Content
About the statistics
Definitions
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Name and topic
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Name: Immigration and emigration
Topic: Population
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Responsible division
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Division for Population Statistics
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Definitions of the main concepts and variables
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Resident: Who is counted as a resident of Norway and where in Norway a person is counted as a resident, is stipulated in the Population Registration Act of 16 January 1970. The regulations of the act were changed effective 1 February 1980.
In-migration, out-migration: Migration is when one person moves from one Norwegian municipality to another or between a Norwegian municipality and abroad. If a person moves several times during the same calendar year, each move counts. In the migration figures for counties and regions moves between the municipalities in the county/region are not counted.
Net migration: The difference between in-migration and out-migration.
Rate: Events in a period divided by population. The period is often 1 year. For five year periods the tables are published with the average for the five-year period, e.g. internal migration broken down by five age groups per 1 000 mean population in the same age group.
Administrative information
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Regional level
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Country, county and municipality.
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Frequency and timeliness
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Annually
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International reporting
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Eurostat and UN
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Microdata
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Fil på individnivå som blir bearbeidet og langtidslagret.
Background
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Background and purpose
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The historical data on migration only cover emigration to other parts of the world (overseas countries) for the years 1825-1965. Annual total figures for emigrants are given in Historical Statistics. Norway has kept more comprehensive statistics on migration since 1951. The establishment of the population registries made it possible for Statistics Norway to prepare statistics on migration, both between Norwegian municipalities and to and from abroad. Migration is defined as change of residence. Migration within municipalities was included in the statistics for the first time in 1999. Intramunicipal migration was not included before. Statistics on migration is generally somewhat less reliable than statistics on other population changes. Due to a lack of reporting, emigration figures in particular are too low.
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Users and applications
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Public administration, politicians, the press and electronic media, schools and institutions involved in research on demographics and living standards, and private persons.
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Coherence with other statistics
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Migration is included in the population accounts as one of the components for understanding the changes in the population
The migration statistics that show migration to/from Norway by foreign nationals over the course of one year can have an impact on the number of the naturalizations in Norway seven years later.
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Legal authority
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§§ 2-1, 2-2, 3-2
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EEA reference
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Not relevant
Production
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Population
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The statistics cover all migration registered in the course of the year between Norwegian municipalities and between a Norwegian municipality and abroad. A person who moves several times during the calendar year is counted the corresponding number of times. Migration within the municipalities was included in the statistics for the first time in 1999. From 1998 the statistics mainly cover migration that actually took place in the course of the year. Migration from the years before 1998 is included in the 1998 figures if the report was made from 1 March 1998 to 29 February 2000, i.e. too late to be included in the 1997 statistics or earlier editions.
From 1985 to 1997 the statistics covered migration that actually had taken place that year and in addition only migration from the previous year, i.e. those who were too late to be included in the statistics.
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Data sources and sampling
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Migration statistics are based on population register data. The figures from 1995 and later are based on the Central Population Register (DSF) at the Directorate of Taxes, while the figures for 1968-1994 are taken from its predecessor, the National Population Register (DSP). The 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 Office of the National Registrar, which administrates the register, was transferred in 1991 from Statistics Norway to the Directorate of Taxes.
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.
Reports of internal migration are based on reporting obligations to the population registry and to the post, immigration and emigration are based on reporting obligations to the population registry of the in-migration municipality, and to the out-migration municipality in cases of emigration. Migration reports shall be given by the person who is moving within 8 days of the move. This also applies to migration from abroad to a Norwegian municipality. Persons who leave the country are obligated to notify the out-migration municipality. Immigration and emigration shall be reported if the person intends to stay at least 6 months.
Updating of the Central Population Register is done in part by the local population registries, which are connected to the DSF via terminals, and in part by the Directorate of Taxes. The basis of the statistics on changes in the population is electronic copies to Statistics Norway of all such register updates. The reports are also used to update a separate Statistics Norway population database kept for statistical purposes, which forms the basis for the statistics on the composition of the population.
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Collection of data, editing and estimations
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In addition to checks made by the DSF, Statistics Norway performs checks for statistical purposes. For further details of the controls that are done, see the report:
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Confidentiality
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Not relevant
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Comparability over time and space
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Because of migration surges in 1960, 1970 and 1980 the comparability is not as good for these years as for other years. In 1998 the scope of the migration that is included was changed, leading to an increase in emigration which could impact comparability.
Mergers, divisions and redrawing of the borders of regional units need to be taken into consideration if the statistics are to be compared at regional levels over time.
Accuracy and reliability
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Sources of error and uncertainty
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The migration figures for the first years the reporting routines were in use are the most uncertain. The figures for 1960 and 1970 cover a number of moves across municipal borders that took place during the preceding 10-year period, but were not discovered and registered before the population registers were checked against the 1960 and 1970 censuses. Moreover, it turned out that a number of persons registered as residing in Norway at the time of the censuses had actually moved abroad. This explains the pronounced increase in migration these two years. A somewhat similar but smaller surge in internal migration seems to apply to 1980. The higher figure this year is probably ascribable to the fact that moves that took place earlier were reported/registered in 1980 even though the population was the control source.
From March 1987 to January 1994 asylum seekers as a rule were counted as immigrants - and therefore also as residents of Norway - even though their application for a residence permit had not been completely processed. Before and after this period only asylum seekers with a residence permit were registered. Persons who leave the country without reporting that they have moved have also been a major source of error in recent years. As a result of surveys conducted in 1993, the population registries registered as having migrated abroad nearly 3 000 foreigners who had previously left Norway without reporting the move. Oslo was the most affected by the out-registration (1 600 persons). Some of this out-migration should have been spread over several years. Out-registrations were also done in 1994, 1995, 1997 and 1998. In 1998 nearly 1 100 persons who had left Norway before 1997 were registered as having migrated abroad. They are included in the emigration figures for 1998.
Register errors: The quality of the reports is generally very good, although the emigration figures have been somewhat low due to reporting failures.
Persons who leave the country without reporting that they have moved have also been a major source of error in recent years. As a result of surveys conducted in 1993, the population registries registered as having migrated abroad nearly 3 000 foreigners who had previously left Norway without reporting the move. Oslo was the most affected by the out-registration (1 600 persons). Some of this out-migration should have been spread over several years. Out-registrations were also done in 1994, 1995, 1997 and 1998.
The statistics is published with Migrations.