Young Norwegians are increasingly turning against immigration, according to the 2025 Youth Barometer (Ungdomsbarometeret), published by the Norwegian Trade Union Confederation (Fagforbundet) and conducted by the Fafo research institute.
However, the survey also reveals a range of perspectives on the topic, with a pronounced gender divide in attitudes among a number of notable results.
The survey has been conducted twice previously, in 2017 and 2021, among young people aged 16 to 25, allowing researchers to track significant shifts in attitudes over time.
In the 2025 survey, 24 percent of young people said they favour limiting immigration to Norway "to a large extent", while 23 percent supported it "to some extent."
When these groups are combined, the overall skepticism towards immigration has returned to levels observed in 2017 around the time of the European refugee crisis. In 2017, 13 percent strongly favoured restricting immigration, while another 33 percent somewhat favoured more restrictions.
This resurgence stands in sharp contrast to 2021, when concern hit a record low. with only 8 percent in the 'strongly against' category.
Researchers attributed the decline to the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly restricted immigration and redirected public attention away from migration issues. With the reopening of borders and changes in the political climate, concern about immigration has rebounded.
Geography also plays a role, with 18 percent of youth in Oslo and Akershus saying they strongly agree it is important to limit immigration, compared to 26 percent in the rest of the country in 2025.
The report meanwhile identifies a substantial gender gap. Men are nearly twice as likely as women to prioritise restricting immigration (approximately 30 percent of men compared to 16 percent of women).
"The fact that it is young men in particular who express this view can be understood in light of a general rightward shift among young men," researcher Kristin Jesnes told media Utrop.
This trend corresponds with recent political developments in Norway in which the right-wing Progress Party (FrP) and its youth wing (FpU) have experienced increased support among young male voters.
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In 2017, possibly influenced by the prominence of the Black Lives Matter movement and the beginning of the first Trump presidency, "fighting racism and xenophobia" was a leading political issue for Norwegian youth, with 71 percent identifying it as a high priority.
By 2025, this level of concern has diminished. The proportion of young people identifying anti-racism as a major concern has decreased to 46 percent.
However, this decline does not indicate that young people believe racism has disappeared, with two out of three young people still agreeing that racism is a "problem" in Norway. Three out of 10 reported having personally experienced or witnessed racism in the last month.
The gender divide is also visible here: Three out of four women consider racism a problem, compared to just under half of men.
For young people with one or both immigrant parents, 39 percent strongly agree racism is a problem, compared to just 23 percent of those without an immigrant background. Furthermore, 23 percent of those with an immigrant background state they have personally experienced or witnessed racism recently, compared to 13 percent among the non-immigrant group.
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What worries young Norwegians the most?
The report shows that Norway's 'Gen Z' is practical and focused on economic issues. The leading political priorities for young people in 2025 include a safe working life and housing policy, with nine out of ten saying they want steps taken to make it easier to buy a home.
Other key findings include a preference for job stability over the 'gig economy', concerns over inequality, a high level of prioritisation of salary when considering jobs and career choices, and support for tax cuts.
Some 84 percent said they believe stricter climate measures are needed globally, but only 64 percent believe the same applies specifically to Norway. Support for EU membership increased from 14 percent in 2021 to 20 percent in 2025.
Ninety-seven percent of young Norwegians said they get their news from social media, with TikTok one of their main sources.
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