The Norwegian government has submitted a bill to parliament that would increase the penalties for those who exploit vulnerable foreign nationals in the workplace or housing market.
The bill introduces a new criminal provision to the Immigration Act (Utlendingsloven), making it an offence for employers and landlords to exploit foreign workers in vulnerable situations. This would close a loophole that currently only penalises middlemen.
Under existing rules, only those who broker jobs or housing can be prosecuted for exploiting foreign workers, with a maximum sentence of two years in prison.
The proposal, submitted to the Storting on March 27th, would extend criminal liability to employers and landlords. The maximum sentence would be increased to three years, and up to six years in serious cases.
“Exploitation of foreign workers is a threat to the labour market and a violation of the security and rights of individuals in vulnerable situations,” said Justice Minister Astri Aas-Hansen in a press release. “The purpose (of the bill) is to protect a group that is particularly vulnerable to exploitation and to combat workplace crime and social dumping.”
The new bill is especially designed to protect those foreign nationals with no permanent right of residency in Norway, whom the government considers particularly at risk.
Norway already prohibits human trafficking for forced labour. The new law would address exploitation that does not meet the threshold for trafficking but still causes serious harm, such as underpaying workers, charging excessive rents, or using precarious immigration status to demand labour or money.
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“We believe it is important to be able to crack down on serious exploitation of foreigners who are in a vulnerable situation, even without this element of coercion,” said Aas-Hansen.
For international workers in Norway with temporary or limited residence permits, the proposal would provide significantly stronger legal protections.
The bill supports the government’s Plan for Norway on security in working and business life, and now heads to the Storting (Parliament) for consideration.
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