Fewer reception places in Sweden – can also be changed in Norway – VG
The flow of refugees from Ukraine to Sweden has slowed down sharply and the need for reception places is halved. The trend with fewer asylum seekers is the same in Norway.
Tuesday at 12 there is a press conference with UDI chief Frode Forfang. The UDI does not want to answer whether the Norwegian authorities will do as Swedish and adjust the estimate of refugee arrivals from Ukraine to Norway.
– Questions from the press related to this are answered at our press conference, the UDI’s press contact writes in an e-mail to VG.
Think reception will be discontinued
Since Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24, more than 16,000 Ukrainians have sought protection in Norway. VG is familiar with the reception industry in Norway and expects that several of the agreements will be terminated because the development in Norway is the same as in Sweden:
The number of refugees from Ukraine is falling sharply.
- In week 16, which ended on 19 April, 1202 Ukrainians sought asylum in Norway.
- In week 17, 914 applied.
- In week 18, 627 Ukrainians sought asylum in Norway.
During the same three weeks, 43 Syrians, 18 Russians, 17 Afghans, 15 Eritreans and a total of 68 people from other countries applied for protection in Norway.
According to VG’s sources, the UDI’s agreements with the emergency department are binding for six months. The municipalities have been asked to settle 35,000 refugees in 2022.
Since the Ukraine war started at the end of February, the UDI has had different scenarios.
- Lowest scenario: 20-25,000 refugees.
- Middle scenario: 50-70,000 refugees.
- Top scenario: 90-120,000 refugees.
The middle scenario was considered realistic at the beginning of April, and 60,000 refugees were then the number the UDI planned from. This can be changed, and UDI director Frode Forfang announced at the end of April that the real refugees will probably be somewhat lower. As of now, just over 16,000 Ukrainians have sought protection in Norway.
At the same time as arrival figures are declining in Sweden, Ukrainians are moving out to the municipalities. The same thing is happening in Norway. VG wrote earlier this week that Ukrainians are now settling in municipalities throughout Norway and that IMDI is making agreements on further settlements.
The reception centers have carried out a health survey of the refugee’s condition and any diseases in Norway. It has also been clarified whether the Ukrainians are coming to Norway with pets.
The Swedish Migration Agency originally estimated that 76,000 Ukrainians would seek protection in Sweden during the first half of 2022. Now the estimate has been updated to 80,000 people from Ukraine may seek protection in Sweden during all 2022
At the same time, the Swedish authorities believe that there will be more asylum seekers from other countries, partly because restrictions related to the pandemic have been removed.
Because arrivals are stably lower, the Swedish Migration Agency has reduced reception capacity. Instead of 12,000 places, they now have 6,000 emergency places.
– One reason why we can do it is that it has been easy to obtain private housing that the refugees can live in out in the municipalities. We depend on the goodwill of owners of houses and apartments. Until now, there has been great interest in renting out housing to the Ukrainians and it is better for the long-term of refugees, says director Magnus Önnestig in the Migration Board.