Recruiting employees from abroad is a regular part of business in Norway, particularly in sectors that need specialist skills. The legal position depends on the nationality of the employee and the type of work. This overview explains the main rules in the Immigration Act (utlendingsloven) and the Immigration Regulations (utlendingsforskriften), the main permit types, the application process and the obligations that apply to employers.
Legal framework: EEA nationals and third-country nationals
The Immigration Act of 2008 and the Immigration Regulations are the main sources of law. In broad terms:
nationals of EU/EEA and EFTA states have a right of residence in Norway as workers under chapter 13 of the Act, and must register with the police if they stay for more than three months
Nordic nationals may live and work in Norway without a residence permit or registration
nationals of other countries – including the United Kingdom after Brexit, unless they are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement – need a residence permit that gives the right to work (Section 55 of the Act), unless an exception applies
Section 23 of the Act sets out the general conditions for a residence permit to work for an employer in Norway:
the applicant is at least 18 years old
pay and working conditions are not poorer than under the applicable collective agreement or pay scale, or, where none exists, than what is normal for the place and occupation
the applicant falls within a quota set by the Ministry, or the position cannot be filled by workers from Norway or the EEA/EFTA area
there is a concrete job offer, which as a main rule must be for full-time work for one employer
Skilled workers
The skilled worker permit (Section 6-1 of the Regulations) is the main route for long-term employment immigration.
Requirements
According to the Regulations and UDI, the applicant must:
have completed vocational training at upper secondary level (UDI: at least three years, with a corresponding programme in Norway), hold a degree from a university or university college, or have special qualifications, normally based on long work experience
have a concrete job offer from an employer in Norway that requires these qualifications, and the qualifications must be relevant to the position
hold recognition or authorisation where the occupation is regulated (for example health personnel)
normally be offered full-time work; UDI states that a position of at least 80 per cent is accepted
receive pay and working conditions that are not poorer than what is normal in Norway
Quota and labour market test
A skilled worker covered by the annual quota for skilled workers does not need an individual labour market test (Section 23 first paragraph (c) of the Act and Section 6-1 of the Regulations). Under Section 6-12, the quota is set annually by the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion (named Arbeidsdepartementet in the Regulations) in consultation with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Finance. If no quota has been set or the quota is full, a permit may still be granted where the position cannot be filled by domestic labour or labour from the EEA or EFTA area (Section 6-1 fourth paragraph).
Duration
Under Section 10-16 of the Regulations, a skilled worker permit under Section 6-1 first paragraph may be granted for three years. In practice, UDI states that:
for positions requiring vocational training at upper secondary level, permits are granted for up to one year at a time
for positions requiring a university or university college degree, permits are normally granted for up to three years at a time
where UDI needs to check more often that the conditions are met – for example for work through a staffing agency – permits are granted for up to one year at a time, and only for the period covered by the documented assignments
Changing jobs or losing a job
A skilled worker permit applies to a type of work, not only one employer (Section 6-1 sixth paragraph). According to UDI:
a skilled worker may change employer without a new permit if the new position is of the same type, but must notify the police within seven days of starting the new job
a new type of position requires a new permit before the work begins
a skilled worker who loses their job may stay for up to six months to look for new work as a skilled worker, provided the permit is still valid, and must notify the police within seven days
Other permit types
Several other permits are available, each with its own conditions:
Seasonal workers (Section 6-3 of the Regulations): for seasonal work or work during ordinary holiday periods, for up to six months. Where permits are granted repeatedly for shorter periods, the total stay may not exceed six months within a twelve-month period. The permit does not form a basis for permanent residence.
Self-employed persons with a business in Norway (Section 6-18): for those who will run their own business in Norway and whose qualifications as a skilled worker are needed in the business. For the duration of the permit, see udi.no. The permit forms a basis for permanent residence.
Employees of companies abroad on assignment in Norway (Section 6-13): for employees of a foreign company that has a contract to provide services in Norway, including employees of an international company on assignment for its Norwegian branch. The permit may be held for up to six years in total; after that, a new permit requires two years outside Norway. UDI states that the permit is granted for two years at a time. It does not form a basis for permanent residence.
Self-employed persons with a business abroad (Section 6-14): for assignments for a client in Norway, on similar terms (two years at a time according to UDI, up to six years in total), without a basis for permanent residence.
Other groups: including researchers, athletes and coaches, religious workers, au pairs, and working holiday schemes under bilateral agreements. See udi.no for each category.
The application process
The main rule is that a first-time permit must be granted before entry (Section 56 of the Act). Skilled workers under Section 6-1 first paragraph may apply from Norway if they are lawfully resident here and the other conditions in Section 10-1 of the Regulations are met.
Important procedural points:
for many work permits, when the applicant applies personally from abroad, the employer or client must first confirm the job or assignment offer to UDI, and the applicant must enter the code received from the employer (this does not apply when the employer applies on the worker’s behalf)
documents such as diplomas and employment contracts must be submitted, translated where required
a skilled worker with an employer in Norway may in some cases start work before the decision under the early work start arrangement, but only after receiving confirmation from the police
after arrival, the applicant must attend the police or a Service Centre for Foreign Workers (SUA) to have the residence card issued
If the application is refused, the decision can be appealed. The appeal deadline is three weeks from the date the decision was received (Section 29 of the Public Administration Act). The appeal is submitted to UDI, which may reverse its decision. If UDI maintains its decision, the case is sent to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE).
Employers’ obligations and sanctions
Employers that recruit from outside the EEA should check that:
the employee has the necessary permit before starting work
pay and working conditions meet the conditions for the permit throughout the employment
the employee works in the position and to the extent on which the permit is based
Under Section 27 of the Act, the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority supervises compliance with the permit conditions on pay, working conditions and the extent of the position, and must notify the immigration authorities if it suspects breaches. Where an employer seriously or repeatedly breaches rules that protect foreign workers’ pay or working conditions, UDI may decide that no residence permits for work will be granted for that employer. Such a decision applies for two years, unless the Regulations provide for a shorter period.
Under Section 108 third paragraph of the Act, anyone who intentionally or with gross negligence uses the labour of a foreign national who does not have the necessary permit may be punished by fines or imprisonment for up to two years. Employers also have tax and reporting obligations for foreign employees – see skatteetaten.no.
Family members
Family members of a person with a work permit that forms a basis for permanent residence – such as a skilled worker permit – may apply for family immigration under chapter 6 of the Act. For certain other permits, family immigration may be granted under Section 9-6 of the Regulations, for example for posted workers on assignments lasting more than six months. Seasonal work permits are not among the permits listed in Section 9-6. As a rule, the reference person must meet the subsistence requirement (Section 58 of the Act); current amounts are published on udi.no.
Permanent residence and citizenship
A worker with a permit that forms a basis for permanent residence may apply for a permanent residence permit after three years (Section 62 of the Act). Among other conditions:
applicants aged 18 to 67 must have passed an oral Norwegian test at level A2 or higher (Section 11-9 of the Regulations, as amended with effect from 1 September 2025) and a social studies test
the applicant must have been self-sufficient for the last twelve months
stays abroad must be within the limits; skilled workers may stay abroad for up to 15 months in total if at least eight months were due to assignments for the employer (Section 11-2)
Norwegian citizenship by application normally requires eight years of residence in Norway during the last eleven years with permits of at least one year, fulfilment of the conditions for permanent residence, and – for applicants aged 18 to 67 – an oral Norwegian test at level B1 and a passed citizenship test (Sections 7 and 8 of the Nationality Act). Since 1 January 2020, Norwegian law no longer requires applicants to renounce their existing citizenship; whether the other country allows dual citizenship depends on that country’s law.
Summary
Employment immigration to Norway is divided between the EEA rules and the permit system for third-country nationals. The skilled worker permit is the main route for long-term employment and forms a basis for permanent residence, while other permits cover seasonal work, self-employment, assignments and specific groups. Employers confirm job offers and are responsible for ensuring that the conditions are met throughout the employment.
How we can help
We advise employers and employees on work permits and employment immigration. Contact us if you would like Advokatfirmaet Sterk AS to look at your situation.
This article provides general information as of 29 October 2026 and is not legal advice for your specific situation.
