Today immigrants make up more than 10,6 % of the Norwegian population, and come from more than 214 different countries around the world. The biggest groups come from countries like Poland, Pakistan and Sweden. The immigrants constitute a complex system of educational level, religion, employment, integration and equality. The level of integration into the Norwegian community varies from minority to minority, and with age, duration of stay and will to become apart of something new. It is not a secret that not everyone is willing to assimilate into their new surroundings, which have not only a new appearance, but also a different culture and set of social norms and this is the root to all the problems we face with immigrants. What is really an immigrant, and what kind of benefits and disadvantages can Norway draw from their arrival.

An immigrant is, according to the Norwegian government, a person who has voluntarily immigrated to Norway, and whose parents both are born abroad. This is called a first-generation immigrants, while a second-generation immigrant is a person brought to life by either parents who have immigrated to Norway themselves or by parents who themselves have been born by foreign parents. In Norway a person is recognized as an immigrant after having stayed in the country for more than six months and as a resident after 12 months.

There is both pros and cons with the increased immigration, which can led to both a more effective and educated society, but also to a collapse in Norwegian culture and economy. Some of the most well educated and intelligent people choose to leave their mother-country, to bring with them their talents to Norway, which can be a huge resource to the society, but unfortunately a majority of this people never get the opportunity to use their skills, because employers are afraid to engage people with a different cultural background. On the other hand, an increased amount of immigration leads to the flow of uneducated people, who sponge on the society without produce anything in return. Then again it is important to mention that immigrants often are willing to take low-paying jobs, which most Norwegian dread to have. Less-skilled Norwegians can experience earning less money and losing their jobs to immigrants.

To allow immigrants into a country increase the cultural diversity within a country, and result in a more varied and including cultural variety. It also result in the exchange of capability and knowledge, and a more open and accepting society. In addition it opens up a platform for interaction between people from various cultures and for people to share their own ideas and opinions, which is important for a country to be able to develop and not to move into a standstill. On the other hand the introduction of new cultures and ways of life can affect the already existing culture, which can lead to its disappearance.

As stated above immigration into a country has both benefits and disadvantages, and can lead to either enrichment or a decline of culture and society in the country which receive the immigrants.