, by country background. 1 January
Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents, by country background. 1 January
2025
ImmigrantsNorwegian-born to immigrant parentsImmigrants in per cent of total populationNorwegian-born to immigrant parents in per cent of total population
Total965 113230 23717.34.1
Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand394 98854 4097.11.0
Europe except EU/EFTA and UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions570 124175 82910.23.1
Nordic countries except Norway69 9797 5771.30.1
EU/EFTA until 2004 except the Nordic countries92 4389 5631.70.2
New EU countries after 2004216 74936 2043.90.6
USA and Canada13 2149730.20.0
Australia and New Zealand2 608920.00.0
Europe except for EU/EFTA/UK148 07125 2522.60.5
Africa110 48847 5172.00.8
Asia282 40898 8045.01.8
America except USA og Canada29 0734 2560.50.1
Oceania except Australia and New Zealand8400.00.0
Explanation of symbols

Selected tables and charts from this statistics

  • Population by immigrant category and country background
    Population by immigrant category and country background
    2025
    Born in Norway to Norwegian-born parents1 ImmigrantsNorwegian-born to immigrant parentsForeign-born with one Norwegian-born parentNorwegian-born with one foreign-born parentForeign-born to Norwegian-born parents
    Total4 007 857965 113230 23741 355310 58839 190
    Norway3 782 95800000
    Denmark35 21018 3812 0144 24032 3731 386
    Greenland146200145222430
    Finland6 5996 8447955097 28560
    Faroe Islands1 6436181001041 22715
    Iceland2 5196 7238823643 84352
    Sweden38 60637 2133 7727 11146 4995 245
    Albania443 88286333657
    Belgium1 1451 7041713171 313310
    Bulgaria1768 0331 0873099350
    Andorra0151020
    Estonia1594 615604658562
    France2 3467 3727238384 410331
    Gibraltar2616120
    Greece5674 8423512091 21043
    Belarus171 779324134173
    Ireland5541 225611241 10024
    Croatia5405 9111 262291 0977
    Italy1 5356 4604713912 531106
    Latvia14813 6691 928461 03613
    Malta66117623826
    Netherlands4 8349 2241 0968346 213324
    Liechtenstein7203240
    Luxembourg71701396871
    Monaco4122182
    Poland3 176111 37617 5923127 48669
    Portugal3694 5434911151 02218
    Romania30918 2223 243451 854143
    San Marino063010
    Lithuania3643 0778 279581 8791
    Spain1 9679 2397947853 307227
    Moldova32 81444031900
    United Kingdom18 99117 0501 1984 27822 4081 271
    Russia57622 2544 9572895 048218
    Switzerland1 7451 7432146332 051350
    Türkiye1 42015 5647 8522054 77227
    Germany14 78327 3793 8272 64917 330887
    Slovenia765279651620
    Ukraine7879 6242 2541341 82846
    Hungary2 1794 4639421071 737348
    Austria1 6361 5081482541 620100
    Vatican City State000000
    Bosnia-Herzegovina40513 9035 307172 4961
    North Macedonia2983 3711 694228781
    Slovakia1054 003718134800
    Czech Republic9052 487440531 06611
    Serbia5438 9642 311321 04813
    Montenegro2157122861051
    Kosovo46510 9096 874312 0066
    Guernsey051010
    Jersey0110100
    Isle of Man010000
    Algeria3771 458663197003
    Angola2558194252282
    Botswana17799317919
    Saint Helena21202150
    British Indian Ocean Territory210020
    Burundi11 17254131412
    Comoros362010
    Benin03882100
    Equatorial Guinea0250020
    Côte d'Ivore51336112920133
    Eritrea34225 5239 66623460101
    Ethiopia7019 6444 434119875831
    Egypt3401 7523564766411
    Djibouti76759050
    Gabon0135190
    Gambia3021 343675148290
    Ghana1332 3551 044317439
    Guinea113601510590
    Guinea-Bissau6117181340
    Cameroon3457182478292128
    Cape Verde32638714483027
    Kenya3982 5974682111 222206
    Congo-Brazzaville26246945548
    Congo2555 1731 4672040656
    Lesotho1113260
    Liberia878803981819134
    Libya201 11423381094
    Madagascar1 1291975456504239
    Malawi1170157351
    Mali6493213312
    Morocco1 3076 7324 969812 79910
    Western Sahara22410120
    Mauritania26821141
    Mauritius11718650121840
    Namibia19102221774
    Niger266181400
    Nigeria1812 5267892488518
    Mozambique4319624171229
    Mayotte000000
    Réunion030130
    Zimbabwe102376582719625
    Rwanda121 64529351106
    Sao Tome and Principe0100000
    Senegal2639412591654
    Central African Republic0685010
    Seychelles71744190
    Sierra Leone8249022752172
    Somalia10427 65816 414171 05312
    Spanish territories in Africa000000
    South Sudan86671461181
    Sudan375 6061 99651836
    Eswatini21904196
    South Africa1 2861 6181212911 321402
    Tanzania2358452048659998
    Chad1589150
    Togo8126561421
    Tunisia2911 3015572281610
    Uganda1292 7433885759313
    Zambia71506656330639
    Burkina Faso33530193
    Afghanistan1920 2566 57965353
    Armenia15468882593
    Azerbaijan68681687933
    Bahrain831616256
    Bangladesh2262 12758714179129
    Bhutan6361911227
    Brunei162635817
    Myanmar133 4111 22821292
    Sri Lanka8399 5446 888681 338182
    United Arab Emirates16719199988892
    Philippines2 57625 3194 0871 40312 702714
    Georgia052780238111
    Taiwan1763944328199107
    Hong Kong46486026680414142
    India2 44918 9365 5271882 2521 349
    Indonesia5111 841373119851181
    Iraq19923 77612 710322 17114
    Iran74820 5205 676423 54134
    Israel35178511916779833
    Japan9071 360118205974302
    Jordan561 206292121286
    Cambodia40510194291614
    Kazakhstan191 533245122140
    China1 5289 8452 7205672 2882 652
    North Korea172481610
    South Korea5 6811 4461424511 6526 037
    Kuwait1352321911979
    Cyprus1322499341839
    Kyrgyzstan0325773750
    Laos2159254750
    Lebanon3163 9091 1995878014
    Macao054111140
    Malaysia1841 1761439045244
    Maldives360040
    Mongolia0185415498
    Oman4472131912
    Palestine1363 7241 295552877
    Nepal633 4396051716378
    Pakistan2 96824 24418 9712818 39626
    Timor-Leste090060
    Qatar6873114722
    Saudi Arabia141 2413962311132
    Singapore22954848224399257
    Tajikistan0199450450
    Turkmenistan20169300170
    Uzbekistan69431893820
    Syria11640 7747 822116424
    Thailand1 11222 8731 4451 5039 780481
    Vietnam1 81114 7199 6811442 804198
    Yemen57972382211
    United States Virgin Islands20201111
    Barbados172004290
    Antigua and Barbuda060070
    Belize51300190
    Bahamas151904144
    Bermuda450462
    British Virgin Islands220123
    Canada3 9022 3821846643 213665
    Cayman Islands332110
    Costa Rica164201115618598
    Cuba291 198161497563
    Dominica129100170
    Dominican Republic441 030229585042
    Franske Antiller000000
    Grenada211433310
    Guadeloupe030141
    Guatemala2102442748254210
    Haiti64145392
    Honduras5016233151245
    Jamaica5817230131885
    Martinique2500110
    Mexico1951 8921461511 24029
    Montserrat060000
    Aruba401102233
    Sint Maarten020100
    Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba000200
    Anguilla010000
    Curaçao66224183612
    Nicaragua33243203018112
    Panama999610732
    El Salvador3225466131440
    Saint Pierre and Miquelon000000
    Saint Kitts and Nevis000301
    Saint Lucia61442111
    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines660080
    Trinidad and Tobago426276166143831
    Turks and Caicos Islands020020
    United States31 05610 8327894 71018 7285 071
    Puerto Rico42526350
    Saint Martin000000
    Saint Barthélemy000000
    Argentina7052 0971521531 02569
    Bolivia1994135861300185
    Brazil7886 8195256913 896522
    Guyana8785881201
    Chile1 9736 1491 8991944 376300
    Colombia2 3342 9682943731 6463 761
    Ecuador2817538957480225
    Falkland Islands012000
    French Guiana060160
    Paraguay66147142411628
    Peru2721 6541901101 216188
    Suriname334191570
    Uruguay10425836202138
    Venezuela701 6582085247017
    American Samoa720141
    Australia1 0532 036756302 138253
    Solomon Islands540080
    Christmas Island800001
    Cocos (Keeling) Islands000000
    Cook Islands700260
    Fiji203806490
    Vanuatu010020
    Tonga1260080
    French Polynesia71002110
    Kiribati020130
    Tuvalu000000
    Guam000000
    Nauru000000
    United States Minor Outlying Islands000000
    New Zealand3415721712769323
    Niue000000
    Norfolk Island000000
    Territory of New Guinea000000
    Micronesia, Federated States of1310060
    Papua New Guinea390222
    Pitcairn000000
    Tokelau000000
    Samoa050160
    Wallis and Futuna Islands000000
    New Caledonia680470
    Marshall Islands010000
    Palau020020
    Northern Mariana Islands000000
    1The foreign country background is related to grandparents’ country of birth. The person can have 1 to 4 grandparents born abroad. Grandmother / grandfather's country of birth is selected first if there are different countries of birth for grandparents.
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

The statistics show the number of resident immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents as of 1 January every year.

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

For more information (in Norwegian), see subchapter 1.4 in this report.

Immigrants

Persons born abroad of two foreign-born parents and four foreign-born grandparents.

Norwegian-born to Immigrant Parents are born in Norway of two parents born abroad and in addition have four grandparents born abroad.

Country of Birth

Mainly the mother's place of residence at the time she is giving birth.

Country Background

Constructed on the basis of information about the country of birth for three generations and refers to private, or mother's, or father's, or grandparents' foreign country of birth. For people born abroad this is (with few exceptions) their own native land. For people born in Norway this is their parents' country of birth. In cases where the parents have different countries of birth, the mother's country of birth is chosen.

Age, Citizenship and Period of Residence takes values the date on which the statistics are extracted. Period of Residence is stated in whole years.

Statistics Norway's use of terms in immigrant-related statistics is taken from The Statistical Standard for Classification of Persons by Immigration Background.

The following headings are used for grouping of persons with different immigrant background:

Born in Norway to Norwegian-born Parents

Immigrants

Name: Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents
Topic: Population

Not yet determined

Division for Population Statistics

The nation, county, municipality and urban districts of Oslo.

Annual

Not relevant

Files with data at the individual level are processed and stored long term.

Together with population statistics in other subject areas, the statistics helps showing changes taking place that affect the composition of the population.

In 1991 the former Ministry of Local Government and Labour (KAD) and Statistics Norway joined forces to prepare statistics on immigrants, giving rise to the Immigrant Statistics Project. Until 1996 the project was headed by a steering committee with participants from KAD, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration and Statistics Norway.

The statistics have a broad range of users and applications such as research institutes, public administration, press, broadcasting, 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 in the Statistics Release Calendar. This is one of Statistics Norway’s key principles for ensuring that all users are treated equally.

Statistics on the immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents show population numbers. The area is clearly connected with migration statistics. Immigration and emigration numbers can be found in the Migration Statistics for each calendar year.

The Quarterly Migration Statistics should also be mentioned. These numbers are provisional, but provide a picture of the changes taking place.

People immigrate on different bases, some are refugees and others have immigrated because of work, education, family

Statistics Act § 10

Not relevant

Covers all persons who neither have parents nor grandparents born in Norway registered as a resident of Norway on 1 January (for more about the definition resident, read below the point “Definitions”, here).

Asylum seekers and persons on short-term stays (less than six months) are not registered as residents in the population register and thus not included in the statistics.

The statistics are based on population register data.

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.

The National Population 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 register contained everyone included in the population census and subsequently everyone who has lived in Norway since 1 October 1964. In 1995 the Central Population Register (CPR) at the Directorate of Taxes took over as the official register. The Central Office of the National Registry was transferred from Statistics Norway (SSB) to the Directorate of Taxes in 1991.

The updates in the CPR are done by the local population registry offices and the Tax Administration, and updates SSB’s own population database daily. Before January 1998, updates were done monthly. Before May 1995 SSB received messages on tape.

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

The numbers in this production are not seasonally adjusted.

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.

Time: The numbers are comparable from 1995, the first year the statistics were released.

Place: Statistics Norway provides statistics for each municipality. Because the mass is small, numbers are less useful in analyses of the smallest geographical levels.

In many municipalities, particularly the small, numbers can vary widely from year to year, often due to the localization of the reception centers.

Some errors made during the collecting and processing of the data are unavoidable and include coding, data processing errors etc. Extensive efforts have been made to minimize these errors and we regard these types of errors to be relatively insignificant.

Persons without legal residence in Norway are omitted. Estimates of this group's size are very uncertain. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration and Oxford Research AS estimated in 2014 that between 18,100 and 56,000 people are staying illegally in Norway. More on this (in Norwegian) in Chap. 6 in the report A Marginal Problem?

The quality of the data from the National Population Register is generally very good for statistical purposes. Two objections are nevertheless delayed messages and registration of residence. Delayed messages cause events to be recorded and counted in the wrong calendar year. This becomes less problematic when one adds numbers over several years.

When a person who is registered as resident in Norway will move abroad, he must report the move to the Population Register. Some people fail to do that.

Not relevant

Key figure pages

Contact

Oppdrag innvandring

oppdraginnvandring@ssb.no

Statistics Norway's Information Centre

informasjon@ssb.no

(+47) 21 09 46 42