Easier to recruit foreign workers
The simplification will also make it easier for employees to recruit foreign workers and to a greater extent make use of the work force that is already available in the country. The changes come as a result of changes in the regulations from the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion (AID).
The changes imply that, citizens of the EU/EEA for whom the transitional rules apply, can begin to work as soon as they submit an application for a resident permit to the police. This however assumes that, the application is accurately filled and all the requested documents are enclosed.
Three changes for skilled workers/specialists from outside the EU/EEA area:
- Skilled workers who are in Norway on a visa can now apply for a work permit from Norway when the visa has been issued for three months or less. Currently it is required that such a visa has been issued for exactly three months for such persons to be able to apply for a work permit from Norway.
- The police have also been given the power of decision concerning applications for renewal for a new work or a new work place. The reason for the change is that it is usually common that an employee receives an offer from another employer before the employee’s original work permit expires. The current procedure is that, such an application must be sent to the UDI by the police for processing. This practically increases the application case-processing time.
- The right to start working with a new employer when an application for renewal of a permit has been submitted.
The instructions from AID will further lead to a softening-up in relation to skilled workers/specialists who apply for settlement permit in Norway. Settlement permit is a permit which grants the holder the right to live permanently in Norway. The regulation is such that, an employee can apply for such a permit after three years, if they have held a work permit which constitutes grounds for a settlement permit. The current requirement is that the employee should have had the same employer in those three years.
After the instructions from AID, the legislation shall henceforth be interpreted in such way that the period of three years will longer be interrupted when an employee changes an employer. The employee must continue to apply for renewal at the expiration of each permit, but the change of employer will no longer have an effect on the possibility of applying for a settlement permit. The condition is that, the applicant has worked in Norway for three consecutive years.
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