Hundreds of UDI employees can loose their job as asylum seekers dropping

asylum seekers july - UDI familyThe Norwegian Department of Immigration (UDI). Photo Norway Today Media

Norwegian immigration authorities brought in a large number of temporary employees to help with the asylum stream last year. Now hundreds can be losing their jobs.

The Directorate of Immigration (UDI) had on 1 July 1,450 employees, of which 442 were only temporary. The contracts of 419 of these expire at year-end, writes yhe newspaper Dagens Næringsliv.

Up until the 14th August this year  only  2,079 asylum seekers came to Norway. Last year there came around 31.000 people, around  25,000 of these solely during the month of August. Due to the large influx, the number of officers in the asylum department was doubled, but now the department will soon no longer need them.

The reps at the UDI believes that the general staffing at the unit should be higher. When asylum seekers arrivals are low, the employees can work on other tasks such as family reunification. This will also improve UDI’s  capacity and readiness , says steward Irene Opseth.

– There is much talk and growing concern about whether one will get continued emplyment. There is great uncertainty about how many we’re going to need, but I feel that there is great understanding amongst the temporary staff for this, says Opseth.
UDI director Frode Forfang has made clear in meetings for the employees that it is highly likely that a large number of temporary positions will disappear.
No one in the Justice Department would comment on what might happen to the UDI temporary employees.

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today

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