Norway eying extennsion of temporary protection for Ukrainians for up to five years

Norway's Ministry of Justice and Emergencies has tabled in parliament a motion to amend the Immigration Act to extend the period of temporary collective protection for displaced Ukrainians from three to five years.

This is reported by the Norwegian government press service, Ukrinform learned.

The proposal to extend the permit to five years will give the Norwegian government and parliament more space and opportunities to address the situation of Ukrainian refugees.

“The situation in Ukraine remains unresolved, and the possibility to extend the permit for two additional years will give us the flexibility to choose the best solution at any time,” says Minister of Justice and Public Security Emilie Enger Mehl.

Permits under the temporary collective protection scheme are granted for one year at a time and may currently be extended for up to three years.  In March 2025, the first Ukrainians who arrived here will have had temporary collective protection for three years – that is, the maximum number of years under current law.

Factors in assessing future solutions will include looking at equivalent processes in other European countries. Even if the opportunity to grant temporary collective protection is extended, it may still prove appropriate to end the scheme and switch to ordinary permits before five years have passed, the Norwegian government said in the statement.

The proposed amendment to the law is general and will apply to everyone covered by a temporary collective protection scheme. However, in practice, these changes will only apply to displaced Ukrainians at this stage.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Norwegian government is starting a new grant program and allocate almost $6.4 million to strengthen civil society in Ukraine. The project will operate until 2027 inclusive.