By attorney Sanan Mahmood, Advokatfirmaet Tveter og Kløvfjell AS
- Introduction
If you wish to come to Norway to work, you need a residence permit. If the requirements for this type of permit are fulfilled the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) issue a residence permit that later will give you the right to apply for a permanent residence permit and nationality in Norway.
- Requirements relating to your qualifications
The residence permit for workers require that you have some qualifications or competence. The Directorate of Immigration (UDI) require that you have an educational background. This can be education from a university, education from a university college, vocational education or craft certificate.
You can also fulfill this requirement through long work experience where you have obtained special qualifications. As a rule, the duration of practical experience and training must be at least twice the duration of the formal education that is lacking, and at least six years of practical experience and training.
- Requirements relating to the employment
There is also a requirement that you must have received a job offer from an employer in Norway. The position must be at least an 80 percent work position. However, it cannot be any type of position. The nature of the job offered must be such that qualifications are required. In addition, you must have the qualifications that the job requires. This is called the relevance requirement. For example, as a baker you can only work as a baker, not as a cook if you are not qualified as a cook. As carpenter you can only work as a carpenter, not as a brick layer or painter if you are not qualified as a brick layer or a painter. There is also a requirement concerning pay and working condition.
3.1 The relevance requirement
In the assessment of whether the relevance condition is fulfilled it is necessary to consider your qualifications, the offer of employment and the job description. Before you apply, it is important to check if your qualification match the job description. For this reason, cooperation between the employer and employee is favorable to meet the set requirements. In the application process attention should be given to information about the offer of employment in the Directorate of Immigration’s offer of employment form. The job title and the detailed description of the work tasks should match the foreign national’s educational background or work experience.
3.2 Pay and working conditions
The pay and working conditions must not be poorer than what is normal in Norway for the place and occupation in question. In order to check what is deemed to be sufficient pay special consideration must be given to the foreign national’s background and the job position. For example, different pay conditions are set depending on if the position requires a master’s degree or bachelor’s degree. If the work is in an industry in which a collective agreement applies, the foreign national must be paid the collective wage rate or more.
- Application process
Our lawyers have extensive experience in representing international clients in cross-border cases. We have assisted several foreign nationals to get residence permits for work purposes in Norway. To mention some examples, we have assisted a tailor from Macedonia, dancer from Cuba, cook from Vietnam, tattoo artist from Brazil, baker from Russia, and an acupuncturist from China. Obtaining a work permit in Norway is a multi-steps process. With our experience and expertise, it is possible for us to evaluate your case before you apply and provide legal assistance through the application process.
Do you want to know more or need legal expertise? Please contact partner/attorney Preben Kløvfjell at pk@klovfjell-gammel.local for a noncommittal conversation.
