Tekna members' guide to a residence permit for work in Norway

For citizens of a country outside the EU/EEA

If you want to work in Norway and are a citizen of a country outside EU/EEA, you will as a main rule need a residence for work.

Tekna’s members can apply for different types of residence permits for work:

For more information visit The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration

Newly qualified job seekers and researchers

In order to be granted a residence permit as a qualified job seekers, you have to fulfill the following requirements:

  1. Your purpose must be to seek employment as a skilled worker in Norway.
  2. You must be a researcher or newly qualified.
  3. You must have one of the following residence permits and apply at least one month before the permit expires: Student, Norwegian studies for skilled workers, Additional education/work experience or researcher with own funds.
  4. You must be a qualified skilled worker. The requirement is a completed degree or study program at a university college or a university for Tekna members.
  5. You must have sufficient funds for the period in which you intend to stay in Norway, and this must correspond to salary grad one in the pay scale for Norwegian state employees.
  6. In addition to a complete application form, you must enclose: Documentation of education and work experience, CV, documentation that you have sufficient funds for your stay, documentation about housing, documentation that the application fee is paid, a passport photo and a photocopy of your passport. The documents must be translated to English or Norwegian.

The content of the permit

  • The residence permit allows you to seek employment as a skilled worker in Norway.
  • The permit gives the right to work full-time, also as an unskilled worker.
  • The permit can be granted for six months.
  • The permit is renewable, but you cannot be granted this kind of permit for a continuous period of more than six months. You must apply for renewal at least one month before your previous residence permit expires.
  • The permit does not form the basis of a permanent residence permit.
  • The permit forms a basis for family immigration.

Skilled worker

In order to be granted a residence permit as a skilled worker, you have to fulfill the following requirements:

  1. You must be a qualified skilled worker. The requirement is a completed degree or study program at a university college or a university for Tekna members.
  2. You must have received an offer of a full-time employment from an employer in Norway.
  3. Your expertise must be deemed to be relevant to the position offered.
  4. The pay and working conditions must not be poorer than those stipulated in collective agreements or pay scale in the field. If the position requires a higher academic education, you must be paid in accordance with the collective agreement for Norwegian state employees, unless it is documented that other conditions are normal for the occupation and place concerned.
  5. In addition to a complete application form, you must enclose: Documentation of education, work experience, CV, an offer of employment form signed by yourself and your employer which is valid for more then one year, documentation about housing, documentation that the application fee is paid, a passport photo and a photocopy of your passport. The documents must be translated to English or Norwegian.

The content of the permit

  • The residence permit as a skilled worker is linked to a specific work. You can change employer without submitting a new application for as long as your permit is valid, unless you are employed by an international company and citizen of WTO country.
  • The permit is renewable, but you must apply for renewal at least one month before your previous residence permit expires.
  • The permit forms the basis of a permanent residence permit.
  • Family members can apply for residence permit pursuant to the rules of family applications.

If your employment is terminated 

You must report to the police within seven days after the end of the employment and apply for renewal at least one month before your previous residence permit expires. You can then stay in Norway for the purpose of seeking employment for a period of six months after the termination of the employment. It is required that your skilled worker permit does not expire. If you get a new employment, you must report it to the police within seven days.

Researchers with own funds

In order to be granted a residence permit as a researcher with own funds, you have to fulfill the following requirements:

  1. You must carry out research at a university, institute or similar
  2. You must be able to support yourself for the whole period the residence permit is granted. This must correspond to the full support amount of the Norwegian State Education Loan Fund.
  3. You must have somewhere to live.
  4. In addition to a complete application form, you must enclose: Documentation of that you have own funds, an invitation from or an agreement with the research institution with a more detailed description of your research tasks, documentation about housing, documentation that the application fee is paid, a passport photo and a photocopy of your passport. The documents must be translated to English or Norwegian.

The content of the permit

  • The residence permit a researchers with own funds can be renewed as long as you can give ground why you need a renewal and finance your stay with own funds. You must apply for renewal at least one month before your previous residence permit expires.
  • The permit does not form the basis of a permanent residence permit.
  • You are automatically also granted a permit to work part-time in addition to your studies, and you can work full-time during holidays.
  • Family members can apply for residence permit pursuant to the rules of family applications.

When you have completed your research work

You must report to the police as soon as possible and apply for a new residence permit at least one month before your previous permit expires. You can apply for a residence permit valid for up to six months to seek employment as a skilled worker.

Service provider, seconded employees

In order to be granted a residence permit as a seconded employees, you have to fulfill the following requirements:

  1. You must be employed by a foreign enterprise or an international company.
  2. A contract must have been entered into between a foreign enterprise and a Norwegian enterprise, and the contract must state that you are to provide services of a limited duration in Norway.
  3. The Norwegian enterprise business address must be in Norway.
  4. You must be a qualified skilled worker. The requirement is a completed Master’s degree or study program at a university college or a university for Tekna members.
  5. The pay and working conditions must not be poorer than those stipulated in the current collective agreement or pay scale in the field. If the position requires a higher academic education, you must be paid in accordance with the collective agreement for Norwegian state employees, unless it is documented that other conditions are normal for the occupation and place concerned.
  6. In addition to a complete application form, you must enclose: an offer of assignment form signed by the Norwegian enterprise, the foreign enterprise and yourself as a seconded employee, a contract between the Norwegian enterprise and the foreign enterprise documenting the nature of the contractual relationship, your employment contract with the foreign enterprise, a Certificate of Registration for the Norwegian enterprise from Brønnøysund Register Centre, detailed documentation of education and work experience, documentation about housing, documentation that the application fee is paid, a passport photo and a photocopy of your passport. The documents must be translated to English or Norwegian.

The content of the permit

  • The residence permit as a seconded employee is linked to the assignment or assignments stipulated in the contract. You may not take other assignments than stipulated by the permit. Nor can you carry out work for an employer in Norway or engage in business activities in Norway.
  • Permits can be granted for the period of the employment relationship.
  • The permit is renewable, but you must apply for renewal at least one month before your previous residence permit expires. The duration of the permit cannot exceed a total of four years.
  • The permit does not form the basis of a permanent residence permit.
  • Family members can apply for residence permit pursuant to the rules of family applications, if the assignment last for more than six months.

If the contract is terminated

You must report to the police as soon as possible and apply for a new residence permit at least one month before your previous permit expires.

Service provider, self-employed contractor

In order to be granted a residence permit as a self-employed persons, you have to fulfill the following requirements:

  1. The purpose of your stay must be to engage in permanent business activities in Norway.
  2. You must be necessary for the establishment or continuation of the enterprise. This requires that you must fill a central and performing position in your workplace. Normally you must be personally liable for the financial commitments of the business.
  3. A qualified skilled worker. The requirement is a completed Master’s degree or study program at a university college or a university for Tekna members.
  4. The work you are hired to do, requires that you are trained as a skilled worker.
  5. You must substantiate that there is a financial basis for the operation of the business.
  6. Subsistence must be granted for the period that the application refers to. The minimum subsistence requirement corresponds to salary grade 1 in the pay scale for Norwegian state employees, and must be mainly ensured through the business activities.
  7. In addition to a complete application form, you must enclose: a detailed description of the nature of the enterprise and your role, financial and business plans, accounts, a market analysis and analysis of the sales potential of the product, detailed documentation of education, detailed documentation of work experience, CV, specification of the location of the business premises and the name of the enterprise, documentation about housing, documentation that the application fee is paid, a passport photo and a photocopy of your passport. The documents must be translated to English or Norwegian.

THE CONTENT OF THE PERMIT?

  • The residence permit as a self-employed person is linked to the specific enterprise.
  • The permit does not confer a general right to take other employment.
  • The permit is renewable, but you must apply for renewal at least one month before your previous residence permit expires.
  • The permit forms the basis of a permanent residence permit.
  • Family members can apply for residence permit pursuant to the rules of family applications.

If the contract is terminated? You must report to the police as soon as possible and apply for a new residence permit at least one month before your previous permit expires.

Self-employed persons

In order to be granted a residence permit as a self-employed persons, you have to fulfill the following requirements:

  1. The purpose of your stay must be to engage in permanent business activities in Norway.
  2. You must be necessary for the establishment or continuation of the enterprise. This requires that you must fill a central and performing position in your workplace. Normally you must be personally liable for the financial commitments of the business.
  3. A qualified skilled worker. The requirement is a completed Master’s degree or study program at a university college or a university for Tekna members.
  4. The work you are hired to do, requires that you are trained as a skilled worker.
  5. You must substantiate that there is a financial basis for the operation of the business.
  6. Subsistence must be granted for the period that the application refers to. The minimum subsistence requirement corresponds to salary grade 1 in the pay scale for Norwegian state employees, and must be mainly ensured through the business activities.
  7. In addition to a complete application form, you must enclose: a detailed description of the nature of the enterprise and your role, financial and business plans, accounts, a market analysis and analysis of the sales potential of the product, detailed documentation of education, detailed documentation of work experience, CV, specification of the location of the business premises and the name of the enterprise, documentation about housing, documentation that the application fee is paid, a passport photo and a photocopy of your passport. The documents must be translated to English or Norwegian.

The content of the permit

  • The residence permit as a self-employed person is linked to the specific enterprise.
  • The permit does not confer a general right to take other employment.
  • The permit is renewable, but you must apply for renewal at least one month before your previous residence permit expires.
  • The permit forms the basis of a permanent residence permit.
  • Family members can apply for residence permit pursuant to the rules of family applications.

If the contract is terminated?

You must report to the police as soon as possible and apply for a new residence permit at least one month before your previous permit expires.

Modified date: Thursday, March 17, 2016