Who is eligible for a working holiday residence permit?
You must be a citizen of New Zealand. If you are a citizen of another country, you are not covered by the working holiday agreement, even if you are permanently resident in New Zealand.
You must also:
- Be at least 18 years of age and no older than 30 years of age at the time of application, i.e. you must not have reached the age of 31. The age requirement is definite.
- Have sufficient funds to sustain yourself during the first three months of your stay in Norway. You must demonstrate that you have sufficient funds for this purpose, through a bank statement and/or a concrete offer of employment for the first part of the stay, providing income. The amount must be equivalent to the rates of the State Educational Loan Fund. This is currently NOK 90 800 for a period of ten months, equivalent to NOK 9 080 per month and NOK 27 240 for the first three months of stay in Norway.
- A signed self-certification stating that you intend to sign medical and full hospital treatment insurance ahead of your entry into Norway.
You do not have to have received a direct job offer.
You are not eligible for a working holiday residence permit if you are travelling to Norway to study or receive other training for a period lasting more than three months.
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. You can choose which embassy or consulate to hand in the application at. If you hand in the application at the Norwegian embassy in Canberra, the embassy may grant you the permit if there is no doubt that you fulfill the criteria for being given a residence permit for a Working holidays for young people. In some countries you will hand in the application to the Swedish or Danish embassy instead. Check here where you can 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 form 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.
What documents must I present with my 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 application.
In addition to a completed application form, you must be able to present the following:
It is normally sufficient to attach copies of the relevant documents to your application, on condition that you present the original documents when you submit your application in person. You should attach a Norwegian or English translation of the documents to your application.
Residence permit during the application process
You may not commence work until you have been granted a residence permit. The Norwegian Police may grant you a residence permit valid during the application process, if you so request. The police may give such a permit if they deem that it is likely that your application will be approved, and that your are entitled to apply from Norway.
How long does it take for the application to be processed?
Please see the overview of application processing times here
Details of the residence permit
- The residence permit grants the holder the general right to take up employment in Norway. You may work for the same employer for a period of six months.
- Permits may be granted for a period of one year.
- The permit grants the right to repeated entrance into Norway for the duration of the permit’s validity.
- The permit does not grant the right to permanent residence.
- The permit does not grant the right to family immigration.
Can the residence permit be renewed?
The permit can be renewed; however, the total duration of a renewed permit may not exceed two years. The permit cannot be renewed beyond this. Nor can you be granted a new working holiday residence permit.
You must apply for renewal of your residence permit at least one month before the expiry of the original permit. You should submit the application to the police in your district of residence. You must pay a fee when you apply for renewal. You can apply for renewal even if you have reached the age of 31.
Appealing a rejection
You may appeal a decision to reject your application. You will find further information on how to appeal a decision here
Further information
You can read more about the scheme and the terms and conditions that apply for working holiday residence permits in the online portal UDIregelverk (UDI regulations). You can also contact your nearest Norwegian embassy or consulate, or consult UDI’s information service.
