Human rights institute blasts immigration laws
The Copenhagen Post, May 14, 2010
http://www.cphpost.dk/news/national/48982-human-rights-institute-blasts-immigration-laws.html
Planned changes to the requirements to obtain residency have been criticised by the Institute for Human Rights
The governments proposed points system for foreigners is facing stiff criticism from the Danish Institute for Human Rights, which stated the possibilities of getting a residence permit in Denmark is almost illusory.
In a report released this week, the institute raised its most severe criticism ever of Danish immigration law with its assessment of the Liberal-Conservative government and Danish Peoples Partys Immigration Package, writes Berlingske Tidende.
The package was agreed to in principle on 15 March and is expected to come into effect sometime this summer. It requires certain criteria to be fulfilled such as passing a Danish language test and not receiving public benefits in return for points. An applicant for residency must secure 100 points in all to be eligible for legal residency.
According to the institute, it is mainly the foreigners who want permanent residence in Denmark who have an unusually tough road.
Large groups of immigrants simply do not have the possibility of fulfilling these requirements, said Jonas Christoffersen, head of the Institute for Human Rights. The employment requirement is especially strict. If you lose your job you have to start from scratch to earn the necessary two and a half years full-time employment requirement.
Christoffersen said the governments system is designed in a way that excludes foreigners from Danish society and keeps away highly-skilled labour. He added that the law will inevitably lead to human rights violations unless exemptions are included in the legislation.
Under the agreement, immigrants may obtain permanent residence after four years if they make an active effort to become a part of Danish society.
According to the institutes report, the agreement will have a disintegrating and exclusionary effect through its inference that those who have not fully learned about conditions in Denmark are not a part of Danish society.
