https://www.reddit.com/r/Norway/comments/1igsl8i/what_will_happen_to_refugees_from_ukraine/
created by ReserveLegitimate738 on 03/02/2025 at 16:08 UTC*
38 upvotes, 37 top-level comments (showing 25)
Ukrainian colleagues at work are expressing their concern as to what will happen to them when the war is eventually over. I don't know what Norway's plans are regarding them, it's pretty much just speculation I am hearing from Ukrainians.
I mean they've been here for years, they learned the language, they have stable jobs and are paying taxes. From my point of view it's only logical to keep those that assimilated as they are asset to Norway's economy, isn't it? And cut subsidies to those that live government handouts, forcing them to leave on their own.
Please let me know what YOUR opinion on this is or better yet - share some actual government statements on what the plan is, if you have this information available.
EDIT: When the war is over - how can a ukrainian person who has a job and knows the language stay here in Norway? Will it be a question of getting a work visa?
Comment by Beneficial_Iron3508 at 03/02/2025 at 16:16 UTC
101 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Like any other foreigner they would have to get a valid visa to stay. This could be a work visa, asylum or family immigration to simplify the options.
Comment by Monimss at 03/02/2025 at 16:47 UTC
46 upvotes, 2 direct replies
The idea is that they are supposed to go home, but my bet is many won't be forced too. Especially if they integrate well and work for a living.
Just look at the Bosnian refugees. We took in 14 000. There are over 17 000 of them now.
Comment by Hattkake at 03/02/2025 at 16:21 UTC
95 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Like any refugee they are expected to go home when they no longer need protection. They can of course apply for permanent residency like everyone else.
Comment by Boo_Hoo_8258 at 03/02/2025 at 17:01 UTC
27 upvotes, 1 direct replies
From my interactions with Ukranians in school in Norway many of them would like to return home to their families and friends, I don;t blame them really a lot of them are not here by choice.
Comment by Fry-NOR at 03/02/2025 at 16:25 UTC
86 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I'm pretty sure that Ukraine needs them more than Norway after the war, asylum isn't ment to be a permanent solution.
Comment by PasicT at 03/02/2025 at 16:13 UTC*
26 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Some will stay but most will probably have to leave. Most usually want to leave anyways, at least that's the case in other European countries. Either way, they would lose their protection status from the Norwegian state.
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/most-ukrainians-displaced-by-the-war-plan-to-return-home-when-it-is-safe-research-shows[1][2]
Comment by ViviStella at 03/02/2025 at 17:09 UTC*
7 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Many of us will leave (because they want to or because they're forced to), I guess? I'm not familiar with Norwegian policies on returning the refugees. Good for those who have somewhere to return to.
As for myself, I'm trying my best to either get a job that might give me a visa or start receiving education. There is not a lot of Ukrainians who can or will achieve that I think. It's hard.
Comment by Latter-Device4748 at 03/02/2025 at 16:23 UTC
27 upvotes, 2 direct replies
They will be sent home, of course. That is the concept of asylum.
Comment by HereWeGoAgain-1979 at 03/02/2025 at 18:01 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Some will stay and some will go back.
In theory all refugees should go home when it is peace in the place they fled from, but real life and theory is not the same.
Some have already left because they want to be in Ukraine.
Comment by Hoggorm88 at 03/02/2025 at 18:06 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
The ideal thing would be to go home and try to get things up and running again. I'm hoping that is the prevailing sentiment among the Ukrainians as well. I'm glad we, as a nation, is lucky enough to be in a position to help. But the best thing to do would be to return to your country and rebuild, no? I think supporting a rebuilding effort would be a lot more popular than supporting a war effort also.
It's all hypothetical at the end of the day. I don't think it's looking good on the war front in general. Eating the cost of these idiots who can't stop killing each other is getting old fast though.
Comment by Jeppep at 03/02/2025 at 17:00 UTC
7 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I guess you could look at what happened to many Bosnians who came here in the 90s. I have quite a few friends who are daughters/sons of Bosnian parents that came here 30 years ago.
Comment by Cathy_ynot at 03/02/2025 at 18:16 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I hope they get to make that choice themselves.
I have met a lot of Ukrainians over the years, both who can’t wait to go back and those who love their lives so much they don’t want to go back. Both fully assimilated and not at all assimilated to the Norwegian culture in both camps. Let them choose their own future
Comment by pussyseal at 03/02/2025 at 18:57 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Technically, they are not refugees but holders of temporary protection. So, their status is temporary, and nobody knows what's going to happen eventually. This is an unprecedented situation. Norway will probably follow the EU countries. For instance, Ukrainians in the UK won't be given any path to settlement.
Six million people cannot return home at one time, as it will overflow the war-damaged country, so I assume people who can sustain themselves can remain abroad for some time.
Comment by Kobi_NO at 03/02/2025 at 18:34 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Even though concept of asylum is that when the war is over the ly should go back to their home country, I think some are going to stay. Which is good from both economic and cultural point of view. Hardworking, honest people.
Comment by Helenehorefroken at 03/02/2025 at 19:37 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Ideally they should return to a peaceful Ukraine and be part of the rebuilding?
Comment by biplane_duel at 03/02/2025 at 20:54 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
probably should be subject to the same immigration rules as other non-eu workers. i.e. pass the language test and social studies and apply for PR
Comment by storyteller1999999 at 03/02/2025 at 17:10 UTC
6 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I think it is a shame that there are many young men (18+) living in norway that fleed from the war. I also see many of them pump out 3 children to not be called in. I think the army needs soliders. Otherwise they are welcome to stay. There is alot of loafers in østfold speaking ukranian/russian because of the large asylum center. Can't say they are nice and they keep to themselves living in østfold area (askim, fredrikstad, sarsborg etc) also alot of them have nice cars.
The ukranians I meet before the war was in university and some of them managed to stay throu marriage and work visa- they were nice people.
I do some airbnb and had a ukranian software devloper renting the place for 45 days because of his family. They went first to portogal and later to norway. He was standing on his own feet, but his brother and mother shopped around for the better asylum deal.
Comment by epicurus001 at 03/02/2025 at 18:47 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
They will have to meet all the requirements like others coming from outside the EU (e.g., to have a job for which they are qualified by education), otherwise, it would be discrimination against people coming from other non-EU countries.
Comment by datagutten at 03/02/2025 at 16:23 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I use to think that if a person is in the country and have work, the cost of kicking them out is higher than to let them stay.
Comment by Ok_Chard2094 at 03/02/2025 at 17:32 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
If Ukraine becomes an EU member before the refugees are sent back, they will be free to stay.
Comment by PleasantBag4837 at 03/02/2025 at 16:56 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Most likely most of them will end up staying. I guess that's fine. They're europeans, mostly christians, and if anything they'll at least water out/balance the impact of MENA-immigration (which is for all practical purposes a burden on the society at large at this point).
Comment by NorgesTaff at 03/02/2025 at 16:35 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I have several Ukrainian colleagues/friends that came here before the Crimea invasion and they are now Norwegian citizens. As long as they can get work any other Ukrainians can get residency and citizenship too.
Comment by chillebekk at 03/02/2025 at 18:40 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Those who wish to stay, will probably be able to. It's what happened with the Bosnian refugees back in the 90s. Between 1/3 and 1/2 of them will stay in Norway, most likely.
Comment by ZStarr87 at 03/02/2025 at 19:03 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
If they learnt the language then i think they should stay. If not and been for years then thats a certain type of ukrainian i dont want here. I also dont want any criminals or wannabe freedom fighters/terrorist types after war. Denmark has had Chehenya types in exile and its really dangerous imo.
Comment by northern_peace at 03/02/2025 at 19:22 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
"keep those that assimilated as they are asset to Norway's economy [...] and cut subsidies to those that live government handouts".
Without pointing to the "government handout" thing that is usually somewhere between a red flag and a dog whistle (what is the actual burden on the economy of these handouts? what would be the indirect costs of _not_ having them?), I really am not a fan of considering people according to their usefulness to the economy.
From my direct experience with a few Ukrainian refugees elsewhere, they often want to go back more than their hosts want them to leave.. it will all depend on how safe it will be, imho