Completed a vocational training programme of at least three years at upper secondary school level. NB: there must be a corresponding training programme in Norway.
Completed a degree from a university or college (BA, BSc, BE, etc…)
Special qualifications that you have obtained through long work experience, if relevant in combination with courses etc. A permit is only granted in such cases in exceptional circumstances. Your qualifications must be equivalent to those of someone who has completed vocational training.
Additionally, you must have received a concrete job offer from an employer in Norway, the job must normally be full-time (UDI will, at the time of writing, accept 80%), the job must have the same pay/conditions that is normal in Norway, and the job you are offered must require the qualifications as a skilled worker (and you must be qualified for the job).
If you do not fall into this category, you may qualify as a seasonal worker; however this route is considerably more difficult, usually temporary (<6 months), and your employer must prove that they cannot fill the position with a worker from Norway or the EEA/EU. You will need to be employed 100%, you will need a concrete job offer before you apply, and the job must be deemed season or holiday stand-in.
Those citizens who qualify as a skilled worker and who are coming from a country with a visa-free agreement with Norway you may be allowed to come to Norway as a skilled job seeker.
NB: You cannot work while you are searching for a job. This means that once you have a concrete job offer, you will need to apply for a residence permit as a worker and you cannot start working until your application has been approved.
It is very advantageous to have a grasp on the Norwegian language before you arrive. There are some fields which may accept a lower proficiency in Norwegian; however, these careers are few and far between and knowledge of the local language will help with both applying for jobs and acclimatizing to living in Norway.
Some international companies may post workers in Norway. You will still need a resident permit for workers; however, many companies will help with this process.
edit: New rules exist for UK citizens living in Norway. Formerly, UK citizens would be allowed to apply for residency under EEA/EU regulations. Post-Brexit, UK citizens are no longer allowed to apply for this immigration route. Certain citizens may be allowed to excise EEA treaty rights if they arrived and registered by a certain date. For more information, please see UDI’s Brexit Information page.
Workers
There are many types of working permits. UDI’s webpage will outline all the possibilities available to you but the most common are skilled worker and seasonal worker.
Skilled workers are those who:
Additionally, you must have received a concrete job offer from an employer in Norway, the job must normally be full-time (UDI will, at the time of writing, accept 80%), the job must have the same pay/conditions that is normal in Norway, and the job you are offered must require the qualifications as a skilled worker (and you must be qualified for the job).
If you do not fall into this category, you may qualify as a seasonal worker; however this route is considerably more difficult, usually temporary (<6 months), and your employer must prove that they cannot fill the position with a worker from Norway or the EEA/EU. You will need to be employed 100%, you will need a concrete job offer before you apply, and the job must be deemed season or holiday stand-in.
Those citizens who qualify as a skilled worker and who are coming from a country with a visa-free agreement with Norway you may be allowed to come to Norway as a skilled job seeker.
NB: You cannot work while you are searching for a job. This means that once you have a concrete job offer, you will need to apply for a residence permit as a worker and you cannot start working until your application has been approved.
It is very advantageous to have a grasp on the Norwegian language before you arrive. There are some fields which may accept a lower proficiency in Norwegian; however, these careers are few and far between and knowledge of the local language will help with both applying for jobs and acclimatizing to living in Norway.
Some international companies may post workers in Norway. You will still need a resident permit for workers; however, many companies will help with this process.
edit: New rules exist for UK citizens living in Norway. Formerly, UK citizens would be allowed to apply for residency under EEA/EU regulations. Post-Brexit, UK citizens are no longer allowed to apply for this immigration route. Certain citizens may be allowed to excise EEA treaty rights if they arrived and registered by a certain date. For more information, please see UDI’s Brexit Information page.