5 days ago
KEY POINTS: How Norwegian parties' election pledges could affect foreigners
CONSERVATIVE PARTY
Economy and Taxation
If it wins, The Conservative Party is pledging a broad tax-cutting agenda:
Income tax reductions for all
Abolish wealth tax on "working capital", and a higher threshold for wealth tax over all.
Repeal of stricter 2024 exit tax rules. Under the proposed changes, foreigners will only be taxed on Norwegian-earned capital gains once realised - not upon leaving the country.
Work permits and Labour Migration
The Conservative Party is positive towards skilled labour migration and is promising:
A fast-track permit scheme for highly skilled workers, modelled on
Denmark' recognition of foreign qualifications and the potential for a joint Nordic recognition scheme.
Allowing skilled workers to get permits even without formal qualifications.
Citizenship, residency and family reunification
The party takes a tougher line on foreigners who want to stay in Norway, pledging:
An increase the minimum level of spoken Norwegian required for citizenship from B1 to B2.
Applicants will be ineligible for citizenship if they have debts to the public sector, have missed tax payments, or have been required to repay public benefits.
Dual citizens could lose Norwegian citizenship if found guilty of serious crimes.
Permanent residence will require four years of financial self-sufficiency, no public debt, and verified ID.
Tighter rules for family reunion, with a requirement that relatives who come to Norway need learn Norwegian and that their relatives in Norway show they are able to support them
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Labour Party
Economy and taxation
While the other two big parties want to cut tax, the Labour Party is pledging to keep tax levels the same while expanding the state involvement in the economy. It is pledging:
Keep the combined taxes and fees paid by people and companies in Norway at the same level as today.
Tighten regulations on the marketing consumer loans and credit cards, unreasonably high interest rates on consumer loans and 262 limiting earnings from debt collection
Work permits and Labour Migration
The Labour Party wants to help foreigners in Norway find work by:
Faster skills assessment for newly arrived immigrants, including those without documentation, to be carried out by the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV)
Expanded language training, including better access for migrant workers and their families.
Improved NAV procedures to help immigrants find work faster.
Make Norway "a more attractive country for international researchers and students".
Citizenship, residency and family reunion
Labour has only modest plans for this area, pledging:
A review of citizenship regulations, including the rules for and practice of revoking citizenship.
Shorter waitinng times for family reunification application
Work to reduce the processing time and waiting time for applications for family reunification
Stronger self-sufficiency requirements for sponsoring family members.
Introduction of an "integration contract" obligating both parties to complete language and cultural training, with penalties for non-compliance.
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PROGRESS PARTY
Economy and taxation
The Progress Party is fighting this election on a promise of aggressive tax cuts:
Reduced tax rates for all income groups.
Abolish Norway's wealth tax (currently 1.1 percent on any assets above a threshold of 1.7 million kroner)
Cut VAT on food from 15 percent to 7.5 percent
Abolish property tax (
eiendomsskatt
). This is currently levied by municipalities and can be up to 0.4 percent of the taxable value of the property.
Cap electricity prices at 50 øre per kWh .
Slash road taxes, fuel taxes, and abolish road tolls.
Citizenship and Permanent Residency
While the Progress Party is not campaigning on an anti-immigration platform, its policies remain the most radical on citizenship, permanent residency and immigration.
The Progress Party is proposing the most far-reaching changes to citizenship and residency requirements, pledging to:
Extend the required residency period to gain citizenship to 10 years (currently 7). It will be five years for spouses of Norwegians.
Raise the bar for permanent residence to 8 years (currently 5).
Impose tougher language and self-sufficiency tests.
Require new citizens to swear allegiance at a mandatory ceremony.
Strip dual citizens of citizenship if convicted of terrorism, gang crime or other serious offences.
Immigration and integration
Asylum centers to be established in Africa and Asia, with asylum seekers sent out while their cases are processed.
A package "of significantly greater value", to incentivise immigrants to return to their countries of origin
Conditional unemployment benefits tied to completion of language, civics, and job-training courses
Language test for four-year-olds to target early intervention in immigrant-heavy areas.
Moratorium on refugee resettlement in areas where non-Western immigrants exceed 15 percent of the population.
Refugees only allowed to settle in municipalities with proven quality services and job markets.
Mandatory deportation of any foreigner sentenced to more than 3 months' prison.
Ban on religious garments in public authority roles, hijabs in primary schools, and face coverings in public spaces and schools.
End free legal aid for immigration cases.
