The information on this page is personalised for
The reference person has a job
On this page, we use the words 'reference person' and 'applicant'
- The reference person = the family member living in Norway.
- The applicant = the person who wants to move to Norway or who needs a residence permit to continue living in Norway.
What describes your situation?
-
The reference person is working
How much must the reference person have earned last year?
As reference person, you must have had a total income of at least
NOK 409 972 per year pre-tax
.
This must be income that your employer has reported to the Tax Administration and that corresponds to what is stated in your payslips. When your last year's tax settlement is ready, it must show an income of at least the amount shown above. If we do not have the information about your income from last year, the previous year will apply.
The requirement for income was at least
NOK 391 120 pre-tax
in 2024.
If you registered your application for family immigration and paid the fee before 1 February 2025, the required previous income is equal to the old requirement at 2.7 times the average basic amount in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. This equals NOK 345 914 for 2025 and NOK 330 008 for 2024.
Your income must also satisfy the requirement during the period until a decision is made.
If you are self-employed, we have a separate procedure for assessing your income.
How much must the reference person earn now?
As reference person, you must have a total income of at least
NOK 416 512 per year pre-tax
. It must be probable that you are going to continue having this income for at least another year. You may later be asked to document that you had this income the first year your family member was in Norway.
If you registered your application for family immigration and paid the fee before 1 February 2025, the old requirement of 2.7 G applies, corresponding to
NOK 351 432
.
Types of income counting towards the reference person’s future income
As reference person, you can have one or more of the types of income below:
- income from employment
- sickness benefit, pregnancy benefit, parental support, disability benefit or retirement pension from the National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden)
- other permanent pensions or periodical benefits (insurance payments or similar)
- loans or grants received in connection with studies
If the applicant is already in lawful employment in Norway, the applicant's income can be included in order to meet the requirement.
Types of income not counting towards the reference person’s future income
- financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp)
- housing support
- unemployment benefit and work assessment allowance (Arbeidsavklaringspenger (AAP))
- any benefits you receive because you have children
- lump sum grant in connection with birth
- own funds (money in an account)
-
The reference person has a residence permit for work
The kinds of residence permits this applies to
This only applies if you, as reference person, have one of the following residence permits:
No requirement for the reference person’s income last year
As reference person, you do not need to have had any income last year.
How much must the reference person earn now?
As reference person, you must have a total income of at least
NOK 416 512 per year pre-tax
. It must be probable that you are going to continue having this income for at least another year. You may later be asked to document that you had this income the first year your family member was in Norway.
Types of income counting towards the reference person’s future income
As reference person, you can have one or more of the types of income below:
- income from employment
- sickness benefit, pregnancy benefit, parental support
If the applicant is already in lawful employment in Norway, the applicant's income can be included in order to meet the requirement
Types of income not counting towards the reference person’s income
- financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp)
- housing support
- work assessment allowance
- any benefits you receive because you have children
- own funds (money in an account)
-
The reference person has a job where income varies from year to year
If the spouse, cohabitant, or a child of the reference person applies for family immigration
How much must the reference person have earned last year?
As reference person, you must have had a total income of at least
NOK 409 972 per year pre-tax
.
This must be income that your employer has reported to the Tax Administration and that corresponds to what is stated in your payslips. When your tax settlement is ready for last year, this must show an income of at least the amount shown above. If we do not have the information about your income from last year, the previous year will apply.
Please note that as of 1 October 2021, there was a change in the regulations with an impact the requirement. If you have received introduction benefits after 1 January 2021 it will not count as part of your income, and it will be deducted from the total income in your tax settlement.
Your income must also meet the requirement in the period until we make the decision. Unemployment benefits are counted as previous income.
If you are self-employed, we have other arrangements for how we consider your income.
If you have a job where it is common that the level of income varies from year to year (for example, farmer), but on average you have had enough income over some years, we can accept that your income was too low last year.
How much must the reference person earn now?
You, the reference person, must have a total income of at least
NOK 416 512 per year pre-tax
. It must be probable that you are going to have this income for at least another year. You may later be asked to document that you had this income the first year your family member was in Norway.
If you have a job where it is common that the level of income varies from year to year (for example if you are a farmer), but you have, on average enough income over some years, we can accept that your income is too low this year.
Types of income counting towards the reference person’s future income
As reference person, you can have one or more of the types of income below:
- income from employment
- sickness benefit, pregnancy benefit, parental support, disability benefit or retirement pension from the National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden)
- other permanent pensions or periodical benefits (insurance payments or similar)
- loans or grants received in connection with studies
If the applicant is already in lawful employment in Norway, the applicant's income can be included in order to meet the requirement.
Types of income not counting towards the reference person’s future income
- financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp)
- housing support
- unemployment benefit and work assessment allowance (Arbeidsavklaringspenger (AAP))
- any benefits you receive because you have children
- lump sum grant in connection with birth
- own funds (money in an account)
If other family members apply for family immigration
As reference person, if family members other than your spouse, cohabitant or children apply for family immigration, you must have a total income of at least
NOK 416 512 per year pre-tax
.
In addition, there are requirements for your last year's income. As reference person, you must have had a total income of at least
NOK 409 972 per year pre-tax
.
This must be income that your employer has reported to the Tax Administration and that corresponds to what is stated in your payslips. When your tax settlement is ready for last year, this must show an income of at least the amount shown above. If we do not have the information about your income from last year, the previous year will apply.
Your income must also meet the requirement in the period until we make the decision. Unemployment benefits are counted as previous income.
If you are self-employed, we have other arrangements for how we consider your income.
-
The reference person receives sickness benefits or pregnancy benefits
How much must the reference person have earned last year?
As reference person, you must have had a total income of at least
NOK 409 972 per year pre-tax
.
This must be income that your employer has reported to the Tax Administration and that corresponds to what is stated in your payslips. When your last year's tax settlement is ready, it must show an income of at least the amount shown above. If we do not have the information about your income from last year, the previous year will apply.
The requirement for income was at least
NOK 391 120 pre-tax
in 2024.
If you registered your application for family immigration and paid the fee before 1 February 2025, the required previous income is equal to the old requirement at 2.7 times the average basic amount in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. This equals NOK 345 914 for 2025 and NOK 330 008 for 2024.
Your income must also satisfy the requirement during the period until a decision is made.
If you are self-employed, we have a separate procedure for assessing your income.
How much must the reference person earn now?
As reference person, you must have a total income of at least
NOK 416 512 per year pre-tax
. It must be probable that you are going to continue having this income for at least another year. You may later be asked to document that you had this income the first year your family member was in Norway.
If you registered your application for family immigration and paid the fee before 1 February 2025, the old requirement of 2.7 G applies, corresponding to
NOK 351 432
.
Types of income counting towards the reference person’s future income
As reference person, you can have one or more of the types of income below:
- income from employment
- sickness benefit, pregnancy benefit, parental support, disability benefit or retirement pension from the National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden)
- other permanent pensions or periodical benefits (insurance payments or similar)
- loans or grants received in connection with studies
If the applicant is already in lawful employment in Norway, the applicant's income can be included in order to meet the requirement.
Types of income not counting towards the reference person’s future income
- financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp)
- housing support
- unemployment benefit and work assessment allowance (Arbeidsavklaringspenger (AAP))
- any benefits you receive because you have children
- lump sum grant in connection with birth
- own funds (money in an account)
-
The reference person is a researcher with own funds
If the spouse, cohabitant, or a child of the reference person applies for family immigration
No requirement for the reference person’s income last year
As reference person, you do not need to have had any income last year.
How much must the reference person earn now?
As reference person, you must have a total income of at least
NOK 351 432 per year pre-tax
. It must be probable that you are going to continue having this income for at least another year. You may later be asked to document that you had this income the first year your family member was in Norway.
Your income can be your own money that you have in a Norwegian bank account.
Types of income counting towards reference person’s future income
As reference person, you can have one or more of the types of income below:
- income from employment
- sickness benefit, pregnancy benefit, parental support, disability benefit or retirement pension from the National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden)
- other permanent pensions or periodical benefits (insurance payments or similar)
- loans or grants received in connection with studies
If the applicant is already in lawful employment in Norway, the applicant's income can be included in order to meet the requirement.
Types of income not counting towards reference person’s future income
- financial assistance from NAV (økonomisk sosialhjelp)
- housing support
- work assessment allowance
- any benefits you receive because you have children
- lump sum grant in connection with birth