Norway plans to restrict collective protection for conscripted men from Ukraine: what will change

Norway plans to tighten the rules of stay for conscripted men from Ukraine and restrict access to collective protection. Find out who will be affected by the changes, what exceptions are provided for, and when the new rules may come into force

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The Norwegian government intends to tighten the rules of stay for newly arrived conscripts from Ukraine. This involves restricting access to temporary collective protection for a specific category of applicants. This was reported by the Norwegian Ministry of Justice.

Why Norway is revising its rules of stay

Minister of Justice Astri Aas-Hansen said that immigration to Norway must be controlled, sustainable, and fair. According to her, since the fall of 2025, Norway, like a number of other European countries, has seen an increase in the number of young Ukrainian men arriving in the country.

At the same time, Norway has already accepted the largest number of Ukrainians in Northern Europe. To avoid excessive influx and maintain the capacity of the reception system, the government considers it necessary to tighten control.

Who will be affected by the new restrictions

In the near future, the government plans to submit a proposal for public discussion, according to which:

● Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60, with some exceptions, will no longer be able to receive temporary collective protection in Norway;

● they will be able to apply for asylum under the general rules.

Thus, the mechanism for automatically granting collective protection to this category of applicants will be revised.

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Who will remain under protection

The tightening of the rules will not be retroactive and will only apply to new applicants. Persons who already have temporary collective protection in Norway will retain their status.

In addition, the restrictions will not apply to:

● men who are documented as exempt from military service or who are clearly unable to perform it;

● persons evacuated under a medical evacuation program;

● men who are sole caregivers for children who have arrived with them or are already in Norway.

Thus, the government provides for a number of exceptions for vulnerable categories.

The government's position and the burden on municipalities

Minister of Labor and Integration Kjersti Stenseung stressed that Norway should not accept more people than it is able to integrate. In recent years, Norwegian communities have resettled nearly 100,000 displaced persons from Ukraine. The resettlement of refugees is a voluntary task for municipalities, and many of them report that local services are overloaded and there is a shortage of housing. According to government officials, these factors were the basis for revising the approach to accepting new applicants.

When the changes may be adopted

The government plans to adopt the relevant changes before Easter, with them coming into force shortly thereafter.

If the changes are adopted, men of military age from Ukraine between 18 and 60 will no longer be able to count on automatic collective protection. Instead, they will have to go through the asylum application procedure according to the general rules.

In such situations, it is important to assess the legal risks and opportunities in advance. Ukrainians who are planning to move or are in the process of changing their status should seek advice from immigration lawyers. On the Visit Ukraine platform, you can get professional support in preparing documents, analyzing the grounds for asylum, and assessing the prospects of staying abroad.

We remind you! The UK government has announced details of the second visa extension for Ukrainians under the Ukrainian Permission Extension program. Read about who will be eligible for an additional 24 months of stay and what conditions will apply.

Photo: militarnyi.com

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