mottaket
Mottaket is the definite form of mottak, a Norwegian term for a reception center that houses asylum seekers and other displaced persons while their cases are considered. The word is commonly used in Norway to refer to a specific facility or the network of such centers. The noun mottak describes the facility in general, while mottaket means “the reception center” in the definite form. The term is primarily used in Norwegian public discourse and administration.
Derived from the verb motta, “to receive,” mottak literally denotes a place established to receive people. The
Reception centers provide accommodation, meals, basic health services, clothing, and support with administrative procedures, language instruction,
The system arose in the mid-20th century to handle postwar and later asylum flows. Over time, policies
Today mottaket remains part of Norway’s asylum system, though many centers have been restructured or repurposed,