Foreign tour guides raise concern in Faroe Islands over work permit violations

Foreign tour guides are increasingly working in the Faroe Islands without the necessary work permits, creating a growing concern.

Hilda Thomsen, chair of the Faroese Tour Guide Association, stated, “Only the police can take action against violations of immigration laws, so we have decided to ask the police for a meeting.”

One of the local tour guides, Randi Meitil, recently observed several foreign guides at the airport ready to welcome incoming tourists. According to the immigration law, foreign tour guides must obtain work permits to operate in the Faroe Islands, yet many do not have them.

Meitil emphasized, “They are not only breaking the law, but they may even go so far as to use Faroese tour guides as their apprentices.”

To address the issue, Meitil insists that a precedent must be set to halt the influx of foreign tour guides into the islands. Thomsen hopes that a meeting with the police will accelerate action on this matter, asserting that it is no longer feasible for foreigners to justify their presence due to a shortage of tour guides in the Faroes.

The situation highlights the urgent need for regulatory enforcement in the tourism sector, as local guides seek to protect their profession and uphold the legal framework governing employment in the region.