Latest from Local Norway
Local Norway
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Local Norway
Q&A: What's Norway's stricter language requirement for permanent residency?
This week, the Norwegian government announced changes to the language requirements for foreigners seeking permanent residence permits. While the previous requirement for spoken proficiency at A1 level, applicants must now demonstrate A2-level or higher. 'Foreigners who want a permanent residence permit in Norway should have a certain level of oral Norwegian. Being able to speak and understand the Norwegian language is an important prerequisite for being able to participate in education and work', said Minister of Justice and Public Security Astri Aas-Hansen (Labour Party). The language levels refer to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). At level A2, individuals can understand simple everyday language, express themselves on personal and basic topics such as family, and manage simple conversations. However, the new requirements include exemptions for those with special circumstances related to health or personal reasons. This particularly applies to adult immigrants with limited or no formal education, elderly people, and individuals with low literacy skills. In addition, the requirements for language and social studies tests will be moved from the Integration Act to the Immigration Act. This could indicate a change to the streamline process, reducing the need for assessments by local municipalities. In 2024, 10,554 individuals were granted permanent residency in Norway . To clarify what the new rules mean in practice, The Local contacted the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security to help us answer some of the frequently asked questions from applicants: Advertisement What exactly has changed regarding Norwegian language requirements? Under the new rules, applicants for permanent residency must pass an oral Norwegian test at level A2 or higher, replacing the previous A1 requirement. What about the social studies (samfunnskunnskap) requirement? Applicants are still required to pass the social studies test, but they are no longer obligated to submit documentation of having completed a course. The legislation mandates a passed test taken in a language the applicant understands. Who does this affect? The changes apply to people seeking permanent residence aged 18–67, including outside‑EU/EEA. The 18-year age limit is calculated based on the time of application and the 67-year age limit is calculated from the time of the decision (the time the application is decided). Advertisement When do these new rules take effect? The changes were officially announced June 26th, 2025, and apply to applications for a permanent residence permit submitted after September 1st 2025. Are there any exceptions? Yes. Applicants can be exempt from the spoken Norwegian test if they can document special health conditions or personal circumstances beyond their control that make it impossible to pass the A2-level test. This applies especially to adult immigrants with little or no schooling, limited reading and writing skills, or older age. People with learning difficulties, cognitive challenges, or mental health conditions such as neurological disorders, may also qualify for an exemption. Are there still written or reading exams required? No. The requirements to obtain a permanent residence permit are to pass an oral Norwegian language test at level A2 and to pass the social studies test.
Local Norway
a day ago
- Politics
- Local Norway
Norway to raise language requirement for permanent residency
The minimum required Norwegian language level will be raised from A1 to A2 effective from September 1st, the government said in a statement. "Foreign nationals who want to obtain long-term residency in Norway should master spoken Norwegian to a certain standard," Justice Minister Astri Aas-Hansen said in the statement. "Being able to speak and understand the Norwegian language is an important requirement for participating in education and employment,' she added. The change means that applicants will need to demonstrate the ability to understand and use simple, everyday language, as well as engage in basic conversations. Advertisement The updated requirement will apply to all applications submitted after it takes effect. Exceptions will be made for people with specific health issues or personal circumstances that prevent them from meeting the language standard.
Local Norway
a day ago
- Local Norway
Norwegian police say son of Crown Princess is suspect in rape case
Police attorney Andreas Kruszweski told a press conference the investigation had been turned over to prosecutors, who would decide whether to press charges. Marius Borg Høiby, who was born as a result of a relationship before Crown Princess Mette-Marit's marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, has been under investigation since his arrest on August 4th, 2024 on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend. The arrest led to a slew of allegations against him. Kruszweski said Høiby was suspected of "one count of rape with sexual intercourse" and "two counts of rape without sexual intercourse". Advertisement Hoiby's lawyer Ellen Holager Andenæs told news agency NTB that her client rejected the three rape allegations. Kruszewski said Høiby was also suspected of "four counts of sexually offensive behaviour, one count of abuse in a close relationship, two counts of bodily harm, one count of vandalism, one count of issuing threats, five violations of restraining orders, one count of insulting a police officer, and five traffic offences."
Local Norway
2 days ago
- Business
- Local Norway
'Outrageous pork': What's in Norway Conservatives' bumper tax pledge?
The party has so far made three big promises to cut taxes for ordinary workers, and two big promises to cut taxes for businesses, with the total package adding up to close to 60 billion kroner (€5bn) in reduced taxes. The party is claiming that this will put an extra 24,000 kroner in the pockets of a typical couple or family in Norway. That is enough to pay for an extra holiday or an (admittedly very beaten-up) second-hand car. Advertisement Here are the main personal tax cuts on offer: New tax rebate on earned income: The party on Tuesday announced plans to bring in a 1,000 kroner tax rebate on the monthly salaries of everyone who is in work in Norway. 150,000 kroner threshold for income tax : The party also pledged to change income tax rules so that the first 150,000 kroner of salary earned is tax free. A higher threshold for wealth tax overall. The party also wants to raise the threshold for paying wealth tax above the current level of 1.7 million kroner per individual. The party estimates that the cuts in taxes on individuals add up to 36.5 billion kroner. Advertisement Here are the main tax cuts for businesses and their owners: Repeal of stricter 2024 exit tax rules . Under the proposed changes, foreigners will only be taxed on Norwegian-earned capital gains once they are realised, not automatically upon leaving the country. Abolish wealth tax on "working capital" : The party wants to stop including assets essential for companies or self-employed people to operate, such as machinery, tools, and computers, in wealth taxation calculations. Lower the tax on salmon farms and other aquatic businesses . This may not mean much to most foreigners, but the party is promising to lower and simplify the so-called havbruksskatten, or "sea-use tax", which is mainly levied on salmon farms. The party estimates that the cuts in taxes for businesses add up to 21 billion kroner. Will a typical taxpayer be better off overall? That depends. The tax cut pledge is suspiciously short on details. The Conservatives have not said when the cuts will come into force, meaning they might be planning to bring them in gradually, meeting the promised levels only in the final year of the next parliamentary term. They have also not detailed how they will be paid for. The ruling Labour party is,as a result, arguing that the promised tax cuts will have to be paid for by corresponding cuts to benefits, meaning citizens may find that at least some of the gains they make end up being spent on, for example, higher kindergarten fees.
Local Norway
2 days ago
- Business
- Local Norway
Unemployment in Norway hits highest level since pandemic
The latest Labour Force Survey (LFS) from Statistics Norway revealed that 136,000 people were unemployed in May, an increase of 13,000 compared to six months ago. The rise was most significant among young people under the age of 25. "We also see this month that it is among young people that unemployment has increased the most," Tonje Køber, section manager at Statistics Norway, said in a press release . "There are 7,000 more unemployed people under the age of 25 in May than there were in November," Køber added. Advertisement Køber said that the rise in youth unemployment reflected the large number of young people who have recently entered the labour force, rather than a decline in the number of jobs for young people on offer. "The increase among the youngest is related to an increased supply of labour from this group. This means that more people are getting jobs, and more people are looking for jobs," she said. There were also slightly fewer jobs in Norway in May, with the number of working positions reduced by 5,900 compared to April, of which 3,600 were in public administration and education. However, taking a slightly longer perspective, the number of jobs has increased slightly over the past six months. Seasonally adjusted preliminary figures showed that there were 12,600 more jobs in Norway in May than there were last November, a growth rate of 0.4 percent. There were 3,000 more jobs in health, social services, and industry, and about 2,000 fewer jobs in both construction and education.
