– I’ll be there. The municipality wants me there. But Norwegian bureaucracy stands in the way, says Rabbitt to news. He adds: – It creates an incredible amount of anxiety. In August, the 24-year-old got a job in Bø municipality in Vesterålen. On 2 November, it is still unclear whether Rabbitt will be allowed to move to the district municipality. The long processing time at UDI means that Rabbitt still lives in Swindon. British citizens and their family members can no longer apply for a residence permit under the Brexit regulations. British citizens who wish to settle in Norway must apply for permission in accordance with ordinary regulations. Facts about Britons in Norway after Brexit After the UK left the EU and the British EEA membership ceased, British citizens lose rights they had as EU/EEA citizens. During a transition period, there were special rules for British citizens who had legal residence in Norway. The transition period ends on 31 December 2021. British citizens and their family members must now apply for permission through ordinary regulations for residence in Norway. From 1 January 2021, all British citizens in Norway must be considered third-country nationals. (Sources: NTB, the Government, the Police and UDI) – It is not even certain that he will be accepted, says Mayor Sture Pedersen. Andrew Rabbitt already has an apartment ready in Bø. But the processing time at UDI creates uncertainty around arrival. Photo: Bø municipality Life is on pause The 24-year-old has dreamed of moving to Norway for many, many years. Initially, the young Briton tried to learn Icelandic, but along the way he became more interested in Norwegian. Eight years later, he speaks fluent Norwegian and has been on exchange at the University of Bergen for a year. – I have so many friends in Norway that it is not a choice. Norway is the place I have to be, he says to news. Andrew Rabbitt made a lot of friends in Norway during an exchange in Bergen. Among other things through the men’s choir Arme Riddere. Photo: Manskoret Arme Riddere He is a trained geophysicist and has applied for jobs across large parts of the country. In Bø he was approved. – Northern Norway is so beautiful. Also the people are very friendly. I love it. British citizens must now apply for a residence permit in Norway. In September, he was informed that the application at UDI had been received. He is now unsure how long it will take before he gets an answer. – On the website it says that it can take up to four months. Whether that means I will get an answer in February, or before, I don’t know, says a frustrated Rabbitt to news and adds: – It has been three months since I accepted the job. Three months without pay, three months where everything just hangs in the air. CHALLENGING: Andrew Rabbitt says it is difficult to deal with the fact that the application for a work permit takes so long. Photo: Manskoret Arme Riddere Being in such limbo makes life challenging. – It is incredibly difficult and I struggle with my mental health because I cannot live my life. – The processing time must be reduced Sture Pedersen, mayor of Bø municipality, says that they are fighting tooth and nail to get hold of expertise for the municipality. That qualified foreigners are slowed down by application processes frustrates the mayor. – The public authorities create problems by saying that it takes four months to process the case. I get frustrated, he says to news. Sture Pedersen, mayor of Bø in Vesterålen. Photo: Øystein Nygård / news He adds: – Everything is arranged for him to come. We are available around the clock, but are stopped by bureaucracy. The mayor is clear that a change is needed. – The processing time must be reduced. Pedersen argues that he does not understand why it should take so long to process applications from Great Britain. Andrew Rabbitt says he loves Northern Norway. He also has the skills the region needs. Photo: Kari Skeie / news – Norway has a very good relationship with Great Britain. We need expertise both in our and other municipalities. The country needs hands. – If it had been a country we are in conflict with, I would have understood. But here we are talking about a country with which we have had a wonderful collaboration over generations. Proposes change Bård Ludvig Thorheim in the Conservative Party tells news that Norway, and especially Northern Norway, needs people like Andrew Rabbitt. – There is an enormous shortage of labor in both the private and public sectors. And it is even worse in Northern Norway. In addition, we are dependent on foreigners if we are to have population growth in Northern Norway. He believes it is a huge problem that it takes so long to get a work permit. PROPOSED CHANGE: Bård Ludvig Thorheim and the Conservative Party believe that a change must be in place to ensure growth in Norway. Photo: Synnøve Sundby Fallmyr / news – We have proposed several concrete things in the Storting to speed up case processing. Among other things, digitization early in the process, explains Thorheim and refers to the proposal: The Storting is asking the government to make arrangements to adopt new technology for faster case processing in the immigration administration. The Storting asks the government to consider simplifications in case processing for persons applying for renewal of work permits. The Storting asks the government to investigate and implement changes that ensure that the scheme with early start of work can be made available and improved. The Storting asks the government to introduce a fast-track scheme for highly skilled labor inspired by the Danish model. Want to fulfill the dream – Why is it important to make a change? – If we look at the need in working life and the population development in Norway, we see that it is absolutely crucial for us to have positive growth, replies Thorheim. UDI tells news that after the applicant has delivered his documents to the police or a VFS application centre, it now takes between three to four months before UDI processes the application. But in some cases it takes less time. The processing time depends, among other things, on whether the application is complete and whether the case requires additional investigations. – We understand that waiting times can create challenges. UDI’s role is to process the applications, and we offer guidance throughout the entire application process, says Paul Skoglund, unit manager at UDI Residence. – We are continuously working to reduce our case processing times in order to be able to meet employers’ needs more quickly. During the past year, waiting times have become shorter. The aim is to get down to 30 days waiting time. Andrew Rabbitt is aware that the long processing time may mean that fewer people will come to Norway. But for him, giving up the dream of Norway is not an option. Andrew Rabbitt applied for jobs across large parts of Norway. Now he hopes to get a work permit so he can move to Bø in Vesterålen. Photo: Jan-Helge Andersen – I have become an honorary Norwegian, he says, laughing. Rabbitt concludes by adding: – Right now I’m stuck in a quagmire of the unknown, if you know what I mean. I’m not sure how long it will take, but moving to Norway has been and is a dream I’ve had for many, many years. ALSO READ:
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The Conservative Party believes that the UDI takes too long to process applications – asks the government to make changes – news Nordland
