A new program is opening for companies to bring the necessary foreign labor to Norway. The program will have strict requirements and restrictions.
- The infection situation in Norway, and not only in Europe, shows that unfortunately we still have to limit the number of people who travel to Norway. At the same time, we must ensure that Norwegian companies remain active. That is why we are creating a very narrow exemption system that will ensure entry to foreign workers who are absolutely necessary to keep Norwegian companies operating, says Trade and Industry Minister Iselin Nybø.
A program for people who depend on business to stay in business
To reduce the risk of the spread of the much more contagious British variant of the coronavirus, the government tightened foreign access to Norway in January. In early February, the government announced that a very narrow application-based program would be created for people who depend on the business to stay in business. Now this diagram is ready.
Technical staff
The scheme will be open from Saturday, February 20, from 10.00 a.m. It includes foreign workers who have technical knowledge and who are absolutely necessary to assemble, disassemble, inspect, repair, maintain or inform about the use of machinery or technical devices. The employee must have an employment contract with the company or a mandate contract with the applicant company. It is also a prerequisite that the work is strictly necessary to keep the enterprise running.
Tightening up the use of hotel quarantine
Employees receive entry permits only for 14 days from the date of the decision. This validity period applies to the entry permit itself and is independent of the length of stay. The prerequisite is meeting the entry conditions set out in the Immigration Act. Workers coming to Norway must comply with applicable regulations regarding quarantine. The government is also working to tighten the use of hotel quarantine.
The Minister of Trade and Industry allows the long-term expansion of the program.
- I perfectly understand that entry restrictions have serious consequences for the business environment and foreign workers. The government is working to gradually open up the borders. First of all, we are now opening up to technical personnel who perform the tasks strictly necessary to keep the business in Norwegian companies. Now we will look at whether we can finally open up to other employees. We'll come back into detail on this after a comprehensive assessment of the infection situation and the needs of the business community, says Nybø.
Workers who have been granted dismissal still have to comply with strict quarantine laws.
In the application, the employer must provide detailed information about the quarantine location. Prior authorization for any other suitable place of residence and transport from the point of entry to Norway to the quarantine facility. If quarantine or infection control rules are violated, the employee may be expelled and the employer excluded from the sick leave system.
There is a quarantine in Norway
Generally, quarantine must take place in a hotel. People who come to Norway in order to work or other tasks and can document that the employer provides a suitable place of residence, they are not obliged to stay in hotel quarantine. The government is also now introducing requirements for prior approval of quarantine facilities for employers. The program comes into force on February 22.
The program is managed by the Norwegian Maritime Directorate and companies can apply through Altinn.
