Norwegian officials announced they have lifted the requirement that permanent resident applicants cannot have received financial assistance under the Social Services Act.

Key Points:

• Norwegian officials removed the requirement that permanent resident applicants must prove they have not received any financial assistance in the last 12 months when applying for a permit.
• Effective immediately, permanent residence applicants only have to prove that they received a certain amount of income in the last year.
• Exemptions to the income requirement apply to certain groups of individuals, including students and people with disabilities, among others.

Additional Information: The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration stated that permanent residence applicants must prove that they have earned at least NOK 296,550 (about US$26,900) in the previous year. Exceptions do apply for certain individuals either through employment or alternative means of financial support.

BAL Analysis: The announcement is a welcome change for permanent resident applicants and should provide greater access to candidates who previously were unable to qualify.