Norway proposes extending temporary protection for Ukrainians until end of 2027, with work-based residence permit from 2027
Norway's government announced on September 17 that it advocates extending the temporary collective protection programme for Ukrainian refugees until the end of 2027. From summer 2027, a new residence-permit scheme would require applicants to work and meet an income threshold.
Key points
- Announcement made on September 17 by Minister of Labour and Social Protection Kjersti Stenseng
- Existing temporary collective protection for Ukrainians in Norway expired on September 17, the day of the announcement
- New residence-permit scheme proposed to start in summer 2027, requiring work and a stable income
- Income threshold reported as 400,000 Norwegian kroner per year (about 36,000 euros), or 2.8–3 base amounts of social insurance (382,337–409,647 kroner)
- Meeting the scheme's requirements for three years would form the basis for permanent residence
- Around 19,000 Ukrainians currently in Norway would be eligible; those arriving from September 17 onward would not
- Norway's end-of-2027 extension runs three months shorter than the EU's extension to March 4, 2028
Why it matters
Norway is offering tens of thousands of Ukrainians multi-year legal certainty but tying continued residence after summer 2027 to work and a minimum income, marking a shift away from purely humanitarian protection toward a work-based residence permit. The proposed end-of-2027 endpoint diverges from the EU's extension to March 2028, and only those who arrived by September 16 are covered, leaving newer arrivals outside the scheme.
What happened
On Thursday, September 17, Norway's Minister of Labour and Social Protection Kjersti Stenseng said the government supports extending the temporary collective protection programme for Ukrainian refugees until the end of 2027. The existing programme expired on the same day. From summer 2027, the government proposes a new residence-permit scheme requiring applicants to work and have a stable income, with an income threshold reported as 400,000 Norwegian kroner per year (about 36,000 euros) — also described as 2.8 or 3 base amounts of social insurance (382,337 or 409,647 kroner). Fulfilling the scheme's requirements for three years would form the basis for permanent residence. The proposal must go through a six-week public consultation. Ukrainians who arrived in Norway no later than September 16 and received temporary collective protection fall under the proposed scheme; those arriving from September 17 onward do not. Stenseng also indicated that protection could be extended beyond 2027.
Where reporting differs
Sources disagree on the number of Ukrainians in Norway under temporary collective protection: some report around 25,000, while others report around 86,000. The income threshold for the proposed residence permit is described both as a flat 400,000 Norwegian kroner per year (about 36,000 euros) and as 2.8 or 3 base amounts of social insurance, i.e. 382,337 or 409,647 Norwegian kroner.
Background
Norway's current temporary collective protection programme for Ukrainians expired on September 17, the same day the extension was proposed. On July 15, EU member states agreed to extend their temporary protection mechanism for Ukrainians displaced by the war until March 4, 2028; the EU Council approved this on July 30, with new rules effective August 5, including changed conditions for military-age men. Norway has previously announced plans to tighten residence rules for newly arrived military-age Ukrainian men. Norway will allocate 90 million euros (about 1 billion Norwegian kroner) through the Ukraine Facility to support reforms in anti-corruption and energy sectors. According to Statistics Norway, about 48% of working-age displaced Ukrainians in Norway were employed in July 2026, up from 41% in July 2025. Around 19,000 Ukrainians currently in Norway would be eligible to use the new scheme.