Norway work visa

Dec 7, 2024 - 10:06
Norway work visa

Visa and immigration policies change every time and staying up to date with these changes could save you time on your next trip overseas. If you're thinking of travelling to Norway to work, it is important to check if you need a work visa also called a resident permit. 

It is important to note that nationals from EU/EEA countries can come and work in Norway without a visa, as Norway is a country member of the EEA. Norway is not a member of the European Union.

Some countries that are part of the visa-free agreement with Norway are eligible to enter the country without a visa but can't work. If they want to work, they will need to apply for a work permit. 

Who needs a resident permit to work in Norway?

If you are a citizen of a non-EU country, you need a visa or resident permit to work in Norway. The type of residence permits you should apply for depends on your skills and the type of work you will be doing in Norway.

A non-EU citizen can apply for a :

  • Skilled Workers Permit

To apply for a resident permit in this category, you must have completed higher education, and vocational training and received a job offer or have your own business. 

  • Seasonal Workers

You can apply in this category if you plan to work as a holiday stand-in or carry out seasonal work in forestry, agriculture, the fish processing industry, the restaurant industry, or the tourism industry.

  • Recent graduate or researcher

In this category, you must be a jobseeker who has recently graduated in Norway or is a researcher. 

Requirements to apply for a skilled worker resident permit

To apply for a skilled worker resident permit, you must:

  • Pay the application fees NOK 6300 - (690 USD)
  • Must have completed vocational training 
  • or a degree from a university
  • or special qualifications acquired through long professional experience
  • Have received a concrete job offer from one specific employer in Norway (must be full-time)
  • The job must require qualifications as a skilled worker

Note that the duration of your residence permit will depend on the position you have been offered. You will be able to apply for a permanent residence permit after three (03) years in Norway. Your family can apply to come and live with you.

If you later going to change employers but work in the same position, you do not need to apply for a new resident permit. 

If you lose your job, you must notify the police where you live within seven (07) days and you can then stay in Norway for up to six (06) months to look for a new job.

requirements to apply for a seasonal work permit in Norway

To apply for a seasonal work permit in Norway, you must:

  • Pay the application fee
  • You must be at least 18 years old
  • The circumstances in your home country must indicate that you are likely to return when you have completed your work in Norway
  • Must have received a concrete work offer (full-time)
  • The pay and working conditions must not be poorer than is normal in Norway
  • Your employer must obtain confirmation from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration that is not possible to recruit enough workers from Norway or the EEA to perform the job. NB: If the work is in the agriculture or forestry industry, it is not necessary to obtain confirmation from the NAV.

Please note that your family is not entitled to residence permits to come and live with you in this category, and the period you have with this residence permit does not count towards the residence period required for eligibility for a permanent permit.

How to apply for a Norway work visa?

If you have fulfilled all the requirements and have a concrete job offer, you can start your application and submit it at the Embassy in your home country.

The application can be completed online at the website of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and handed in either at the Embassy or Visa Application Center in your country of residence. If you need an entry visa to enter Norway, the UDI will send it through the Embassy to which you submitted your application.

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