Can Foreigners Work in Norway?

EU/EEA Citizens

If you hold citizenship of an EU or EEA country, you have the legal right to work in Norway without a work permit. This includes all 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.

• Start working immediately upon arrival with a valid passport or national ID
• Register with Norwegian police within 3 months
• Apply for a D-number at the tax office for salary payments
• Register with UDI if staying longer than 3 months (simple online process)
• No restriction on type of work or industry

Non-EU Citizens

Citizens from countries outside the EU/EEA need a work permit (oppholdstillatelse) before they can legally work in Norway.

• You must have a concrete job offer from a Norwegian employer
• Apply through UDI.no — typically a Skilled Worker permit
• Processing time: 1–3 months (can vary by nationality)
• The job must normally require specific qualifications
• Your employer may need to demonstrate no suitable EEA candidate was found
• Some professions (IT, healthcare) have expedited processing

Countries That Send the Most Workers to Norway

The largest groups of foreign workers in Norway come from:

• Poland — the largest immigrant workforce in Norway
• Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia
• Sweden and Denmark
• Romania and Bulgaria
• The Philippines and India (primarily healthcare and maritime)