# Part-time work as a student in Norway: hours, tax, and rights

Part-time work as a student in Norway: if you are from outside the EEA you can work up to 20 hours per week, EEA citizens have no limit. Here is how you arrange a tax card and free tax card.

Canonical: https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/deltidsjobb-som-student-norge
Language: en
Publisher: SamfunnPrep
Author: Hlib Suslov
Published: 2026-07-08T20:01:32.472+00:00
Modified: 2026-10-14T07:12:18.742669+00:00
AI use policy: https://samfunnprep.no/ai-policy.txt

## Key takeaways

- Students from outside the EEA with a study permit can work Students from outside the EEA with a study permit can work up to 20 hours per week during their studies and full time in the holidays. EEA students have no time limit.
- Everyone must have a tax card Everyone must have a tax card. If you earn 100 000 kroner or less in 2026, you get a free tax card and pay no tax.
- A part-time job gives you the same rights as others A part-time job gives you the same rights as other employees: written contract, correct pay and a safe working environment.

## Part-time work as a student in Norway: explained simply

A **part-time job as a student in Norway** gives you your own money and good experience. But the rules are not the same for everyone. They depend on where you come from.

- Are you from a country **outside the EEA** and do you have a study permit: you can work **up to 20 hours per week** alongside your studies, and **full time in the holidays**.
- Are you an **EEA citizen**: you have **no time limit**.
- Everyone must have a **tax card**. If you earn under **100 000 kroner** in 2026, you get a **free tax card** and pay no tax.
- You have the **same rights** at work as other employees.

Below we explain each part. (EEA = The European Economic Area. It is the EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.)

## How many hours can you work?

This is the most important question for many. The answer depends on your stay.

**Students from outside the EEA.** If you get a study permit from **UDI** (Utlendingsdirektoratet), you also get permission to work **up to 20 hours per week** during your studies. This also applies to home office and freelance work on the internet. In official holidays you can work **full time**. All work counts together. If you work in a café and take freelance jobs, both count towards the 20-hour limit.

With **holidays** we mean the official study breaks, for example summer holiday, Christmas holiday and Easter holiday. In these periods the 20-hour limit falls away, and you can work full time.

The limit is important. If you break the rule about 20 hours, it can become harder to renew your study permit later. Therefore write down your hours, and ask your employer for a time sheet. Then you have proof that you have followed the rules.

**EEA students.** If you are a citizen of an EEA or EFTA country, no such time limit applies. You have the right to work like other EEA citizens, and you do not need a work permit. If you are going to live and study in Norway for more than three months, you only need to **register** with UDI. Registration is free, and you do it only once. You can go from being a student to becoming an employee without registering again. Read more in our article about [EEA students in Norway](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/eos-student-norge).

| Topic | Student from outside EEA | EEA/EFTA student |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hours during studies | Up to 20 h/week | No limit |
| Work in holidays | Full time | No limit |
| Own work permit | Yes, comes with study permit | No |
| Must register with UDI | Yes (study permit) | Yes, if stay over 3 months |

## Do you need your own work permit?

No, as a rule not. If you get a study permit from UDI, you get the **right to work automatically**. You do not apply for a separate work permit. But remember the limit of 20 hours per week. Self-employment is not allowed on a regular study permit.

EEA students do not need a work permit either. Registration with UDI is not the same as a permit. It only confirms that you are registered.

## Tax card and free tax card: what do you need?

Everyone who works in Norway must have a **tax card**. It is an electronic card from **Skatteetaten**. Your employer gets it themselves from Skatteetaten. You need a Norwegian personal number or d-number to get one.

Here is how you arrange it: If you do not have a personal number, you first apply for a **d-number**. Then you order a tax card or free tax card on skatteetaten.no. You log in and fill in how much you expect to earn. Skatteetaten creates the card, and your employer gets it digitally. You do not need to deliver anything on paper.

If you have a low income, you get a **free tax card**. With a free tax card your employer does not deduct tax. In **2026** the limit is **100 000 kroner**. If you earn **100 000 kroner or less** in the year, you pay no tax.

Do you think you will earn more than 100 000 kroner? Then you must order a regular tax card from Skatteetaten. If you do not, your employer deducts **50 percent** tax on what you earn over the limit of 100 000 kroner. Remember that holiday pay also counts in the sum. Read more about [tax card and free tax card](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/skattekort-baksmell-2026).

## What rights do you have as a part-time employee?

You have the **same rights** as all other employees. A part-time job is a real job. This includes:

- **Written employment contract.** You have the right to an [employment contract](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/arbeidskontrakt-norge) from the first day.
- **Correct pay.** In some industries there is a legally set **minimum wage** (universally applied wage). **Arbeidstilsynet** watches over the rules. From 15 June 2025 the hourly wage is for example at least **204,79 kroner** in hotels and restaurants and at least **216,04 kroner** in cleaning.
- **Holiday pay** and pay you are entitled to.
- **Fixed working hours and breaks.** The Working Environment Act sets limits for how much and when you can work.
- **A safe working environment** (HSE = Health, Safety and Environment).
- **Sick pay** if you become sick and meet the conditions. NAV (Arbeids- og velferdsetaten) can help you.
- **Protection against unlawful dismissal.**

Want to know more? See our overview of [workers' rights](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/arbeidstakers-rettigheter). On **snl.no** (Store norske leksikon) you can read more about the Working Environment Act.

Undeclared work – work without tax and contract – gives you none of these rights. Say no to it.

## What should you do first?

A **part-time job as a student in Norway** is fully possible when you know the rules. Do this before you start:

1. Check what kind of stay you have (EEA or outside EEA).
2. Get a Norwegian personal number or d-number.
3. Order a tax card or free tax card from Skatteetaten.
4. Ask for a written employment contract before you start.
5. Follow the time limit of 20 hours if you have a study permit.

## Practice working life with SamfunnPrep

The rules about work, tax and rights are also part of the **Samfunnskunnskapsprøven**. With **SamfunnPrep** you practice on exactly these topics. You get questions about working life, tax and Norwegian rules in simple language.

SamfunnPrep helps you understand both the test and your daily life in Norway. [Create a free account and start practicing](https://samfunnprep.no/register).

## FAQ

### How many hours can a student work in Norway?

If you have a study permit from UDI (from outside the EEA), you can work up to 20 hours per week during your studies and full time in the holidays. EEA and EFTA students have no time limit.

### Do I need my own work permit to work as a student?

No. The right to work follows automatically with the study permit from UDI. EEA students do not need a work permit either, but must register with UDI if their stay is over three months.

### What is the limit for free tax card in 2026?

The limit is 100 000 kroner. If you earn 100 000 kroner or less in 2026, you have a free tax card and pay no tax. Remember that holiday pay counts in the sum.

### Does the 20-hour limit apply to EEA students?

No. The 20-hour limit only applies to students with a study permit from outside the EEA. EEA and EFTA citizens can work without time limits and without a work permit.

### Do I have the same rights in a part-time job?

Yes. A part-time job gives you the same rights as other employees: written employment contract, correct pay, holiday pay, a safe working environment and protection against unlawful dismissal.

### What happens if I earn more than 100 000 kroner?

Then you must order a regular tax card from Skatteetaten. If you do not, your employer deducts 50 percent tax on what you earn over the limit of 100 000 kroner.

## Sources

- [Study permit – work rules for students](https://www.udi.no/en/want-to-apply/studies/studietillatelse/)
- [Students who are EU/EEA nationals](https://www.udi.no/en/want-to-apply/residence-under-the-eueeu-regulations/student-who-are-eueea-national/)
- [Exemption card (frikort) – income threshold](https://www.skatteetaten.no/en/person/taxes/tax-deduction-card-and-advance-tax/exemption-card/)
- [Minimum wage (minstelønn)](https://www.arbeidstilsynet.no/en/pay-and-engagement-of-employees/pay-and-minimum-rates-of-pay/minimum-wage/)

Citation: Hlib Suslov, "Part-time work as a student in Norway: hours, tax, and rights", SamfunnPrep, 2026-07-08T20:01:32.472+00:00, https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/deltidsjobb-som-student-norge