Denmark
Adjustment and clarification of practice regarding foreign interns in the hotel and restaurant industry
From 1 April 2024, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) adjusts the practice on how to assess salary conditions for foreign interns in the hotel and restaurant industry, and the current practice for assessment of the professional connection is clarified.
Adjustment of practice
The adjustment of practice means that, when SIRI assesses whether salary conditions meet the Danish standards in the industry, the foreign interns will be divided into two categories; interns in education and graduates.
For interns still in education, SIRI will, as a starting point, assess that the salary offered is normal if it corresponds at least to the first salary level (during the first 12 months of internship, then the second salary level) in the current Student Agreement (Elevoverenskomst) between HORESTA and 3F.
When assessing whether the salary offered graduate interns meets the Danish standards, SIRI will be using the salary levels for unskilled workers in the current Restaurant Agreement (Restaurationsoverenskomst) or Hotel Agreement (Hoteloverenskomst) between HORESTA and 3F.
The adjustment of practice applies to all applications received from and including 1 April 2024.
Clarification of practice
In addition, SIRI also makes a clarification of practice regarding the assessment of the professional connection between internships and the educational programmes of foreign interns.
In those cases where an educational programme does not in itself support a professional connection to the internship, the applicant must have passed a sufficient number of subjects relevant to the internship, so that the subjects make up one semester’s worth of credits.
Ireland
Transfer of registration responsibility for Meath, Kildare and Wicklow
The Department of Justice has announced that, effective 8 April 2024, the first-time registration of Irish residence permissions for customers based in counties Meath, Kildare and Wicklow will be carried out at the Registration Office, 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2. Previously, registration of foreign national residents was carried out in these three counties was carried out at the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
Appointments for first time registration can be booked using the Freephone number (1800 800 630) Operators are available between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday to arrange appointments.
Customers will be required to provide operators with passport details and an email address to arrange appointments.
Also effective 8 April 2024, online renewals of permissions from customers living in counties Meath, Kildare and Wicklow should be submitted using the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) online renewal portal https://inisonline.jahs.ie. Applicants will not need to attend the Burgh Quay Registration Office in person.
GNIB will continue to undertake first registrations and renewal responsibilities for applicants living outside of counties Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow.
It should be noted that all applications nationwide for renewal of residence permission, including when changing Stamp category, are accepted by ISD and GNIB up to 12 weeks prior to expiry to allow sufficient time for processing.
Luxembourg
Increased minimum salary thresholds for EU Blue Card
A Ministerial Regulation of 15 March 2024 has fixed the average gross annual salary, thereby increasing the minimum salary threshold for highly skilled third-country national workers applying for an EU Blue Card, effective 24 March 2024.
The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies of Luxembourg has determined that the average gross annual salary for the year 2022 was EUR 58,968.
Therefore, the threshold of the minimum salary level for a highly qualified worker is set at 1.5 times the average gross annual salary, which is EUR 88,452 per year (up from EUR 84,780 per year).
For jobs in professions for which a special need for workers who are nationals of third countries is established by the Government, the threshold for the minimum salary level is set at 1.2 times the average gross annual salary, which is EUR 70,762 (up from EUR 67,824 per year).
Norway
Changes in the financial support and Norwegian language requirements for permanent residence applications
Financial support
From 18 April 2024, the requirement that the applicant has not received financial assistance under the Social Services Act is lifted. Applicants are still required to have your own income.
Norwegian language
The following applies to applicants who have a residence permit as a skilled worker or self-employed person, or have come to Norway on family immigration with someone who is a skilled worker or self-employed person:
- Those who received their first residence permit in the period between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021 are required to have completed 250 hours of tuition or achieved a minimum level in the Norwegian language and 50 hours of tuition in social studies.
- Those who received their first residence permit after 1 January 2022 are required to have completed 225 hours of tuition or achieved a minimum level in the Norwegian language and 75 hours of tuition in social studies.
The following applies to applicants who received another type of residence permit:
- Those who received their first residence permit in the period between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021 are required to have achieved a minimum level of the Norwegian language and completed 50 hours of tuition in social studies.
- Those who received their first residence permit after 1 January 2022 are required to have achieved a minimum level of the Norwegian language and completed 75 hours of tuition in social studies.
There is no change in the requirement for tests in the Norwegian language and social studies.
Those who have passed all four parts of the Norwegian test at level A2 or higher, or who have been exempted by the municipality because they have sufficiently good knowledge of the Norwegian language or the Sami language, do not need to have completed training in the Norwegian language to receive a permanent residence permit.
