If living there can give you Norwegian citizenship then yes, it's really part of Norway. The Svalbard treaty says outright "The High Contracting Parties undert

If living there can give you Norwegian citizenship then yes, it's really part of Norway. The Svalbard treaty says outright "The High Contracting Parties undertake to recognise, subject to the stipulations of the present Treaty, the full and absolute sovereignty of Norway over the Archipelago of Spitsbergen". It's part of Norway. You do not need a Schengen visa if you go directly there by boat or charter plane. That may be very expensive, yes, but a visa is not required. Yes, you can be kicked out without a job or way to live there. Going back to the US in 1900, https://lost-in-history.com/an-immigrants-ellis-island-fate-depended-on-29-questions/ https://lost-in-history.com/an-immigrants-ellis-island-fate-... says in 1900 an immigrant to the US at Ellis Island was required to have at least $50, and of course the travel ticket was expensive. The underlying point is that someone who wants to immigrate to Svalbard, and has enough money for the trip, can try to do so without first seeking permission from the Norwegian government, and without claiming refugee status. Just like how the US in 1900 accepted immigrants without needing visas. Neither the US in 1900 nor Norway now can be described as failing to 'enforce its borders and protect its citizens from an uncontrolled influx of foreigners' because in neither case is it uncontrolled, highlighting how blinddriver's answer has no logical relevance to the topic.