Norway terminates au pair Scheme for non-EEA country nationals from 15 March 2024. This was declared by the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security today. The ministry says the need for unskilled labor should be covered by nationals from countries that are a part of the European Economic Area.
Plans to terminate the scheme were published in March 2023 by the Norwegian authorities, because the program had become a loophole in the Norwegian system to import cheap labor. Norwegian member of parliament, Per Vidar Kjølmoen, says to the Norwegian channel TV2, that the au pair scheme is no longer promoting cultural exchange. According to Per Vidar Kjølmoen 85% of the au pairs in Norway are Filipino nationals and their hourly salary is 50 Norwegian kroner, which is drastically lower than the average salary in Norway.
Applicants who apply after 15 March 2024 will not be accepted, but applicants who already have signed a contract in Norway can stay up to two years.
The Au Pair Scheme was originally a system put in place to promote cultural exchange between host families and young people from other countries. Traditionally the young foreigners would help with housework and childcare.
Sources: tv2.no & schengenvisainfo.com
Ugh. What a hypocritical loophole to get poor women to take care of children and clean the houses of wealthier Norwegians at very cheap wages. “Cultural exchange” nonsense.