Faroe Islands to end family reunification for foreign workers

The Faroese government plans to abolish rules allowing foreign workers to bring their families to the Faroe Islands, Labour Minister Jacob Vestergaard announced on Wednesday, according to Faroese public broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya.

Speaking to the media, Vestergaard stated that family members will “not be allowed to come” when foreign nationals arrive to work in the country. The decision follows a proposal by former Justice Minister Bjarni Kárason Petersen, which sought to tighten requirements—including criminal background checks—but did not go as far as a full ban.

The move comes after a 2025 case in which a Polish national, previously convicted of murdering a woman with an axe in Poland, assaulted a woman in Sandur. “Criminal record checks must be enforced,” Vestergaard said, adding that the government will also prioritise excluding Muslim workers “to the greatest possible extent.”

The Employment Agency, which represents Faroese employers, declined to comment until meeting with the new minister.