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The Norwegian government is looking to the country’s unemployed for boat crews
Norwegian boat owners are having trouble getting crew for the winter campaign and the country’s government has activated a plan so that the country’s unemployed are hired as a priority on boats before going to third countries to find sailors.
This was agreed in a meeting between the Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs, Henrik Asheim, and the Minister of Fisheries and Seafood, Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen, the Director of Labour, Hans Christian Holte, and representatives of the Nordic country’s fishing industry. At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that the country’s General Directorate of Labour (Nav), with powers similar to that of the Public Employment Service of Spain, help to find candidates.
“Currently there are 195,000 unemployed in Norway job seekers in the Nav offices,” explains Labour Minister Asheim, adding that “it is extremely important that we use the available Norwegian workforce as much as possible to that the unemployed have the opportunity to work”. The minister also sees as a benefit the lower probability of cases of coronavirus infection being imported.
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The fishing sector expressed during the meeting the need to find profiles with the adequate training and skills to carry out the tasks on board a fishing vessel.
“Part of the need for manpower can be solved if unemployed Norwegians get jobs in the fishing industry. Several ministries and agencies are working closely together to help fishing companies to become less dependent on third-country labour,” said Fisheries and Seafood Minister Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen.
Among other measures, the Nav will offer the unemployed training and will cover the costs of transport or housing in case of change of municipality of the unemployed.
“Work in the fishing industry is particularly relevant for job seekers living in the areas where jobs are advertised, but job seekers from other parts of the country may also be relevant. It is important that all the unemployed or laid-off take advantage of the opportunities that exist to get a job,” says Nav director Hans Christian Holte.
