Work and Residence Permits: An Overview

Whether you need a permit depends mainly on your citizenship and your situation. This page gives you the overall picture. It is not a substitute for UDI’s own guidance.

Citizens of EU/EEA/EFTA countries

EU/EEA/EFTA citizens generally have the right to work in Norway without a work permit. If you plan to stay for more than three months, you normally need to register with the police. Check the current rules with UDI before you travel.

Citizens of other countries

Citizens of other countries normally need a residence permit that gives the right to work before they start. There are several categories. Which one applies to you depends on things like your education, your job offer, family ties to Norway and the type of work. The most common work-based route is the skilled worker permit. Others include seasonal work, and permits based on family immigration or study, which may carry their own conditions on working.

Things that apply in most cases

• You usually need a concrete job offer before you apply for a work-based permit.
• The permit is normally tied to a specific type of work. A major change of job may need a new permit.
• UDI decides, and processing times vary. UDI publishes current times on its website.
• Documents not in Norwegian or English usually need to be translated.
• Official application fees are paid directly to the authorities. They are not job fees.

Find your category

UDI’s “Want to apply” pages let you pick your citizenship and situation and show the requirements that apply to you. If you want an independent, personal view of your options and what you would need to do, that is what our assessment is for.

Official sources

• Work immigration (UDI)
• Ny i Norge, the public information portal