The full-scale war forced European countries not only to open protection programs for Ukrainian citizens, but also to constantly review the rules for their application, taking into account the burden on the housing sector, social services and the labor market. In this process, decisions are increasingly appearing that concern certain categories of Ukrainian refugees, for whom the conditions for entry, stay and protection are becoming stricter or are undergoing additional review. In particular, the Norwegian government decided to change the procedure for providing protection to Ukrainian men of military age, explaining this step both by internal resource limitations and its own vision of what further support for Ukraine should be.
What the new rules in Norway provide
The Norwegian government has changed the rules for the stay of Ukrainian men in the country. From now on, Ukrainian citizens aged 18 to 60 who arrive in the country will no longer be able to use temporary collective protection and will have to apply for asylum according to the standard procedure. This was reported by the press service of the Norwegian government, noting that the new rules will come into force in the near future.
While previously Ukrainian men of military age could count on temporary collective protection in a simplified manner, now a different procedure is being introduced for them, which involves individual consideration of the asylum application. Thus, the state is moving away from the previous model, which allowed for the rapid registration of a large group of people, and is transferring some of the applicants to the general review system.
The Norwegian government attributes this decision to the burden on the local level, where the placement of displaced persons is increasingly affecting the housing sector and the work of municipal services. Minister of Justice Astri Aas-Hansen explained the authorities’ position as follows:
“Norway has already taken in the largest number of Ukrainians in the Scandinavian region, and Norwegian municipalities are reporting pressure on service provision and a shortage of housing. Therefore, we are tightening the restrictions.”
Separately, she emphasized that the Norwegian authorities consider it important for as many Ukrainians as possible to remain in Ukraine “to participate in the defense struggle and support Ukrainian society.” This thesis became another public explanation of why the government decided to revise the rules for men of draft age.
Who is exempted
At the same time, the new order does not apply to several categories of Ukrainian citizens for whom exceptions have been preserved. The Norwegian government clarified that the changes do not apply to men officially discharged from service or recognized as unfit for it, as well as those who arrived in Norway under medical evacuation programs.
Single parents, guardians with children, and Ukrainians who have already received temporary collective protection before the new rules come into force are separately indicated.
Oslo’s position on mobilization
Previously, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre emphasized that the issue of mobilization belongs to Ukraine’s internal decisions, while Norway focuses on ensuring stable support conditions for Ukrainian refugees. The current government decision shows that Oslo, while maintaining the general course of assisting Ukrainian citizens, is at the same time adjusting the mechanisms for accepting new applicants, taking into account its own resources and capabilities of local communities.
In addition, the Norwegian government provided data on the employment of Ukrainians who arrived after the full-scale Russian invasion. As of the end of 2025, almost 27 thousand Ukrainian citizens were officially working in the country. This figure shows that a significant part of the people who received shelter in Norway have already integrated into the labor market, although the general pressure on housing and social services, which the government speaks about, remains in the country.
Therefore, Norway maintains support for Ukrainians, but changes the procedure for accessing protection for men aged 18 to 60 who will arrive in the future. The simplified collective protection mechanism will no longer apply to them, and cases will be considered through the standard asylum procedure, while exceptions defined by the government will remain in force.
