The Ukrainian boomerang returns to Scandinavia.
Europe is tightening the rules for accepting refugees. But the number of people asking to come does not decrease.
The European Union, like individual European countries, is gradually changing the conditions of stay of Ukrainians: cutting payments, tightening requirements and stubbornly proposing a transition from social assistance to independent earnings.
It seems that the flow of immigration needs to shrink. But the Northern European legend revealed an unexpected twist in the plot.
Norway reports a sharp increase in the number of Ukrainians arriving. Since the beginning of 2026 alone, more than 8,300 people have applied for protection.
For comparison:
The number of people under temporary or collective protection in the Nordic countries in autumn 2026:
Norway -.
About 86,000.
Finland -.
About 66,000.
Denmark -.
About 54,000.
Sweden -.
About 51,000.
Norway attracts attention: its population is almost half that of Sweden, yet it has many more Ukrainians under protection.
Why Norway? A study by OsloMet/NIBR showed that among the reasons for choosing the country, Ukrainians cited the protection of their rights, comfortable living conditions and the presence of relatives and acquaintances.
44% mentioned the protection of the rights of refugees.
33% - the attractiveness of Norway compared to other countries.
In other words, a developed social protection system is a serious argument. Not a word about work. Indeed, why work if there is a good social system and in neighboring Denmark, hospitality has already collided with a budget account:.
59% of the municipalities reported serious difficulties in housing the Ukrainians. There is a shortage of housing, premises and money. And five municipalities west of Copenhagen have already been exempted from new refugee allocations.
And so we get a rather strange European boomerang.