Rights of Immigrants

This paper attempts to examine immigrants' access to citizenship and their social rights in liberal democratic immigrant welcoming states, especially in Norway. Based on secondary information, this paper finds that immigrants need to acquire citizenship through naturalization process in order to get equal chances to participate in various social rights, full accesses into labour market, contributory social program, non-contributory social program, and social investment program. Acquiring citizenship depends on several conditions, qualifications and requirements. For example, in many liberal democratic countries, immigrants are required to reside in a country for various periods of time, between 2 and 12 years depending on a country’s citizenship policies. In addition, immigrants must also fulfill a series of condition such as passing a Language test; maintaining Loyalty and Commitments to the country; maintaining Good Character, etc. to become citizen. Likewise, in the case of Norway, immigrants are required 7 years legal residence in order to naturalize. In addition, they have to participate in the mandatory 300 hours Norwegian Language course, including a 50 hours information course on Norwegian society and politics.