Faster case handling – more user friendly information

- The Government proposes several measures for better and more co-ordinated information, as well as simpler and faster case handling for the recruitment of foreign labour. When the needed documentation has been presented, an applicant should expect that the case handling for work permit should take no longer than 4 weeks, says the Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion, Mr. Bjarne Håkon Hanssen.

Labour migration has over the past years contributed to cover the demand for labour in many sectors of the economy and in many companies. The Government is concerned about putting in place conditions which ensures that skills needs which can not be met by the domestic labour force, can be provided through labour migration.

Surveys which have been made among labour migrants and their employers show that many wants faster case handling and better availability of more comprehensive information in more languages, provided through several channels.

- This is something which we have taken seriously. The Government has already embarked on several measures to improve the situation, amongst other the implementation of computerised case handling systems for the immigration services. Here, the cases of labour migration are being given priority, says Minister Hanssen.

To secure our future opportunities to recruit workers from abroad, there is a need to further strengthening the efforts. In the White Paper on Labour Migration, amongst others the following measures are being proposed:

• The Government wants to establish an own internet portal which will give access to all the relevant information when it comes to labour migration and the posting of workers. This will be undertaken in co-operation with the relevant agencies in charge of the different areas. 
   
• The responsibility of the Labour and Welfare organisation to co-ordinate information to foreign workers will be extended to workers from countries outside the EEA-area.
   
• The government will look into a trial project where some embassies are given a particular responsibility to inform about the job opportunities in Norway.
   
• The Government wants to establish a welcoming package to newly arrived labour migrants with written information about living and working conditions in Norway. 
   
• The Government wants to establish more joint information and case handling offices for labour migrants. These offices will be equipped with staff from the most concerned agencies, and will be based on the good experiences from the service office established in Oslo. Amongst others, such an office will be placed in Kirkenes.
   
• Following the implementation of new regulations and a computerised case handling system, an applicant for work permit should expect that the case handling of the application should take no longer than 4 weeks, when the needed documentation has been presented. It is a pre-requisite that the identity of the applicant is known and that the documentation can be verified.

The ambition is that the case handling should be as short as possible for all forms of work permits. In addition relevant information shall be presented to the applicants in a more comprehensive and user friendly way, says the Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion, Mr. Bjarne Håkon Hanssen.