Snow-covered mountains and bridge in Norway at sunset

Norway Visa & Immigration Services

Hudson McKenzie advises individuals, families and international businesses on Norwegian visa and immigration matters. Norway provides immigration routes for skilled professionals, internationally assigned employees, self-employed skilled workers, students and qualifying family members.

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Norway is part of the European Economic Area and the Schengen Area, but it is not a member of the European Union. Immigration requirements therefore depend significantly on nationality and the purpose of residence. EU/EEA nationals benefit from rights under the EEA framework, while most nationals from outside the EU/EEA who intend to work or establish residence in Norway require an appropriate residence permit.

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Hudson McKenzie can assess the available Norwegian immigration options and provide support from initial planning and application preparation through to residence formalities and longer-term immigration strategy.

The skilled worker residence permit is one of the principal immigration routes for qualifying nationals from outside the EU/EEA who intend to work in Norway.

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Applicants normally need relevant professional qualifications and a concrete job offer. The position itself must require skilled-worker qualifications and the applicant must have the qualifications necessary for the role.

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Depending on the circumstances, skilled-worker status may be based on:

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Higher Education Qualifications: Applicants may qualify on the basis of completed education or a degree from a university or university college relevant to the position.

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Vocational Training: Applicants may qualify where they have completed an appropriate vocational training programme, generally corresponding to Norwegian upper-secondary vocational education.

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Special Qualifications: In certain cases, substantial professional experience, potentially combined with courses or other training, may demonstrate competence equivalent to formal vocational education. These applications require detailed evidence and are assessed carefully.

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	Higher Education	Vocational Training	Special Qualifications
Basis	University or university college education	Completed vocational programme	Professional competence gained through experience and training
Job offer normally required	Yes	Yes	Yes
Role must require relevant qualifications	Yes	Yes	Yes
Typical evidence	Degree and employment documents	Vocational qualifications and employment documents	Detailed evidence of skills, training and experience

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Pay and working conditions must not be less favourable than those considered normal in Norway.

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Where no collective agreement applies, UDI currently states that a position requiring a Master’s degree should generally pay at least NOK 624,700 per year before tax, while a position requiring a Bachelor’s degree should generally pay at least NOK 545,400 per year before tax. A lower salary can be accepted where it can be sufficiently demonstrated that the amount is normal for the occupation and location.

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For many applications made from abroad, the Norwegian employer must also confirm the job offer before the applicant submits the application.

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Hudson McKenzie can assess the applicant’s qualifications, proposed employment and salary arrangements and advise on the appropriate residence-permit process.

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For many applicants, obtaining an initial Norwegian residence permit is the first stage of a longer-term immigration plan.

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Permanent Residence: The required qualifying residence period depends on the type of residence permit held.

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Applicants generally need to have lived continuously in Norway for either three or five years with residence permits that form a basis for permanent residence. Work-immigration permits are among the categories that normally fall within the three-year requirement.

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Not every temporary permit contributes towards permanent residence. For example, time spent on a standard study permit generally does not count. The underlying immigration route therefore matters when planning a longer-term move.

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EU/EEA nationals and qualifying family members operate under a separate system and can generally apply for permanent right of residence after five years in Norway.

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Status / Framework	General Residence Position	Important Point
Work immigration	Generally 3 qualifying years	Permit must form a basis for permanent residence and other requirements must be met
Certain protection, humanitarian and related family cases	Generally 5 qualifying years	Different residence-period rules apply
EU/EEA permanent right of residence	Generally 5 qualifying years	Separate EEA residence framework
General Norwegian citizenship residence rule	8 of the previous 11 years	Citizenship has separate statutory requirements

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Norwegian Citizenship: Citizenship is a separate legal process and is not automatically acquired through permanent residence.

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For many adult applicants, the general residence requirement is currently eight of the previous eleven years, although shorter residence periods apply to specified categories. For example, UDI identifies separate rules for certain applicants with sufficient income, refugees and people who came to Norway at a young age.

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Citizenship applications can also involve requirements concerning identity, residence status, Norwegian-language ability, citizenship or social-studies testing and criminal history.

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Norway permits multiple citizenship, although applicants should also consider whether their existing country of nationality permits them to retain their current citizenship.

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Hudson McKenzie can review an applicant’s immigration history, residence periods and longer-term objectives and advise on permanent residence and Norwegian citizenship-related immigration planning.

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Other Norway Immigration Routes

Students & Post-Study Job Seekers: Non-EU/EEA nationals undertaking qualifying full-time study in Norway will generally require an appropriate study permit.

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A study permit for qualifying higher education generally permits part-time work for up to 20 hours per week alongside studies and full-time work during holidays. However, the period held on a standard study permit generally does not count towards permanent residence.

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Certain applicants who recently completed qualifying education in Norway, as well as some researchers, may be able to apply for a residence permit to look for skilled employment. The post-study/researcher job-seeker permit can generally be granted for up to one year, subject to the applicable conditions.

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Short-Stay Business & Visitor Visas: Norway is part of the Schengen Area. Depending on nationality, travellers may require a Schengen visitor visa for qualifying short stays.

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The Schengen limit is generally 90 days in any 180-day period. Permitted visitor activity may include tourism, family visits and certain limited business activities, but visitor status does not provide a general right to take employment in Norway.

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Business travellers and employers should therefore establish whether the proposed activities are permissible as a visitor or require Norwegian work authorisation before travel.

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Why Choose Hudson McKenzie for Norway Immigration?

Hudson McKenzie advises individuals, families and international businesses on Norwegian immigration and international mobility matters.

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Our team can assist with:

skilled-worker residence permits;
employer-sponsored work immigration;
international assignments and employee transfers;
employees of foreign enterprises undertaking Norwegian assignments;
self-employed skilled-worker applications;
family immigration;
EU/EEA residence rights;
Nordic residence matters;
post-Brexit immigration matters for UK nationals;
study and post-study immigration;
business and visitor immigration assessments;
residence permit extensions;
permanent residence;
Norwegian citizenship-related immigration planning; and
corporate immigration and international mobility strategy.

For employers, Hudson McKenzie can assist with the immigration aspects of recruiting skilled workers, transferring personnel into Norway and managing international assignments, including assessment of employment structures and coordination of employee and accompanying-family applications.

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For individuals and families, we provide advice based on employment, professional qualifications, business activity, nationality, family circumstances and longer-term residence objectives.

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Our international immigration practice can also coordinate Norwegian requirements with wider global mobility and cross-border workforce planning where a relocation involves more than one jurisdiction.

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Planning to work, establish a business or relocate to Norway? Contact Hudson McKenzie to discuss the immigration options relevant to your circumstances.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Norwegian and EEA immigration rules, salary thresholds, financial requirements, residence periods, citizenship requirements, fees and application procedures are subject to change. Eligibility depends on individual circumstances. Please contact Hudson McKenzie for advice tailored to your specific case.