Skilled worker

The term skilled worker covers the following categories:

• Specialist training corresponding to upper secondary education level. You must have completed vocational training for a specific occupation. The education must as a minimum correspond to upper secondary education level, i.e. at least three years. If you underwent an education abroad, you must have achieved the same level of expertise as you would have achieved had you been educated in Norway. Examples include vocational education for joiners, plumbers or auxiliary nurses.
• Craft certificate. A craft certificate taken abroad must have resulted in the same level of expertise as a Norwegian craft certificate.
• University college or university education. The requirement is a completed degree or study programme. Examples include nurses, engineers, Bachelor or Master’s degrees.
• Special qualifications. You must have gained expertise through professional experience of a certain duration, alternatively in combination with other training (courses and similar). If there is a formal education in the field achieved through of such education.
• Please note that, in principle, a skilled worker permit is only granted on the basis of special qualifications in exceptional circumstances and that thorough documentation is required.

Your employer can apply on your behalf
Your employer can also apply for a residence permit on your behalf if you authorise him ot her in writing. You must complete the authorisation section of the application form or give your employer some other form of written authorisation. If your employer applies on your behalf, the application must be submitted in the police district where the enterprise is located.

The employer cannot apply on your behalf without written authorisation. However, if your employer is covered by the early employment scheme, he/she can apply for a residence permit on your behalf without written authorisation.

The early employment scheme
The early employment scheme means that employers who meet certain criteria can recruit labour directly and let employees start working before their application has been processed. The scheme applies to skilled workers, defined by expertise and/or education. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that the employee fulfils the conditions to be granted a permit as a skilled worker or specialist. The scheme also covers seconded employees employed by an international company and trainees employed by an international company.

In order to take advantage of this scheme, your employer must be able to submit a tax certificate for value added tax and tax, and a self-declaration of compliance with statutory Norwegian health, safety and the environment (HSE) requirements.

Your employer can apply for a residence permit on your behalf without authorisation. If the employer submits a complete application, i.e. an application with all the necessary enclosures, and a tax certificate and self-declaration as described above, the police can issue a preliminary confirmation that you may start working before the application has been processed. The Foreign Service mission can issue you an entry visa if required, provided that the police have issued a preliminary confirmation to your employer and you are able to document your identity.

You must meet in person at the police district where the application was submitted within seven days of entering Norway. There, you must document your identity and confirm the application submitted by your employer. The police will then issue you a confirmation that you are entitled to work for the employer in question until your application has been processed. You can start working immediately once you have obtained this confirmation.

If you are not subject to a visa requirement to enter Norway or if you already reside legally in Norway, you can submit the application to the police yourself. If the application is complete and your employer meets the requirements, the police can issue you a confirmation that you are entitled to work for the employer in question until your application has been processed. You can start working immediately once you have obtained this confirmation.

You may not change employers while your application is under processing.

The police can refuse to issue a preliminary confirmation to the employer or a confirmation to you if any of the criteria are not met. You have no right to appeal.

Persons who apply for a residence permit as a religious leader or ethnic cook are not covered by the early employment scheme.

Documentation List:

• Cover letter you received as confirmation on your e-mail (PDF attachment) after you registered your application and booked time for submitting documents at Application Portal
• Passport photo not older than three months
• Passport and copy of used pages. Please be aware that there should be at least two free pages marked “ВІЗИ / VISAS”.
• One copy of all 16 pages of the domestic passport for Ukrainian citizens and for Moldavian national identification card applies
• “Offer of Employment” from Norwegian employer(signed by yourself and your employer)
• A print-out of key information about your employer from the website of the Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities.
• Documentation of education/training/work experience translated into English or Norwegian
• CV
• Information about where you are going to stay
• For regulated professions, approval or authorisation from the relevant specialist authority. Health personnel, for example, must enclose an authorisation or licence from the Norwegian Registration Authority for Health Personnel (SAFH). More information about professions regulated in Norway
• If your employer is a recruitment agency, the documentation mentioned under Additional conditions - work through a recruitment agency
• Information about where you are going to stay
• If your employer applies on your behalf, an authorisation form must also be enclosed. No authorisation is required if the employer is covered by the early employment scheme.

Please remember to tick of the enclosed documents in our Document list 3 (follow the link from the column "Required documents" on the right) and bring the list to Visa Application Center or to the Embassy when applying.