Work permit - who needs to apply?

EU CITIZENS

Scandinavians
Do not need a work or residence permit to stay in Norway.

EU-citizens
are entitled to stay in Norway and look for work for a period of three months.
But if you find a job which is going to last more than six months, you need to apply for a work and residence permit. You are entitled to the same job placement services as Norwegians.

Registration
EU-citizens who have got a job for a period under 6 months do not need to register. If one has got a job for a period over 6months, one must register with the nearest national registry (Folkeregisteret) to get a “D” or “ID” number and has to meet personally for registration.

Tax card
You have to remember a tax card from thelocal tax office (likningskontoret) before you start to work. No matter if you are planning to work for one month or 6 years, you have to apply for a tax card. Otherwise 50% of your wages will be withhold in tax. If you are applying from Oslo, you can get your tax card at Liknigskontoret, Hagegata 23 at Tøyensenteret (near Tøyen Underground station) or order it by calling 815 444 55. You can also check here.

Residece permit
EU-citizens do not need to apply for a residece permit if you are planning to work for a period of three months. For longer period of time, you have to apply for a residence permit even if it is an unpaid job. For more information check on: www.udi.no

Students
International students have to apply for resident & work permit if you are planning to work. You also have to apply for tax card, even if it is a short time job from one month to the entire duration of your studies.

Remember
to apply or register as soon as possible, as the proceeding time to get a provisional 'D' number or a personal 'ID' number in order to have your a tax card can take up to to six weeks.

The leaflet «Looking for work in Norway» from the Norwegian Employment Services will give you more detailed information, see here.

CITIZENS OF NON EU-COUNTRIES

...have to apply for a work and residence permit before coming to Norway. Applications have to be made at a Norwegian embassy or consulate. However, Norway has a very strict immigration policy and only grants a very limited number of permits. You have to be offered a job before you can apply, but you have no guarantee that you will be given a permit. The authorities also grant work permits for limited periods in the agricultural sector. However, the chance of getting such a job is limited, especially since you have to be offered a job and apply for the permit before coming to Norway.

Where to apply?
You must apply from your home country, or the country where you have had legal residence during the last 6 months. The permit should be granted before your entry into Norway. Send your application to the nearest Norwegian embassy or consulate.

Why apply?
You are not allowed to work in Norway without a work permit. This applies to unpaid as well as paid work. Working without a valid permit can involve heavy fines and/or prison in maximum 6 months. Illegal workers may also get expelled from Norway in minimum 2 years.

Registration
Once you have been promised a job, have recived a work permit and arrived in Norway, you must register with the nearest National Registry (Folkeregisteret) to get provisional 'D' number or a personal 'ID' number . You have to meet personally for registration. Folkeregisteret is located in the same building/office as the tax office.

Tax card
You have to remember a tax card from thelocal tax office (likningskontoret) before you start to work. No matter if you are planning to work for one month or 6 years, you have to apply for a tax card. Otherwise 50% of your wages will be withhold in tax. If you are applying from Oslo, you can get your tax card at Liknigskontoret, Hagegata 23 at Tøyensenteret (near Tøyen Underground station) or order it by calling 815 444 55. You can also check here.

Students
International students have to apply for resident & work permit if you are planning to work. You have also to apply for tax card.

Remember
to apply or register as soon as possible, as the proceeding time to get a provisional 'D' number or a personal 'ID' number in order to have your a tax card can take up to to six weeks.

Tourist visa

Nobody with a tourist visa is allowed to work in Norway even if it is an unpaid job.
You are not recommended to try to apply for a work permit if you are tourist visa holder. It might ruin your chance to get another tourist visa once you are in your home country and wish to comeback to Norway for a visit.

Finding a job

Getting a job

The language is the major obstacle for most people. Many Norwegian employers speak English, but still prefer applicants with at least a functional command of Norwegian. Listings of vacant jobs, both in newspapers and on the Internet, are almost exclusively in Norwegian.

Most of the available jobs for non-Norwegian speakers are unskilled positions. Many of these are at bars, restaurants and hotels. Call each firm, or better, turn up in person and offer your labour. The newspaper “Aftenposten” is another major employer of foreign workers.

The Norwegian Employment Service is free of charge. The number of vacancies varies, but unemployment is generally low. The employment service’s home page is: www.aetat.no and EU-citizens can enjoy their home page www.eures-jobs.com where you'll find a long list of vacant jobs.

The Employment Service has an information line which provides you with the latest vacancies. English is understood. The number is: +47 800 33 166.

Major newspapers, such as “Aftenposten” or “Dagsavisen”, contain vacancy sections. You can also use the various job shops on the Internet. We have links to the major ones from our home page: www.unginfo.oslo.no/jobb/index.php

Au-pair work may be an option for some. Check with a local agency in your home country.

If you are interested in working or practicing in Ecological farm, there are plenty of opportunities as well. Contact Arbeid På Økologiske Gårder (APØG), Biologisk-dynamisk Forening, Elias Hofgaardsgt. 43, N-2318 Hamar, phone 62 53 36 16,
e-mail biodynfo@frisurf.no.

“Atlantis”, the Norwegian Foundation for Youth Exchange, runs 2 programmes which allow English-speaking people aged 18-30 of any nationality to stay in Norway, either as an au pair or as a working guest within farmin and tourism. You will recieve minimum NOK 800 as pocket money per week, as well as board and lodging. Apply minimum 3 months before departure. Home page: www.atlantis-u.no

If you have a specialised education and/or work experience, you should find the companies operating in your field. The Yellow Pages is a good place to start, see www.gulesider.no. You can also choose to see it in English.


You can also contact a private temping and recruitment office ("Vikarbyrе"), but usually you have to have a knowledge of Norwegian before you have a chance of getting a job:
www.manpower.no,
www.kellyservices.no
Some companies can hire people who speak English:

Newspaper and advertisement delivering:

Aftenposten
Fritjof Nansens vei 14
Tel: 22 93 36 40
http://avisbud.aftenposten.no

Norpost
Brobekkveien 68
Tel: 22 07 94 50

Cleaning company:
City Maid
Ulvenveien 89c
Tel: 23 24 76 00


Hotels and Restaurants
Check with larger hotels in Oslo for:
-Cleaning rooms
-Help in kitchen
-Washing dishes
-Waitering

Finding a place to live in Oslo

THE HOUSING SITUATION IN OSLO As elsewhere in Norway, most people own their flats and houses. Therefore the rental- market is limited. Stay patient and most important of all: Don't give up!

HOW TO FIND A PLACE TO RENT: «AFTENPOSTEN AFTEN» A good tip: Use the evening newspaper «Aftenposten Aften». It is a local newspaper for the Oslo-area and contains many advertisments for places to rent. You do not need to buy the paper, the Oslo Youth Information Centre has it from about 2 pm. Look for the «hus / leiligheter til leie» in the «FINN eiendom» section. Most advertisements contain telephone numbers of landlords. Call as soon as possible, usually you will be invited to come and see the room or apartment. This is called «visning» in Norwegian. You will not be alone, usually the landlord invites several people. It can be wise to bring along a written presentation of yourself including contact information. After all, your aim is that YOU are chosen by the landlord.

HOW TO FIND A PLACE TO RENT (OTHER METHODS):
One of the best methods to find a place to stay is through friends and collegues. Even if you still don't know many people in Oslo - ask as many as possible. You have nothing to loose!

Another way to find a place to stay is to make use of real estate agencies («eiendomsmeglere»). Most agencies only sell real estate, but in this brochure we have included a list of real estate agents that also provide places to rent. The companies we have listed are trustworthy and most of them do not charge any fees.

Please be cautious of agents demanding fees before they help you - think twice. There are many companies profiting of the difficult housing situation in Oslo.

If you are a student, you have the right to apply for a student flat through the university's or college's student welfare organization («Studentsamskipnaden»). These organizations own many student flats. If you will be studying at a private school or college, you can apply for a room at «Anker Studentboliger». We have also included some information about independent student homes.

Useful adresses:
http://www.unginfo.oslo.no/bolig/meglere.php
Real estate agencies that deal with rentals

http://www.unginfo.oslo.no/bolig/gardeiere.php
In case of emergency

A site to find lots of useful information, if you are moving to Norway, is Infomobil. It is extremly bad designed, an it takes some time to click and click until you find the information about Norway. It is however worthwhile the wait and clicks because the information is essential.

GLOSSARY

1 - roms / 2- roms etc. - number of rooms

bad - not a bad room, it means bathroom!

depositum / dep. - caution, money deposited as security

hybel - room

kjшkken / kjk. - kitchen

kvm. - square metres

leilighet - apartment / flat

mшblert - furnished

umшblert - unfurnished

pr. mnd - monthly rent