The particular Minister of Justice provides decided, following local plus international consultations, to instantly activate Article 44 of the Foreign Nationals Act No 80/2016, in light of the mass flight following the Russian intrusion of Ukraine. This decision is taken in keeping with the particular EU’s decision to start the same kind of action, because provided for in Directive 2001/55/EC on temporary security in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons. The reception of refugees in Iceland will cover the same defined groups as determined by the particular EU. This method is first plus foremost intended to make it possible to help those who flee from Ukraine swiftly and effectively, specifically by granting them temporary protection, without the reception and aid overwhelming Iceland’s safety system. A residence enable granted to individuals upon these grounds entails exactly the same rights and access to solutions as a residence permit upon humanitarian grounds, in keeping with Content 74 of the Foreign Nationals Act. It entails entry to housing, maintenance, social providers, health care services and entry to the labour market. These rights are, for the most part, exactly like those that individuals will obtain in other European countries on the basis of Directive 2001/55/EC. Access to services Article forty-four states that “A foreign national who is a member of a group which flees a specified region and arrives in Iceland, or is within Iceland when the provisions of the article are applied, may upon application for global protection be granted protection on the basis of a group assessment”, we. e. collective protection. This means that foreign nationals will be given a residence permit on humanitarian grounds under Write-up 74 of the Foreign Nationals Act No 80/2016. Under the current Foreign Nationals’ Right to Work Act, No 97/2002, those who receive a residence allow on humanitarian grounds only receive conditional access to the Icelandic labour market, which is based on the requirement that an employer must apply for a work enable for the person in question. Ukrainian refugees will therefore have access to the Icelandic labour marketplace. A Bill of Amendment to the Foreign Nationals Act, that is now being prepared by the Ministry of Justice, proposes to amend these provisions of the Foreign Nationals’ Right to Work Act so that all of persons who receive a home permit on humanitarian coffee grounds will receive a work permit along with the residence permit, immediately and without intermediaries. Right to employment Such a residence permit is issued for one yr at a time, with the possibility in order to renew or extend it for up to three years from the time a permit was first released. After that time, a enable may be issued under Article 74 that can become the foundation for a permanent residence permit. One year after such a allow is issued, i. e. the fourth year from the issuance of the first permit, a permanent residence permit may be issued, provided that conditions for keeping the permit still exist and other requirements are met. The UN Refugee Agency offers issued notifications on the bulk flight from Ukraine and has estimated that up to four million people will flee the conflict in the arriving days and weeks. The Ministry of Justice has worked closely with the Schengen member states, including in preparing for the pending activation of Directive 2001/55/EC on short-term protection in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons.
