You can change employer on a residence permit for skilled workers without applying again – as long as you continue in the same type of position. Then you only have to notify the police within seven days. If you are moving into a new type of position, you must apply for a new residence permit, and you cannot start in the new position before you have received an answer. If you apply for renewal at least one month before the permit expires, you keep the right to work while you wait.

New employer, same type of position: no new application

If you only change employer but continue in the same type of position, you do not need to apply for a new residence permit. This is because the permit for skilled workers is tied to a specific type of work, not to a single employer (utlendingsforskriften – the Immigration Regulations – § 6-1). The decision from Utlendingsdirektoratet (UDI, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration) states what kind of work you may do, and possibly which employer you are to work for.

You must still do two things. Notify the police where you live within seven days after you start the new job. And make sure that pay, working conditions and the other requirements for the skilled-worker permit are still met with the new employer. A new employment contract should show this clearly. If the conditions are not met, you can lose the basis for the permit. Read more about residence permits for skilled workers.

New type of position: apply for a new residence permit first

If you are going to start in a new type of position, you must apply for a new residence permit. This applies whether you stay with the same employer or move to a new one. You cannot start in the new type of position before you have been granted the new permit.

By «new type of position» we mean work that is something other than what your permit currently applies to. If you are unsure whether the new job counts as the same or a new type of position, you should ask UDI before you say yes to the position. The guide how to apply for a work permit explains the application itself.

Can you work while the application is being processed?

It depends on your situation.

  • Renewal in the same work situation: If you have a renewable permit and apply for renewal at least one month before it expires, you keep the same rights during the waiting time, including the right to work, until the application is decided. See the deadlines for renewing the residence permit.
  • New permit for a new type of position: In that case you usually have to wait to begin the new work until you have received an answer to the application. You may continue in the job your current permit already applies to, as long as it is valid, but not start in the new type of position before the new permit has been granted.
  • Exception – early start of work: If you have applied for a residence permit as a skilled worker with an employer in Norway and have already received confirmation of an early start of work from the police, you may begin working before the application is decided. Without such confirmation you must wait.

How to proceed, step by step

  1. Find out whether the new job is the same type of position or a new type of position. If in doubt, ask UDI.
  2. Check that pay and working conditions in the new job meet the requirements for the skilled-worker permit.
  3. Same type of position: start the job and notify the police where you live within seven days.
  4. New type of position: submit an application for a new residence permit, and wait for an answer before you start in the new position – unless you have confirmation of an early start of work.
  5. Is the permit nearing expiry? Apply for renewal no later than one month before it expires, so that you keep your rights while you wait.

Time and fee

A new application for a residence permit costs an application fee, and the processing time varies from case to case. UDI gives the current fee and an estimate of the processing time at udi.no. Check these before you plan to start in a new type of position, since you normally have to wait for the answer. Notifying the police about a change of employer, on the other hand, is a simple notification, not a new application.

A common pitfall: do not start too early – and keep the deadlines

The most common mistake is to begin in a new type of position before the new residence permit has been granted. Then you are working without a valid permit for the new work, and this can harm both the job and your basis for residence. Wait for the decision, or obtain confirmation of an early start of work first.

Another common mistake is to forget the notification to the police within seven days, or to apply for renewal too late. If you apply for renewal less than one month before the permit expires, you risk no longer having the right to work while you wait.

If you lose your job before you manage to change

If you lose your job, you must notify the police where you live within seven days. You may then stay in Norway and look for a new job for up to six months, as long as your residence permit is still valid throughout this whole period. If you find a new job in the same type of position, you follow the rules above. Read more about what happens if you lose your job.

Where to give notice and get help

Notifications about a new employer and loss of a job are made to the police where you live. Applications for a new residence permit and renewal are sent to UDI. If you are in doubt about whether the new job requires a new application, contact UDI before you change – a short question in advance is safer than discovering the mistake afterwards. The rules here are taken from UDI and utlendingsforskriften (the Immigration Regulations) and applied in July 2026; always check updated information at udi.no. If you want to learn more about rules and rights in Norwegian society, SamfunnPrep has several guides about residence and work.