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Researchers oppose temporary stay licenses

Secretary of State, Torkil Åmland (Progress Party).Photo: wikimedia.org

Temporary residence for unaccompanied minors who come to Norway seeking asylum, adds to the numbers of disappearances of such people, researchers report.

They recommend, instead, assigning permanent residence, but the government disagrees.

One of the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research reports’recommendations is to stop giving temporary residence to unaccompanied asylum seekers between 16 and 18 years of age, and to instead grant such applicants permanent residence, wrote ABC News.

To prevent disappearances and ‘ensure the necessary care and follow-up,’ the report also suggests that child welfare should assume responsibility for unaccompanied asylum seekers between the ages of 15 and 18 years.

‘The reason why we believe regulations concerning temporary residence should be removed is that such status creates major challenges for a good upbringing, and
leads to a feeling of great uncertainty.

This creates both unrest, and financial passivity on benefits. It also increases the level of disappearances’, said project leader, and main author of the report, Berit Aasen.

The Ministry of Justice will review the report, but won’t follow the recommendations to scrap temporary stay, or leave the Norwegian Child Welfare Services (CPS) to be responsible for all under 18 years olds.

‘That’s out of the question. In this area, the government has a clear stance, and clarified policies. We award temporary licenses only for those over 16 who do not have a need for protection’, said Secretary of State, Torkil Åmland.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today