This form of work permit may be granted to persons who will be working for a charity or humanitarian organisation.
NB: Separate rules apply for citizens of EU/EEA countries.
- You must have a concrete offer of employment or employment contract.
- You must be offered work in an established organisation. Spontaneous action groups with relatively short life will not generally be deemed to be established organisations.
- The aim of the organisation is to be involved in ideal or humanitarian work. The activities of idealistic and humanitarian organisations involve charitable work for people or other forms of altruistic activity founded on idealistic motives and a non-profit making basis. Apart from the typical humanitarian organisations, religious and ethical organisations may also be embraced by the provision. The requirement that an organisation shall have idealistic or humanitarian work as its object does not mean that this must be the organisation’s only work/activity area. The organisation may also have commercial interests and receive public support.
- The purpose of the stay in Norway must be to engage in idealistic or humanitarian work under the auspices of the organisation.
- The organisation must have the need for foreign manpower, or the activity in Norway must be part of an international exchange programme.
- As a general rule the work must be full time. 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.
- Pay and working conditions must not be less favourable than those provided by a cur¬rent collective agreement, pay scale or what is otherwise normal for the place and occu¬pation concerned. Low or no pay can be accepted where this is normal for the place and occupation in question. Nevertheless, subsistence and housing must be ensured. If you do not receive any salary, the subsistence requirement may be deemed to be satisfied if the organisation ensures board and lodging, as well as the cost of returning to the country of origin.
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 confirmation of employment form, eventually offer of employment form that contains the same information and signed by both the employer and the applicant. Also the main applicant if the person is in a band/group. The confirmation of employment or contract of employment shall regulate the rights and obligations of the parties involved, that is working hours, work place and salary and also fringe benefits in the form of free board and lodging.
- 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.
Case processing times vary. For an overview of average processing times for the various types of permit, visit
www.udi.no/caseprocessingtime. You can also
contact the Information Service (OTS) by e-mail or by calling (+ 47) 23 35 16 00.
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.
- As a rule, the permit is issued for one year at a time.
- The permit is valid for the offer of employment you have. You can therefore not take on other work.
- The permit does not constitute the grounds for 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 can be issued for a maximum period of four years. It cannot be renewed after this period. 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 this type of work permit, you can contact your local Norwegian embassy or consulate, or
the Information Service (OTS).
