Over 1,800 foreign nationals were deported from Norway in the past year, according to figures from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).
The most common reason for deportation with their being over 1,300 expulsions from Norway for violations of the Immigration Act. The next most common reason for deportation was a breach of the EEA regulations, which dictate how those from the EEA can legally live and work in Norway.
The Norwegian Immigration Act covers a broad scope, meaning those deported for breaking the act could have done anything from providing immigration authorities intentionally misleading information to obtain a permit or breaching the act by being convicted of a crime.
Other reasons for expulsion are staying in Norway without a valid visa or permit, for example, if it has expired. Working in Norway on a visa or residence permit, which doesn’t allow for employment, is another reason why nationals from outside the EEA rules will be deported from Norway.
Committing a crime in another country, being expelled from another Schengen state, and failing to leave Norway after your asylum application has been rejected are reasons for deportation.
Those deported under the EEA regulations are expelled for broadly similar reasons, i.e. if an EEA citizen has been convicted for a criminal offence. This may include for fraud, violence and drug or sexual offences.
Again similar to those from outside the EEA, providing incorrect information or neglecting important details in the registration process is also another reason why EEA citizens will be deported.
To deport an EEA citizen, consideration is typically given to the crime they have been convicted of, whether they will likely commit any future offences, and the risk this would pose to the general public. In addition, the consequences of the person being deported versus the seriousness of their breach of the rules are weighed against one another- for example, if the offending person has a family in Norway.
The reason why these cases are treated differently under the deportation rules is that a different set of rules and rights apply to EEA citizens than those from the rest of the world. For example, there aren’t as many specific rules and regulations surrounding residence for EEA nationals as there are for non-EEA residents.
For example, someone on a residence permit can be deported as they may work on a permit where it is forbidden. However, no similar rule applies to somebody with the freedom of movement as an EEA citizen or family member of an EEA national.
Another critical difference between the two is that deportation under the Immigration Act for non-EEA residents is that they may also be banned from reentering Norway and the wider Schengen area- either for a set period or permanently. In contrast, it is less common for EEA nationals to be banned from re-entering the Schengen.