7.1 Migration

7.1.1 Freedom of Movement

Young Liberals mean everyone has to have the right to choose for himself where he wants to live. Free immigration and emigration has to be a given right. The right to seek fortune for oneself and one's family should not be limited by where in the world one is born. Norway has to work for establishing the freedom of movement between states as a right within 2024. Young Liberals do not want people being punished for letting themselves being smuggled until this is achieved. Organized trade in people is nevertheless considered to be an assault on the individual's rights.

7.1.2 People on the Run

People who are suffering from war, hunger or infringements on human rights, need to have the opportunity to seek refuge in other countries. The right to seek asylum is a basic human right that applies independently of the subject's background. All countries have a responsibility to receive refugees. The allocation of refugees has to be organized by UN, as far as possible.

Young Liberals want the right to seek asylum to be constitutional.

Norway has a moral obligation to receive refugees from war and emergencies. Norway has to increase the refugee quota that is received on assignment from the UN High Commissioner of Refugees. Refugees living in Norway for a period of more than three years have to be given permanent residency.

7.1.3 Humane Form of Procedure

All applications for asylum are to be individually considered. The processing time on asylum applications has to be reduced, and the legal protection of refugees and asylum seekers improved. Asylum seekers who have waited more than a year to have their application finalized, have to be granted residence on humanitarian grounds. Solitary minor asylum seekers are to be given residence on humanitarian grounds after six months of processing. Solitary minor asylum seekers, without a family to return to, have to be given permanent residency.

The good of the child is to be emphasized in asylum cases, and cases that involve children are to be prioritized so they can be resolved quickly. It should be defined precisely how the consideration of the good of the child is assessed if the case ends in rejection of asylum.

7.1.4 Return of Rejected Asylum Seekers

Return of rejected asylum seekers must never oppose the recommendations of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Asylum seekers committing criminal acts, have to deal with the following consequences. Nevertheless they can still be in genuine need of protection. There can not be any automatized procedures leading to deportation of criminal asylum seekers.

Of different reasons, there are some asylum seekers who can not return to their homeland, even if their asylum applications are rejected. Young Liberals mean nonreturnable asylum seekers have to be granted temporary work permit. Those who, on account of various reasons, can not work need to be entitled to social services. Nonreturnable asylum seekers, with an assembled period of residence in Norway of more than three years, have to be granted permanent residency. Those who are nonreturnable only because they oppose return, are not to be included in this arrangement.  

7.1.5 Work immigration

Until open immigration is implemented, Young Liberals want to annul the still active temporary immigration stop of 1975. Everyone who receives a job offer in Norway within 6 months, have to be granted residency. Norwegian companies must have full opportunity to get manpower from abroad. Transitional rules that restrict work immigration from the Eastern European EU-countries must be revoked.

Quota limitations within sports against citizens of non EEA-countries must be repealed.

7.1.6 Visa

Young Liberals mean the visa requirement for foreign citizens must be repealed. As long as the visa requirement is still in effect, today's strict visa policy must be liberalised to make it easier to attain a visa to Norway, at no charge to the applicant.

Visa requirements for people on the run from countries at war are unacceptable. There should be established an arrangement of emergency visas immediately, that will provide people on the run with the possibility to seek asylum through a Norwegian embassy or consulate.

Norwegian citizens, who fall in love with a non EEA-citizen, face a stiff-legged set of rules that prevents them from taking their lover back to Norway without getting married. Young Liberals want an arrangement of love visas, which will provide a chance for Norwegian-foreign couples to live together in Norway for up to 12 months.

7.1.7 Family reunion

Young Liberals want to make it easier to attain family reunions in Norway. The subsistence requirement for people less than 23 years of age must be revoked.

7.2 Integration

7.2.1 Societal responsibility

Young Liberals want a more multicultural integrated society. Integration is a common responsibility, and has to be a continuous process. Public awareness campaigns are necessary to strengthen the understanding of different cultural and religious backgrounds.  

The society must contribute with good integration measures such as free kindergarten and preschool, and more cooperation between each municipality and volunteer organisations. The State must have the possibility to sanction local authorities who refuse to receive immigrants. All municipalities must have a settlement plan for asylum seekers and immigrants.

Asylum seekers must have the right to work and to receive language training in the period the application is being processed. All asylum seekers and transfer refugees are to be offered psychiatric assistance to master traumatic experiences. As long as they are in Norway they shall have the right to psychiatric follow-up.

7.2.2 Citizenship

People with more than three year's residence in Norway are to be entitled to apply for Norwegian citizenship. Young Liberals mean that Norway has to open for double citizenship, to enable maintenance of the connection with the country of origin. The period of study that foreign students spend in Norway is to be counted if the student later applies for residency or citizenship.

7.2.3 Norwegian training

Young Liberals want mandatory Norwegian training for those who seek Norwegian citizenship, as the language is very important to enable societal participation. This training shall also include societal training and a labour market training programme.

Young Liberals mean that mandatory Norwegian training for all immigrants discriminates between citizens of origin within and outside of the EEA-area, and that this is not a practical arrangement for people who want to work in Norway over a shorter period of time. Everyone who wants to take up residence in Norway is nonetheless to receive the offer of participation in such a training programme.

7.2.4 First language training

Foreign language pupils shall have the right to receive the first training in reading and writing in their first language. This will make Norwegian training easier accessible. Foreign language pupils must have the right to receive first language training throughout elementary school.

7.2.5 Work

Young Liberals want to adapt the conditions in the labour market to meet immigrants in a better way. Activation through work is an important part of the integration process. Employers are to receive support for language training. The procedures for approval of existing qualifications need to be changed. It has to become easier to upgrade and get approval of education from other countries.

7.2.6 Participation and representation

Participation in political work and representation in societal life is important for the integration process. The authorities have a responsibility to secure a representative selection of candidates in public employment. Voluntary organisations play an important part in integration and must have the possibility to receive extra support to carry out integration initiatives.