This content details a step-by-step guide to applying for a visa or work permit in Norway, including qualifications, requirements, fees and also processing time.
Norway is one of the largest Scandinavian countries that are part of the European Union, achieving very high standards of living. They have very low employment rates, and many employment opportunities and expect to hire foreign nationals to fill vacancies.
Benefits of working in Norway
There are many great benefits of working in Norway and some of the reasons you should consider finding a job in Norway include;
- They have a very good job market with low employment rates.
- Although the standard of living in Norway is high, they are being considered the happiest country in the world. However, on average, they pay much higher wages compared to other countries.
- There is no set minimum wage in Norway, but to give you an idea of what a low-wage job looks like in Norway, one example is that McDonald’s pays their employees an average of $18 an hour.
- Employers in Norway treat their foreign employees with respect. You will have a great boss in Norway.
There are many more benefits, but you can find out for yourself once you start your job in Norway. At the moment, I will inform you quickly about the process of how to obtain a work visa or work permit in Norway.
Before proceeding, a permanent resident or EU citizen will not need to apply for a residence permit for work. As an EU/EEA citizen, you have the right to work in Norway, all you have to do is register with the police within three months of arriving in Norway and you are ready to go.
This article is for any foreign national outside EU/EEA countries. So, as non-EU/EEA citizens, you may need to apply for a residence permit for work before you start working in Norway.
Steps to obtain a work visa in Norway
- First, find a job in Norway and get a concrete job offer. Your employer can get you a concrete job offer by filling out the UDI Job Offer Form.
- After that, you apply for a residence permit for skilled or seasonal workers. Your employer can also help you get this leave. The application may be made at a service center for foreign workers or at the embassy/consulate.
- Once your application is reviewed and approved, you can start working in Norway.
Processing of work visas in Norway
As a qualified or seasonal employee applying for a first-time residence permit, either through a foreign worker service center or through an embassy/consulate. The average processing time after submitting your application is 15 days. However, it can take up to 4 weeks to process in some cases.
Visa fees in Norway
When submitting your application to a visa application center, there are service fees that must be paid for your application to be processed. The residence permit fee in Norway for workers is NOK 6,300 which is approximately $681.
Document requirements and qualifications
- An original photocopy of a valid passport
- Passport-style photo
- Evidence of pure criminal files
- Medical Certificate
- Birth certificate if applicable
- Marriage certificate if applicable
- Receiving application fee
- Proof of employment
- Details of CV for employment
Jobs in Norway that do not require residence permits for workers
Various jobs in Norway do not require foreign nationals to apply for residence permits for work, and most of these countries allow people to work in Norway for less than three months. These jobs include;
- Students and teachers
- Employees of international companies
- Commercial and business travelers
- Medicine
- Medicine
- Religious preachers
- Athletes and their associated support network
- Journalists and photographers
- Flight crew members on aircraft in international traffic
- Staff on foreign trains, buses, or trucks in international traffic
- Crews on board paving ships
- Tourist guide
If your job falls into any of the above types of jobs, then you do not need to apply for a residence permit for workers.
I believe that at this junction, you have understood the process and steps involved in obtaining a work visa in Norway. If you have any questions about your work visa in Norway, please feel free to notify me in the visa comments section.