Skilled Worker Permit in Norway: What You Can and Cannot Do

Getting a permit is one question. Knowing what it allows is another, and mistakes here can matter. UDI, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, answers many of these questions on its pages for skilled workers. This guide sets out what those pages say about starting work, side work, studying, remote work and losing a permit. It concerns people from outside the EU/EEA who hold or are applying for a skilled worker permit with an employer in Norway.

Starting work before the permit is granted

UDI says that people from outside the EU/EEA normally cannot start work until they have been granted a residence permit. UDI’s skilled worker page adds that this includes remote work.

The exception is called early employment start. According to UDI’s definition page, it lets certain skilled workers begin work before the decision, on the basis of a confirmation from the police. As UDI describes it:

• The application must have been submitted with all necessary documents.
• The worker must have at least a three-year higher education programme, and must not be a citizen of Iran or North Korea.
• The confirmation covers the named employer or client. You cannot change employer under it.
• The request goes to the police, not to an embassy, and the service centres for foreign workers in Bergen, Oslo, Stavanger and Trondheim do not provide it.
• Once the police have sent your application on to UDI, a confirmation can no longer be obtained.

The three-year education condition means that many skilled workers on the experience-based route will not qualify. See our guide on whether work experience counts as skilled for how that route works. Because the rules and police practice can change, ask the police before relying on this.

After the permit is granted: the residence card

UDI’s skilled worker FAQ says that once you have been granted a permit that allows work, you can start working when you have met the police and they have ordered your residence card. It also says you can start if you have booked a police appointment to order the card, and that this will not have consequences for you. If you cannot book an appointment, UDI says to contact it by phone or email.

Side work, freelancing and your own company

UDI’s FAQ answers these directly. If you have a skilled worker permit with an employer in Norway:

• You may not start your own company or conduct business activity.
• You may not work as a freelancer.
• You may not carry out assignments for clients.

Related to this, UDI says you may not work remotely unless that is part of the job the permit was granted for. For the self-employed route (a sole proprietorship in Norway), UDI says you may work only in that business and cannot take other work, including remote work. Your decision letter states what type of work and which employer your permit covers; see our guide on changing employer or losing your job.

Studying

UDI says you may study as long as you work in accordance with, and continue to meet, all the conditions for your skilled worker permit. Studying does not replace the job: the permit is still tied to the work. The page does not say how much study is acceptable, so ask UDI if your plans are substantial. One of those conditions is pay; see salary requirements for a Norwegian work permit.

Can the permit be taken away?

UDI says that in some cases you can lose a residence permit when UDI decides to revoke it. Its skilled worker FAQ gives examples: not receiving the pay stated in your job offer, or living outside Norway for more than six months in total in one year. UDI’s page on temporary residence permits lists four grounds in general terms: incorrect or withheld information that matters to the case, incorrect information about your identity, staying outside Norway too long (your decision normally states how long), and breaching the conditions of the permit.

According to the same page, UDI must notify you beforehand and ask for your response if it considers revoking the permit. You then receive a written decision with reasons, and can appeal. UDI also says it will consider whether you can be granted a new permit; if not, you must leave by the deadline in the decision. If you move away before the permit expires, UDI says you can ask it to revoke the rest of the permit from your departure date, which can help when applying for visas to other Schengen countries.

What this guide does not cover

• Other permits. Seasonal workers, self-employed people and family immigrants have their own rules. See our guide on seasonal work for non-EU citizens.
• EU/EEA citizens. These permit rules are for non-EU/EEA citizens. See our guide on residence permits from other European countries for how EU/EEA rights differ.
• Permanent residence. UDI says your decision letter states whether time on this permit counts towards permanent residence. See the skilled worker permit guide.
• Shortage is not eligibility. A shortage in your occupation does not widen what a permit allows. See jobs in demand in Norway.

Key takeaways

• Do not start work, including remote work, before the permit is granted, unless the police have confirmed an early employment start.
• With an employer-based skilled worker permit: no own company, no freelancing, no client assignments, according to UDI.
• Studying is allowed if you keep working in line with the permit and meeting its conditions.
• Permits can be revoked, for example for wrong information, pay different from the offer, or long stays abroad; UDI must notify you first.
• UDI’s pages show no update date. Check your own decision letter and UDI or the police before acting.

Sources

• Frequently asked questions about residence permits for skilled workers (UDI): starting work, residence card, own company, freelancing, studying, losing a permit, moving away. No date shown; read 24 October 2026.
• Early employment start (UDI): conditions and who gives the confirmation. No date shown; read 24 October 2026.
• Skilled workers (UDI): remote work, self-employed route, waiting period. Page shows a news item dated 19 February 2026, otherwise no date; read 24 October 2026.
• Temporary residence permit: losing it (UDI): grounds and process for revocation. No date shown; read 24 October 2026.

Related guides: Work and residence permits: an overview · Your rights and duties as an employee in Norway