What Kind of Visa Do You Need?

Expats who are from an EU or EEA country need not apply for a skilled workers visa and may start working and living in Oslo without a residence permit. However, if they wish to stay for a period longer than three months, they must register with the police and acquire a residence certificate. Refer to the “Registration of Residence” section below for further details.

Expats from outside the EU or EEA who plan on moving to Oslo on a skilled workers visa need to provide proof of specialist training which at least corresponds to a Norwegian upper secondary education level. This may come in the form of a craft certificate, a university degree, or another proof of special qualifications.

However, in order to apply on the basis of special qualifications, you need professional experience in combination with further professional training obtained through long work experience. Unfortunately, a skilled workers visa is rarely granted on these grounds.

A written offer of employment is essential for a successful visa application. It needs to contain information on your position within the company, on your salary, and the number of working hours per week.

Most importantly, the employment contract must dictate that the work you will be doing requires skilled qualifications, thus validating your skilled workers visa. Your pay, as well as the working conditions, may not be worse than those agreed upon by the respective industry in Norway. The Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration (NAV) offer specific details on the pay requirements and working conditions in Norway through their official guide.

The Application Process

If you are from a country outside of the EU or EEA, you should contact your nearest Norwegian Embassy or Consulate in order to apply for a skilled workers visa.

You are permitted to apply directly from Oslo if you have held a different type of residence permit for the preceding nine months or if you have skilled worker qualifications. To do so, however, you need to be a legal resident of Norway. Expats should note that there is a 3,700 NOK fee to apply for this residence permit.

In order to apply for a skilled workers visa, you need to provide the following original documents in either Norwegian or English:

• passport
• signed cover letter (if you have applied online) or completed application form
• two passport photos
• a completed UDI offer of employment form
• record of your education history, including the level and duration
• previous documentation of employment, your tasks, and professional qualifications
• documentation proving the pay meets Norwegian requirements
• CV
• proof that you have somewhere to live a signed checklist

Most expats can file their visa application online. You will automatically receive an appointment to visit the embassy and hand in your paperwork.

If you would rather submit your application for a skilled workers visa in person, you should contact the embassy for an appointment. Refer to this list of Norwegian Embassies and Consulates to figure out which one is located closest to you.

Registration of Residence

Regardless of your country of origin, as soon as your move to Oslo is completed, you need to contact the National Population Register (Folkeregisteret). The Folkeregisteret is run by the Norwegian Tax Administration, and you are required to notify them of your move. Their office in Oslo is located at Schweigaards gate 17 (0191 Oslo).

There, you will receive your personal ID number (Personnummer) as soon as you have registered your place of residence and had your ID verified. This ID number is important when you get ready to do your taxes or plan to open a bank account. It is really essential for all expats who have moved to Norway from abroad.

In order to register, you need to provide the following documents:

• your passport
• an employment contract
• a rental contract at least six months or housing purchase confirmation
• a completed form “Notification of Your Move to Norway from Abroad”

The Service Center for Foreign Workers (SUA), also located at Schweigaards gate 17 (0191 Oslo), provides an efficient service for expats who wish to move to Norway. The SUA contains the following bodies: the police, the Directorate of Immigration (UDI), the Tax Administration (Skatteetaten), and the Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet).

We do our best to keep this article up to date. However, we cannot guarantee that the information provided is always current or complete. 

If there’s something you’re still not sure about, check out the InterNations Forum.