Proposal for first integration law presented in Faroe Islands parliament

A proposal for an integration law, the first of its kind in the Faroe Islands, was presented in parliament yesterday.

This law will apply to foreigners holding residence permits in the Faroe Islands as well as for children under 18 who have a permanent residence with their parents or guardians.

Last year, 5.5 percent of the population in the Faroe Islands were immigrants.

Each municipality is required to have an integration coordinator by July 1, 2026, at the latest. Municipalities may collaborate with one another on integration efforts and the appointment of integration coordinators, as stated in the proposal.

The implementation of this law comes with a cost, amounting to 13.1 million DKK for the country. Additionally, 5.6 million DKK has been allocated for teaching Faroese as a second language, though a total of 7 million DKK is needed, according to the comments accompanying the proposal.

The proposal and accompanying comments consist of 40 pages.

Magnus Rasmussen, who was the Minister of the Interior at the time, planned to submit an integration law proposal in the autumn of 2022. However, this did not materialize due to the announcement of parliamentary elections.