STOCKHOLM—Norway’s center-right government on Tuesday proposed tightening the country’s asylum rules to avoid what the immigration minister described as “violent consequences” for the country’s welfare system.
The measures, which would need parliamentary approval to take effect, include making it more difficult for refugees to bring family members to Norway and raising the requirements for permanent residence permits.
The move comes after more than 30,000 asylum-seekers sought shelter this year in the wealthy country of 5.1 million people. Immigration Minister Sylvie Listhaug, of the right-wing Progress Party, noted that’s one of the highest numbers in Europe in relation to population size.
She said 10,000 to 100,000 people are expected to apply for asylum in Norway in 2016.
“If we are anywhere near the latter number it could have violent consequences for our welfare society,” Listhaug was quoted as saying by Norwegian news agency NTB.
