Parental leave does not in itself prevent an application for permanent residence. Parental benefit may count as personal income, while unpaid leave may mean months without this income. At the same time, you must check the conditions of the residence permit you already hold.
Does parental benefit count before permanent residence?
Yes, parental benefit is on UDI's list of approved personal income. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) usually assesses income over a relevant twelve-month period for applicants between 18 and 67 years old. The requirement is NOK 341,373 before tax, checked on 1 October 2026. Wages and parental benefit can be included in the same period, but you must show who paid what. How the self-support requirement works explains the other income types and possible exemptions.
Parental benefit and parental leave are two different things. Leave is time away from work. The money may come directly from NAV (the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration), or your employer may pay wages and receive reimbursement. The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority says leave may also be fully or partly unpaid. You still have an employment relationship in that case, but that does not mean the period itself provides approved income. NAV's guide to parental benefit explains how the benefit works; here the question is documentation for UDI.
| Situation | What you should show | What you need to check |
|---|---|---|
| NAV pays parental benefit | Decision and overview of payments | Gross amount in the relevant twelve-month period. |
| Employer pays wages | Payslips and employer confirmation | That the same period is not counted twice alongside NAV reimbursement. |
| Partial leave | Working-hours agreement, wages and NAV periods | Which amounts relate to which months. |
| Unpaid leave | Written agreement and dates | Whether total approved income is still high enough. |
Which documents should you gather?
Create a timeline showing work, payments and leave month by month. This makes it easier to distinguish wages from parental benefit and unpaid time. Ask your employer to confirm the leave dates, whether it is paid or unpaid, and whether the employment relationship continues afterwards. NAV's “Your parental benefit” page shows applied-for and approved periods and documents in the case. NAV's payment overview shows the amounts NAV actually paid.
Gather the following before you submit your application:
- NAV decisions about parental benefit, including any decisions changing how you take it.
- An overview of NAV payments for the twelve-month period, or payslips for periods when your employer pays.
- Employer confirmation of your employment, leave dates and agreed return or continued work.
- Payslips and your employment contract for months you worked before or during leave.
- A written agreement on unpaid or partial leave, if applicable.
- The decision letter for your residence permit, so you can check its conditions while away from work.
UDI may have access to some Norwegian income information. The list above is practical preparation, not a promise that every document is required in every case. Follow the personalised document list you receive when applying and send additional documents if UDI asks for them. If you do not have the NAV decision, you can find case documents at nav.no or ask NAV for access.
Example: wages, parental benefit and unpaid leave
Count gross income for the months that actually fall within the period. Suppose B received NOK 210,000 in wages, NOK 165,000 in parental benefit from NAV, and no income in one month of unpaid leave during a twelve-month period. A simple estimate is NOK 375,000. That is above the current amount, but UDI decides whether the periods and amounts can be included. If the employer already paid wages during the NAV period, B must check that the same income is not added twice.
Now suppose the leave is extended without pay. As the twelve-month window moves forward, earlier wages may fall outside the period. Use the actual dates. UDI says the self-support requirement may be met when the application is submitted to the police, or later before a decision is made. Most other requirements must still be met when the decision is made. Do not plan your application based on the annual salary in your employment contract if the payments in the relevant period are different.
What about your residence permit while you are on leave?
Check the conditions of your temporary permit separately. If the permit is based on employment, it matters whether you remain employed, what work conditions the decision sets and when you are due to return. A legal right to leave under employment rules does not by itself answer how UDI assesses your specific basis for residence. For family immigration or protection, the questions may be different. Contact UDI or the police if the decision letter does not give a clear answer.
Ask a short, precise question: “I have a permit based on [basis] until [date]. I am on [paid/unpaid] parental leave from [date] to [date], and my employment relationship [continues/does not continue]. Does this affect the conditions of my permit while my permanent residence application is being processed?” Do not put your national identity number in an ordinary public email. Use a secure contact channel when UDI asks for information.
If your permit expires during your leave, check renewal deadlines early. On SamfunnPrep, you can use the residence-time tool to keep residence dates separate from the income period. The tool does not assess NAV payments or conditions in your decision. If you later need test practice, you can try SamfunnPrep for free.
Sources and rates checked on 1 October 2026.
