In order to be granted a work permit, you must have a concrete offer of employment or employment contract, and a concrete agreement/invitation from a university, educational institution or similar.
If you are a researcher, lecturer or similar who has been invited to a research centre or educational institution or an organisation of a professional or charitable nature, you are exempt from the requirement to obtain a work permit for work lasting up to three months.
If citizens of your country require a visa, you must still apply for a visa in order to be allowed to enter Norway.
- As a rule, the application must relate to full-time work for a single employer. The extent to which the job is a full-time post must be assessed based on what is normal for the professional group in question.
- The wages and working conditions must not be worse than the applicable tariff agreement, wage scale or normal standard for the location and profession.
To apply for a work permit, you must complete an application form. The application must be submitted from your country of origin or another country where you have been legally resident for at least six months. You may not enter the country and start working before your permit has been granted. The application must be submitted to your nearest Norwegian foreign service mission (embassy, consulate general). You will also be informed of the decision regarding your application via the Norwegian foreign service mission.
Your employer may apply for you
Your employer may also apply for a work permit for you, if you give your employer written power of attorney. In this case, the application must be submitted to the police in the district in which the employer’s business is based.
Temporary permit
You may not start working until you have received a work permit.
The police may, on request, issue a
temporary permit, if they believe it is likely that your application will be granted. In this case, you must meet the conditions for submitting an application from within Norway.
In addition to a completed application form, you must include:
- A completed “offer of employment” form, or an employment contract containing the same information, which has been signed by the employer/client and the applicant, or the principal person if the applicant is part of a group/band. The offer of employment or contract must detail the rights and obligations of both parties, including working hours, workplace and wage, plus any supplements in the form of free board and lodging, for example.
- If you require a residence permit as a researcher, you must include the concrete agreement/invitation you have from the educational institution. The document must give details about the work you will be doing during your stay in Norway. You must also document the fact that you have sufficient funds to cover your stay in Norway. Sufficient funds means funds equivalent to civil service pay grade 1.
- Documentation of education
- Information about housing
- Copy of passport (all completed pages)
- Passport photo/other photo which meets the set requirements
- You must also pay a fee
As a main rule, it is sufficient that copies of the documents are sent with the application. However, you have to produce the original documents when you hand in your application.
All documents attached to the application have to be translated into English or Norwegian.
NB: The requirement for documentation varies from country to country, and may change over time. You should therefore check what requirements currently apply by contacting the Norwegian embassy in the country from which you are applying.
In order to avoid unnecessary case processing delays, it is important to take care when completing the application form and to include all the requested documentation.
- The permit is linked to a particular job and a particular workplace. Therefore, you may not take any other work without first applying for a new work permit.
- The permit does not constitute grounds for a settlement permit.
- Family members may come to Norway under the rules for family immigration. If the family’s application is submitted at the same time as the application for the principal person, these will be processed together.
The permit may be renewed for a total of four years. An application for renewal of the work permit must be submitted at least one month before the current permit expires. The application must be submitted to the police where you live.
You must also pay a fee when applying for renewal.
If your application for a work permit is rejected, you may appeal against this decision. If you appeal, your application will be re-examined by the UDI. The UDI may overturn the decision and grant the requested permit. If the UDI upholds the decision, the case is sent on to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) for new consideration.
Any questions?
If you are still unsure about anything relating to how you apply for a permit to work as a researcher/scholarship holder/lecturer, you can contact your local Norwegian embassy or consulate, or
the Information Service (OTS).
