Russian nationals from the Barents region may be granted a permit to work in the fish processing industry in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark. A permit will not be granted if domestic labour or workers from other EEA or EFTA countries are available.
- You must be a Russian citizen resident in the Barents region. The Barents region is defined in this context as Murmansk Oblast, the Republic of Karelia, Arkhangelsk Oblast and Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
- You must have a concrete offer of employment.
- You do not need to have specialist training.
- The permit is geographically restricted, applying only to the counties of Nordland, Troms and Finnmark.
- The wages and working conditions must not be worse than the applicable tariff agreement, wage scale or normal standard for the fish processing industry in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark.
- The term “fish processing industry” is defined as covering:- Onshore production of salted fish, dried fish and klipfish.- Onshore freezing of fish, fish fillets, crustaceans and molluscs.- Onshore production of canned fish.
- Processing and preserving of fish and fish-based products, including fishmeal and convenience food. This may also take place onboard a factory ship.
The work must consist of the reception and processing of fish. Other work in connection with such activities is not covered by the work permit.
The employer must be unable to meet the need for labour by using domestic labour or workers from other EEA or EFTA countries. The NAV county employment office must therefore consent to any permit.
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.
When you are applying for a working permit, the following documents must accompany the application:
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.
- The work permit is linked to a particular job and a particular workplace. Therefore, you are not permitted to work in a job or with an employer other than those stated by the permit.
- The permit does not constitute grounds for a settlement permit or family immigration.
The permit may be renewed. However, the duration of the permit may not exceed two years in total. A new permit under these provisions can only be granted once the applicant has been living outside Norway for at least one year. 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?
For more information about this type of work permit, see our guidelines in the Circular on unskilled workers in the fish processing industry. If you are still unsure about anything relating to how you apply for a permit to work in the fish processing industry, you can contact your local Norwegian embassy or consulate, or
the Information Service (OTS).
