This week, several Norwegian industrial managers met with State Secretary Elisabeth Walaas from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting was held 500 metres from the Norwegian-Russian borderline, and one of the main discussion subjects was work immigration.
In April last year, Norwegian Minister Bjarne Håkon Hansen presented a white paper, which opened up for significant facilitation of Russian work immigration to Norway. Nine months later little has changed and it is still hard to employ Russian workers. The problems are worst with regard to unskilled work force.
The industry’s main concern is the required need to document local employment authorities that there is no available work force locally. Then, if they can not find work force locally they need to announce the jobs in the European Economic Area before turning towards the Russians. This makes it almost impossible to import Russian work force.
− I have tried to apply for a work permit for Russian workers, who speak Norwegian and have a Norwegian college degree within fisheries, but still the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) would not give them a work permit, said Svein Ruud in the Troika Seafood Company.
− When Hansen presented his white paper last year he said that we will be given the opportunity to import unskilled work force if we promised to train the workers ourselves. What has happened with this promise, Trond Haukanes from Kimek Offshore company asked. Haukanes maintained that this promise seems to have vanished.
The ministry, the police and the UDI are working on the establishment of a joint service office for foreign workers located in the border town of Kirkenes. This was also one of the improvements listed in the white paper. Both representatives of the authorities and the industry believe that this office will improve efficiency for all parts, as there are very good experiences with a similar office in Oslo.
The office in Kirkenes might be opened already in autumn 2009, but no opening date was confirmed at the meeting.
