Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, over 90,000 Ukrainian refugees arrived in Norway. Many chose to stay with family, friends, or acquaintances instead of living in asylum reception centers.
“An unusually high number of refugees stayed in private homes before formal settlement. This significantly influenced how municipalities managed the situation,” says Marthe Handå Myhre.
She is a researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR) at OsloMet and the project leader.
This was a new situation for Norwegian municipalities, which had little prior experience with privately housed refugees before formal settlement.
A structured support scheme
To ease the pressure on reception centers, the government encouraged municipalities to follow up with refugees living in private homes before formal settlement. In response, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) introduced a new scheme called Temporary Alternative Reception Accommodation for Displaced Persons from Ukraine (MAMOT).
Municipalities could choose whether to participate. Those that opted in received funding to support refugees during the interim period.
“The scheme was well received. It allowed municipalities to be compensated for supporting refugees. Several municipalities provided financial assistance that was crucial during this phase,” says Myhre.
Many municipalities agreed that the scheme facilitated faster settlement and enabled them to accommodate more refugees.
“At the same time, we saw that in many cases, settlement happened so quickly that the scheme wasn’t needed,” Myhre adds.
In such cases, municipalities chose to settle refugees directly rather than entering into a MAMOT agreement.
Staying with someone they knew gave them a sense of security.– Marthe Handå Myhre
Rapid settlement and integration
Ukrainian refugees were generally granted collective protection quickly, which allowed the housing process to begin sooner. Those staying in private homes were settled in municipalities faster than those in reception centers—especially when no formal agreement with the municipality existed.
The Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi) aimed to settle refugees in the municipalities where they were already living, providing a more stable and reassuring start. It also allowed them to establish networks locally at an early stage.
“This was particularly important for children, who avoided having to change schools after arrival,” says Myhre.
Municipalities were generally positive about settling refugees already living in their area. Many reported being able to help more refugees find housing than they otherwise could have.
Many refugees expressed gratitude for being able to live with acquaintances. The report shows that this helped them learn the language and find employment more quickly (oda.oslomet.no).
Inconsistent practices and a need for better information
Municipalities varied in how they followed up with privately housed refugees. Some had the resources to inspect housing and provide solid support, while others had to prioritize differently.
“Several municipalities found it challenging to keep track of refugees living privately. Some preferred the traditional process of settling refugees from reception centers, which gave them more time to prepare,” says Myhre.
Some municipalities also expressed a need for better information from the state about refugees residing in their area.
“However, it seems that many Ukrainian refugees reached out to the municipalities themselves,” Myhre notes.
Municipalities cannot provide support or information if they are unaware that refugees are living in their jurisdiction.
Refugees felt safe and supported
88 percent of refugees who stayed in private homes reported having enough food, clothing, and essentials during the initial period.
“Staying with someone they knew gave them a sense of security,” says Myhre.
In summary
- In 2022 and 2023, many refugees—mostly from Ukraine—lived in private homes before being formally settled in a municipality.
- The project examined how IMDi and municipalities supported these refugees and how the refugees themselves experienced the situation.
- The MAMOT scheme, launched in March 2022 and managed by UDI, provided funding to municipalities for supporting privately housed refugees. It ended in spring 2024.
- Municipalities could opt into the scheme and were then responsible for providing basic support and follow-up.
- Many Ukrainian refugees appreciated staying with people they knew, though some lacked sufficient information.
- The study is based on interviews with municipalities, IMDi, volunteers, and refugees, as well as surveys conducted in 2022 and 2024/2025.
Vulnerability and risk – but few serious incidents
Norway’s national police unit for combating human trafficking confirmed that there have been few reports or investigations related to trafficking or exploitation of Ukrainian refugees living in private homes.
Some municipalities reported concerning situations, but none experienced a high number of such cases.
“It’s important that refugees are well informed about the option of staying in reception centers. They should never feel pressured to live in unsafe or difficult private arrangements,” Myhre emphasizes.
Collective protection and financial support likely reduced the vulnerability of Ukrainian refugees.
Lessons for future crises
Myhre notes that the experiences with Ukrainian refugees may not apply to other refugee groups.
Many Ukrainians had family or friends in Norway, higher education, and the ability to travel freely in Europe, which made it easier for them to live privately.
“Still, we hope these findings can help shape effective solutions for future refugee situations,” she says.
