In order to hire foreign workers from countries outside the EEA area, you must as employer give the employee a concrete offer of employment. The employee can then apply for a residence permit. As an employer, you can also apply on behalf of the employee.
Who is eligible for ar residence permit?
The requirements vary between different types of residence permits. The page
Who is eligible for a residence permit? includes lists of the criteria that must be met in order for a foreign employee to be granted a residence permit in Norway.
How to apply on behalf of the employee
The general rule is that a foreign employee must have received a concrete offer of employment in order to apply for a residence permit in Norway. The employment offer must be made using the set form ‘Arbeidstilbud/Offer of employment’ and must be signed by you as employer and by the employee.
You need a written authorisation to submit an application for a residence permit on behalf of a foreign employee. Authorisation is given in writing, either using the set offer of employment form or an authorisation form.
You can apply for a residence permit on behalf of a foreign employee without written authorisation if you wish to take advantage of the early employment scheme. In order to be covered by this scheme, you must submit a tax certificate for value added tax and tax, and a self-declaration of the enterprise’s compliance with statutory Norwegian health, safety and the environment requirements. You can take advantage of the early employment scheme for employees who either have skilled worker expertise or will be paid NOK 500.000 or more per year (specialists). The early employment scheme also covers seconded employees and trainees employed by an international company.
The application must be submitted to the police district in the place where you as the employer has your registered business address or to a service centre for foreign workers (SUA). As a rule, the employee must stay in his/her home country or in the country in which he/she has held a residence permit for the past six months, and he/she may not enter Norway before the residence permit has been granted. However, the employee may enter Norway if the person is a skilled worker or is considered to be a specialist based on the pay offered. The person must have legal residence in Norway and cannot be an asylum seeker. You should state the whereabouts of the applicant in the application.
See also information about the Service centre for foreign workers.
The employee can also apply for a residence permit him/herself. You can find further information to the employee relating to the different application on the page 'How to apply for a residence permit’.
What to include in the offer of employment
The offer of employment must state, among other things, which pay and working conditions you are offering the employee.
There are a few general requirements to the contents of an offer of employment:
- The offer of employment must be concrete. This means that you must state the position, hourly wage and number of working hours that the employee will work per week. You must also state the duration of the employment offer.
- As a rule, the offer of employment must concern full-time work.
- The pay and working conditions must be in accordance with the Norwegian collective agreement or pay scale. If no such collective agreement or pay scale exists, the pay and working conditions must not be poorer than is normal for the occupation and place concerned.
Other requirements for the offer of employment will vary depending on the type of residence permit concerned. More information is available under 'Which type of residence permit should I apply for?’.
What must be enclosed with the application?
What must be enclosed with the application will vary depending on the type of residence permit concerned. More information about this is available under ’How to apply for a residence permit’.
The following must be enclosed with all applications:
- a copy of the applicant’s passport
- a passport photo/ photo that meets specific requirements
- a completed application form
- an authorisation form, unless you meet the requirements for using the early employment scheme
- an offer of employment form signed by you as employer and the employee
- documentation that you have paid the application fee.
How long will it take to process the application?
See the list of the UDI’s expected case processing times at http://www.udi.no/caseprocessingtime.
What happens when the application has been processed?
Once the application has been processed, the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) will immediately send the decision to the police or to the embassy/consulate from which the application was submitted. The police or the embassy or consulate will notify your employee of the outcome.
If you have been authorised by the foreign employee, you will receive a copy of the decision.
If the applicant is granted a residence permit, he or she must report to the police within seven days of entry for identity control and to have the residence permit affixed to his/her passport. If the applicant is subject to a visa requirement, the UDI will instruct the nearest Norwegian embassy or consulate to issue an entry visa.
If the application is rejected, the decision will contain information about the basis for the rejection and about the right of appeal and deadline for appealing.
You can appeal a rejection
You can appeal the decision. Read more about how to appeal a decision at www.udi.no/appeals.
Further information
For more information about the procedures for hiring foreign workers, please contact the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, the police or the UDI’s Information Service.
The UDI has also established a dedicated e-mail address (arbeidsgiverservice@udi.no) and a phone number (23 35 15 33) for enquiries from employers.
