Researchers now know how many descendants of immigrants leave Norway each year

Of those who do leave, few actually move to their parents’ country of origin.

Person in a headscarf standing on a station platform as a train rushes past.

Fewer than one in a hundred descendants of immigrants in Norway emigrate.

(Stock photo: Canva)

Tone C. S. Thorgrimsen Tone C. S. Thorgrimsen Tone C. S. Thorgrimsen Communications adviser

Presented by: Presented by: Presented by: Oslo Metropolitan University

Published 21 April 2026 - 00:01

In May last year, Rima Iraki, the opinion editor at the Norwegian newspaper Romerikes Blad at the time, threw a metaphorical grenade into the Norwegian press-pages: Immigrant children now want to go ‘home’ to their parents' country of origin, she wrote, adding that this was especially true of those with higher education.

'One might assume that Norwegian-born 'elite immigrants,' who are far more integrated than their own parents, would feel at home in Norway,' she wrote.

But that was not necessarily the case, because some of them feel they will never be truly ‘Norwegian,’ she added.

According to Iraki, a solution some were considering was to move to their parents' country of origin.

The reactions were instant, and op-ed pages and comment sections overflowed with strong opinions on the matter.

Portrait photo of woman — “This is the first study to describe some of the reasons why descendants emigrate,” says researcher Tone Liodden.

The debate was important, but the knowledge base weak, the Norwegian Directorate of Integration and Diversity concluded. They therefore asked researchers from the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR) at OsloMet to find out how many descendants of immigrants actually leave Norway each year.

They have now done so.

How many actually leave?

“Emigration is relatively uncommon among descendants of immigrants in Norway. Fewer than one per cent emigrate in the course of a year,” says researcher Marianne Tønnessen.

Together with researcher Tone Liodden, she has examined how many Norwegian-born individuals with immigrant parents emigrated in the period 2000–2023.

The main findings, presented in a new report, show that:

Fewer than one per cent of Norwegian-born individuals with immigrant parents aged 18–35 emigrate on average during a year.
The share has declined over time.
Level of education plays a role. A slightly higher proportion of those with higher education (including a bachelor's degree) emigrate compared to those without higher education.
Most, 80 per cent, do not move to their parents' country of birth. Children of parents from Nordic and Western countries most often move to their parents' country of birth.
Many return to Norway. After five years, 43 per cent have settled in Norway again.

Does this mean the entire debate was simply a storm in a teacup?

“No. We have looked at those who have actually left Norway, not those who are considering doing so. The latter group will always be larger, and it is primarily this group Iraki was talking about,” says Liodden, adding:

“If many people are contemplating emigration as an option – because they do not feel accepted in Norway, or are worried about what the future here holds for people with a minority background – that is in itself an important phenomenon that is worth examining.”

Belonging and identity

In addition to studying actual migration patterns, Liodden has interviewed 13 people between the ages of 26 and 53 who have moved abroad.

Several of them recognise the feeling of exclusion Iraki described when she sparked the debate a year ago.

“Some of them had experienced exclusion in Norway. Living in another country can therefore partly be about being able to live somewhere where one feels greater acceptance, and where there is less risk of being subjected to negative attitudes and behavior,” says Liodden.

She believes the decision to move abroad is more influenced by factors related to belonging and identity for descendants of immigrants than for other Norwegians who move abroad.

“That's probably especially true for descendants with a visible minority background,” says Liodden.

She argues that questions of belonging and identity become more pronounced for many descendants.

“They may experience greater uncertainty about who they are and where they belong. At the same time, they often have ties to other parts of the world, which can offer alternative ways of seeing themselves,” says Liodden. "Emigrating may therefore be a more natural option for them when they are faced with questions of identity or other significant choices in life.”

However, she notes that they have interviewed only a small number of people with different backgrounds.

“This is the first study to describe some of the reasons why descendants emigrate. But it does not cover the full range of motivations among all those who leave Norway,” says Liodden.

Ambitions and a sense of adventure

At the same time, the researchers stress that there are also other, strong motivations for moving abroad. Personal ambitions and a sense of adventure can be just as important.

“Ambitions and a sense of adventure as explanations received little attention in the debate last year. But it's a fairly universal reason why some people choose to move abroad, perhaps especially when you come from a small place in a small country, and realise that the world has more to offer,” says Liodden.

She emphasises that wanderlust is not unique to people with an immigrant background.

“In our analysis, we see that a higher proportion of those with higher education emigrate, regardless of background. These are people who tend to be attractive on the international labour market, and who have high ambitions on their own behalf,” says Liodden.

Reference:

Liodden, T. & Tønnessen, M. Utvandring fra Norge blant etterkommere av innvandrere (Emigration from Norway among descendants of immigrants), Research report by OsloMet, 2026.