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Unskilled workers from Russia

Russian citizens from the Barents Region who plan to work as unskilled labour in the counties of Nordland, Troms or Finnmark can be granted residence permits for up to two years. This is only possible as long as labour is not available in Norway or from the EEA or EFTA area.

When such a residence permit is granted for the first time, you as a worker can be granted a new permit for a period of up to two years without a new assessment of the labour market. The new offer of employment must apply to work under the same conditions with the same employer, and you must submit a new application.


Граждане России без профобразования

Разрешение на пребывание в стране на срок до двух лет может быть дано российским гражданам из Баренц-региона, не имеющим профессионального образования и намеревающимся работать в округах Нурланн, Тромс и Финнмарк. Разрешение не будет дано при наличии мест>>

Who can be granted a residence permit for unskilled workers?

To apply for a permit pursuant to this provision, you must be a Russian national living in the Barents Region. The region consists of Murmansk Oblast, the Republic of Karelia, Arkhangelsk Oblast and Nenets Autonomous Okrug. You need to have lived in the Barents Region for at least one year

 
It is a requirement that the job cannot be filled by Norwegian labour or labour from the EEA or EFTA area. Your employer must obtain a statement from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) about this, and we can process your application sooner if you enclose this with your application.
 
If you are an unskilled worker and the work you are going to do requires skilled worker qualifications, you cannot be granted a permit pursuant to the unskilled labour provision, but you can apply for a permit pursuant to the provisions concerning skilled workers.

What requirements apply to the employment relationship?

To apply for a residence permit as an unskilled worker, you must have received a concrete offer of employment in Nordland, Troms or Finnmark. The offer of employment is concrete if it contains a description of the job you are to do, the number of hours a week you will be working and your hourly pay.

As a rule, you must have received an offer of full-time employment from one employer.

The pay and working conditions must not be poorer than those stipulated in the applicable collective agreement or pay scale. If such a collective agreement or pay scale does not exist, the pay and working conditions must not be poorer than is normal for the place and occupation.

How to apply

Check where to hand in your application:

  • If you are in another country you hand in your application at a Norwegian embassy or consulate in your home country or the country where you have held a residence permit for the last 6 months. In some countries you will hand the application to the Swedish or Danish embassy instead. Check here where to hand in the application. 
  • If you are in Norway you can hand in your application here if you have held another type of permit for the past nine months. You can also apply from Norway if you have skilled worker qualifications. You must be in Norway legally, and you cannot be waiting for a reply to your application for asylum or have had your application for asylum turned down. When you apply from Norway you hand in your application at a local police station or at the Service center for foreign workers. Learn more about who can apply from Norway

Application form
You must fill in the application form for a residence permit and hand it in to the police or the embassy. You use the same when you wish to renew your permit.  Contact the police or the embassy to find out when you can hand in your application.
Application form

Unfortunately you cannot use the online Application Portal Norway.

Your employer can apply on your behalf

Your employer can also apply for a residence permit on your behalf if you authorise him/her in writing. You can do this by filling in the authorisation section in the application form, by completing the Directorate of Immigration’s (UDI) authorisation form, or by providing some other form of written authorisation. Your employer submits the application to the police where your employer has his/her registered business address.

What must be enclosed with the application?

When you have visited the embassy or police station and handed in your passport and other necessary documentation we will start to process your applicationYou must enclose the following with your application form:

As a rule, it is sufficient that you enclose a copy of the documents with your application, but it is a precondition that you present the original documents when you hand in your application. You must also enclose translations of the documents into Norwegian or English.

Permit while the application is being processed

You may not start working until you have received a residence permit.

However, if you are entitled to apply from Norway and the police consider it likely that your permit will be granted, the police can grant a permit while the application is being processed. This will not be done automatically; you must ask the police for such a permit. It is also a precondition that you have submitted the consent from NAV.

How long will it take to process the application?


See the list of the UDI’s expected case processing times here

The content of the permit

The permit can be granted for two years, but never for longer than the duration of the employment relationship. It entitles you to travel into and out of Norway for the duration of the permit.

The permit does not form the basis for a permanent residence permit or for family immigration.

The residence permit applies to a specific job and a specific employer.

Therefore, you cannot work in another position or for another employer than stated in the permit.

Is the permit renewable?


The permit can be renewed, but it can never be granted for a continuous period of more than two years. When you have held such a permit for a total of two years, you cannot be granted a new permit as an unskilled Russian worker until you have stayed outside Norway for one year.

The application for renewal of a residence permit must be submitted no later than one month prior to the expiry date of the previous permit. The application must be submitted to the police in the place where you live. A fee must be paid for renewal applications.

You can appeal a rejection

You can appeal the decision. Read more about how to appeal at www.udi.no/appeals

More information


Last updated 09.11.2010
Published 08.04.2010

The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, PB 8108 Dep, 0032 Oslo. Phone: (+ 47) 23 35 15 00. Contact Information Service. Contact web editor. Editor in chief: Ingeborg Grimsmo