UDI: Au pair for the Minister of Justice worked illegally
The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) believes that an au pair from the Philippines has worked illegally for Minister of Justice, Jøran Kallmyr (Progress Party). She had to leave Norway on May 10th.
Aftenposten disclosed the issue regarding the Cabinet Minister’s au pair on Wednesday.
“I may have considered the rules incorrectly,” Kallmyr tells Aftenposten.
The Au pair moved in with the Kallmyr family in August last year, when the Minister of Justice still worked as a lawyer. She was ordered to leave Norway on one day’s notice in May. The Au pair complied with the deadline.
She has since been notified that she may be expelled from Norway and, therefore, the entire Schengen area because of illegal residence at, and work for, the Minister of Justice.
UDI informs NTB that they cannot comment on the matter due to confidentiality.
“On a general basis, I can say that cases of this type can lead to reactions against the host family. We, however, treat all such cases individually before we consider any reactions,” Head of Section of UDI, Karl Erik Sjøholt, explains.
Au pair rejects that she worked ahead of time
The core of the dispute revolves around whether the au pair performed work for the Kallmyr family during the period from August 22nd to October 12th. She moved in with the family before she provided obligatory documentation and application for a renewed au pair permit from the police.
Kallmyr rejects that she worked for them during this period.
“Both the au pair and the family has known, throughout, that she could not work as an au pair for us until she hand-delivered the application to the police,” The Minister of Justice informs in a statement emailed to NTB.
the Filippino began working as an au pair after October 12th. The family learned that her stay was not renewed on May 9th. The woman received an exit deadline as well. She complied with the deadline, according to Kallmyr:
“We have followed the recommendations and advice we have received during the process to the best of our ability. If mistakes have been made in relation to the Immigration Act, I’ll be the first to apologise.”
Appears to be a misunderstanding
Lawyer for the au pair, Ingvild Boe Hornburg, thinks that the case is a bit incomprehensible. She will now write a letter to the UDI.
“This seems like a big misunderstanding, as the au pair has lived with the Kallmyr family pending a permit to stay. The UDI has assumed that she has worked, but she has not. She has not said so either. She was a house guest,” Hornburg tells NTB.
”What did she do while a guest?”
“She made her own food, laundered. The children were in kindergarten. She didn’t pick them up. My client used the home but has not admitted to work,” Hornburg explains.
Probably doesn’t wish to return to Norway
The woman received training in how it is to be in a Norwegian family, at the home of the Minister of Justice, during the first few months, she has told her lawyer:
“The UDI has interpreted this as that she has performed tasks as an au pair. I can’t understand that she’s done anything wrong.”
Her client probably does not want to return to Norway after the treatment she has received. She is now fighting being expelled from the entire Schengen area. This, according to her lawyer.
As Minister of Justice, Kallmyr is the chief executive of the UDI and for enforcement of the Immigration Act. Kallmyr says he will now have his own impartiality considered in the handling of all questions related to the au pair scheme.
Prime Minister Erna Solberg tells Aftenposten that she still has confidence in Kallmyr.
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Must document the au pair matter
Karin Andersen (Socialists) expects Kallmyr to disclose everything relevant to the matter.
“Kallmyr must now document that everything he has done is totally above board. He is skating on thin ice if not,” Andersen writes in an email to NTB.
Kallmyr is the seventh Minister of Justice from the Progress Party (Frp) since 2013. This is not for the first time he is in the line of fire in his short reign after replacing Tor Mikkel Wara.
“Enough must soon be enough – even for Erna Solberg – when it comes to her patience with the Progress Party as the upholders of law and order,” Andersen thunders.
The Socialist Party (SV) has several times proposed to abolish the au pair scheme.
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (Ap), Hadia Tajik, tells NRK that she only knows of the Kallmyr case from the media.
“It is clear that it does not look good when the one, who is responsible for ensuring that Norwegian laws and regulations are followed, does not appear to have complied with the regulations in this specific matter,” Tajik believes.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
