Immigrants by reason for immigration, 1 January 2011

Two thirds of all immigrants in 2010 came from EU/EEA countries, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. As in the previous five years, labour immigration was the most common reason for immigration among non-Nordic citizens.

Most from Poland

In 2010 there were 23 800 persons from non-Nordic countries that immigrated due to labour, the highest number ever registered. Out of those who came to Norway in 2010 due to labour, immigrants from Poland made up the largest group. After Poland came Lithuania, Latvia and Germany.

During 2010, there was an increase in the number of people registered as family immigrants compared with 2009. In total, 14 800 came due to family reasons and 38 per cent of these came from the new EU countries in Eastern Europe.

There were fewer families who immigrated to a person with a refugee background in 2010 compared with the year before. In 2010, 1 960 people came to Norway on that basis, while the corresponding figure for 2009 was 2 550.

Flight is stable and education is increasing

A total of 6 200 persons came to Norway due to flight. Most of them came from Eritrea, Somalia and Afghanistan. They made up only 12 per cent of the non-Nordic immigrants in 2010.

A total of 5 300 of those who immigrated in 2010 did so because of education. This was an increase of 1 200 since 2009 and the highest number ever registered. There were relatively many immigrants from Philippines, China, Russia and USA in this group. The number of registered students from Philippines is high because the au pair permit is also considered to be a type of education permission.

3 out of 4 still here

More than 470 600 persons with non-Nordic citizenship immigrated to Norway between 1990 and 2010. Three out of 4 still lived in the country at the beginning of 2011. Among those who immigrated due to flight and family since 1990, more than 80 per cent still lived in Norway on 1 January 2011. The corresponding percentages for those who immigrated due to labour and those who immigrated for education were 72 and 42 per cent respectively.

Tables:

• Table 1 Immigrations by reason for immigration, year of immigration and citizenship. 1990-2010 (Corrected 7 October 2011)
• Table 2 Immigrations by reason for immigration and citizenship. 1990-2010 (Corrected 7 October 2011)
• Table 3 Immigrations by reason for immigration and citizenship. 2010 (Corrected 7 October 2011)
• Table 4 Immigrations by reason for immigration, year of immigration and immigrants still resident on 1 January 2011. 1990-2010. Absolute figures and per cent (Corrected 7 October 2011)
• Table 5 Immigrants with family as reason for immigration, by type of family unification, immigrant category of reference person and citizenship. 2010 and 1990-2010 (Corrected 7 October 2011)
• Table 6 Family immigrations , by type of family unification, immigration category of reference person, year of immigration and citizenship. 2010 (Corrected 7 October 2011)
• Table 7 Immigrations by reason for immigration, sex and age. 1990-2010 (Corrected 7 October 2011)