Norway restricts its practice concerning asylum seekers from Southern-Somalia

The Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion recently instructed the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration to change its practice concerning asylum seekers from Southern Somalia. The new practice is effective immediately.

“This will bring the Norwegian practice in line with Sweden and Denmark’s. The instruction is an important follow-up of the Government’s limiting measures towards the increasing number of asylum seekers”, says the Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion, Dag Terje Andersen.

This will end the practice of granting limited residence permits to persons originating from Southern Somalia who do not qualify for asylum, protection or residence permit on humanitarian grounds. Such limited permits have been given since the spring of 2007. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration is now instructed to assess all asylum cases concerning persons from Sothern Somalia on individual grounds/merits.

The change is estimated to influence the assessment of about 10 percent of the cases from Southern Somalia.