|
Oslo: Record numbers of asylum seekers, led by Iraqi nationals, pose a growing challenge for Norway, the country's immigration directorate (UDI) said on Friday.
This year some 15,000 asylum seekers are expected to apply for permits to live and work in Norway, up from 6,500 in 2007.
Some 1,114 Iraqis have applied for asylum over the first six months of 2008, up from 435 a year earlier, making them the largest group.
They are followed by asylum seekers from Eritrea, Russia, Serbia, Somalia, the Palestinian territories and Afghanistan.
"There is a perception among asylum seekers that Norway is a more attractive destination than many other European countries," UDI's deputy director general Frode Forfang said.
"We are coping, but it's a growing challenge," Forgang said, adding that he believed most asylum seekers from developing countries had paid people smugglers to help them.
|
