Work Permit in Norway with Free Accommodation – How to Apply

August 19, 2021 King Cyrus Uncategorized 0

Work Permit in Norway: If you want to be allowed to work in Norway, you will need a Norway work visa.

The Norway work visa is one of the types of the Norway long-stay visas (also known as national or D-visa). It allows the holder to work in Norway for the duration that the visa is issued.

The process of applying for a Work Permit in Norway visa depends on your nationality, among other things. As with other types of visa, different rules apply for EU/EFTA citizens as opposed to non-EU/EFTA citizens.

What are the Eligibility Criteria for a Norway Work Visa?

As a non-EU/EFTA citizen, you are eligible to apply for a Norway work visa if you meet the following conditions:

  • You are a skilled and qualified worker (manager, specialist) and you have a university degree, several years of work experience, and specific expertise.
  • You already have a job waiting for you.
  • There is no EU/EFTA citizen who could take the job instead.
  • The annual quotas for Norway work visas allow it.

If you meet those requirements, and your employer is applying for your residence permit, then you can apply for your Norway work visa.

How to apply for a Norway Work Visa?

The process for obtaining a Norway work visa goes through these steps:

  1. Finding a job in Norway.
  2. Completing the Norway work visa document file
  3. Your employer applies for your residence permit in Norway.
  4. You apply for the Norway work visa in your country.

Types of Norway Work Visas

These are types of work visas for Norway, depending on the nature of work you intend to engage in:

  • Norway Seasonal Work Visa. If you will work, short-time, in a job which can only be done in a specific time of the year, or if you will work as a substitute for a permanent employee. You must receive an employment offer and get confirmation from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) before applying.
  • Norway Job-Seeker Visa. This visa is for skilled workers who have completed their studies in Norway, which will allow them to stay in Norway without a job offer and look for work.
  • Vocational Training and Research Visa. This visa is issued to students who will undertake training during their higher education studies or self-funded researchers, who are not employed with a Norwegian employer.
  • Norway Working Holiday Visa. This type of visa is issued to young adults (under 31 years) from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand, which allows them to work and live in Norway for up to a year.
  • Work Visa for Artists. This is a short-term visa for artists, performers, or musicians, who will have concerts or performances in Norway. Maximum allowed stay of 14 days.

Finding a job in Norway

Finding a job in Norway may seem like an impossible, daunting mission. However, there are ways you can do that.

Perhaps someone already approached you with an offer and you don’t have to actively look for a job.

However, if you don’t have an employer in Norway already, one of the easiest ways to find a job that fits you is through a recruitment agency.

International recruitment agencies can help foreign nationals find a job in Norway that is suited to their skills and experience. They know the local job market and can help you with your job application, CV, interview, and give tips on how to secure the job.

Furthermore, they are usually informed of work and residence permits, and any other formalities that involve hiring foreign workers.

You could also contact a local recruitment agency in Norway, or even look up work online through job listings.

You can find work whichever way you feel is easiest for you, but the bottom line is, you need a job before you can apply for a Work Permit in Norway visa.

Norway Work Visa Requirements

The documents you need to hand in when you apply for a Norway Work Visa are:

  • Your passport. Also, send in copies of all the used pages on your passport.
  • The Norway Work Visa Application Form. You will receive this in PDF format after you complete the online application on the UDI website. Print it out and attach it to the rest of the documents.
  • Two passport size photographs. They must be recently taken and with a white background.
  • Proof you have accommodation in Norway. For example, a written rental contract. If you have not made accommodation arrangements yet, write a letter explaining where you plan to live and how you will find housing.
  • The Offer of Employment Form. Your employer must fill this out. The form is available on the UDI website.
  • Proof that your salary meets the income requirements. g. your employment contract, stating the salary you will receive.
  • Proof of your academic qualifications. For example, your university or vocational training diploma.
  • Proof of previous employment experience. Documents from your previous employers, which detail the type of work you did, how long you were employed, and your qualifications.
  • Your resume/CV.
  • If you live somewhere other than your home country: Proof you are there legally and have held a residence permit for the past six months.
  • If you submit your application in Norway: Proof you live in Norway legally.
  • If your employer will apply on your behalf: The Power of Attorney Form, downloadable from the UDI website.
  • Any additional documents, as required by your specific situation, such as explanation regarding:
    • If you will work for more than one employer
    • If you do not have a continuous employment contract
  • The checklist of documents you need, downloadable from the UDI.

Document guidelines:

  • The documents you submit have to be in original form as well as copies.
  • If your employer applies on your behalf, the documents may be simply copies.
  • If the documents are not in English or Norwegian, you must translate them by a qualified translator.
  • The Embassy may ask for additional documents, depending on your specific situation.

Norway Entry Restrictions in Response to Coronavirus

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, Norway, as well as the other the EU and Schengen Area members imposed an EU-wide entry ban on third-country nationals in mid-March 2020.

Currently, only the following categories of persons from countries outside the EEA/Schengen area or the UK can also travel to Norway, but they have to self-quarantine for ten days:

  • Those who have a work and residence permit in Norway
  • Those who have family or a partner in Norway
  • Students or workers with technical competence that is exempt from the residence permit requirement
  • Employees in non-profit, religious and humanitarian organizations
  • Children and stepchildren over the age of 21 to a person resident in Norway
  • Parents and stepparents of children over the age of 21 living in Norway
  • Grandparents and grandparents of a person resident in Norway
  • Grandchildren and great-grandchildren of a person resident in Norway
  • Children of established boyfriend/girlfriend (a relationship that has started at least nine months before, and both parties have met physically)
  • Spouse, registered partner, cohabitant and children of Norwegian citizens residing abroad and travelling to Norway together with the Norwegian citizen
  • EEA citizens and their family members residing in third countries

Norway Visa for US Citizens and US Residents

Citizens of the United States with a valid U.S. Tourist passport (blue passport) can travel to Norway and other countries of the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days without having to apply or obtain a Schengen visa.

All non US citizens who do need a visa to enter the Schengen Area, must have a U.S. Visa or a Permanent Residence Card with three (3) months validity after returning from the Schengen area. If your US visa has expired, please have it renewed before applying.

You should apply for a visa via the Embassy of Norway in the US if:

  • Norway is the only Schengen country you plan on visiting
  • Norway is your main destination (the country you will be staying the longest in)
  • Norway is the first Schengen country you are visiting

In case you plan on staying in Norway for more than 90 days you must apply for a residency permit, not a Norway Schengen visa.

Processing Time for a Work Permit in Norway Visa

Once you hand in your Work Visa application, it can take up to 8 weeks for the application to be processed. If you are already in Norway during this time, you are not allowed to start work until the visa has been approved.

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Norway Work Visa Fee

The fee for a Norway Work Visa is NOK 6,300 (USD 690). This is also the fee you pay for renewing the Work Visa. You must pay the fee via a debit/credit card, when you complete the online application on the UDI website.

Remember: If you apply through a Visa Application Center rather than an Embassy, there is an extra service fee.

Duration of Work Permit in Norway

A Norway Work Visa (i.e. Residence Permit for Work) is valid for two years. You can apply to renew it before it expires, for another two years. Then, after three years of continuous residence in Norway, you can apply for a Permanent Residence Permit, which has an indefinite duration.

How to Renew a Norway Work Visa?

To renew your Norwegian Work Visa, you have to make an Online Application with the Directorate of Immigration (UDI). Then, you book an appointment with the Norwegian police and submit the documents. You must also pay an application fee.

Remember, you have to submit the documents at least one month before your visa expires, and there is usually a waiting time for the appointment. So, make sure you start the application about three months before.