Fast and accurate settlement work

All refugees who have been granted residence in Norway shall live in a municipality. Each year, IMDi asks a given number of municipalities to settle refugees the coming year. The number requested is determined using forecasts and is distributed among the municipalities according to a set of criteria determined by the Ministry of Labor and Inclusion. The county authorities give recommendations to IMDi on which municipalities should be asked to settle refugees, and how many.

Norwegian settlement policy aims to settle refugees in all parts of the country, in both large and small municipalities. Settlement of refugees is a voluntary municipal task and the municipalities decide whether or not to settle refugees.

IMDi decides where the individual refugee is offered a place to live. IMDi does this based on what is known about the individual and about the opportunities and capacities in a given municipality. Settlement of newly arrived refugees takes place in areas with relevant public services, training programmes and opportunities to participate in education, the labour market and society.

After a refugee has been settled, the municipality is responsible for training and integration work and all other municipal services. The municipalities receive grants from IMDi to meet the costs of settlement and provide for the integration of refugees.