How long can I stay abroad?

One of the requirements for obtaining a permanent residence permit is that you have lived continuously in Norway without long gaps and have not stayed outside Norway for too long. With a three-year residence requirement, you may stay abroad for up to seven months in total during the last three years, regardless of the reason.

Have you been on assignment for your employer abroad?

If you have a residence permit as a skilled worker, you may stay abroad for an additional eight months, but the stay must be on assignment for your employer. This means you may stay abroad for a total of 15 months during the last three years, but time abroad beyond seven months must be on assignment for your employer. When applying for a permanent residence permit, you must document this with a confirmation from your employer.

This does not apply to:

Working from home abroad, even if your employer has approved the stay.
Residence permits as a self-employed person.