Are you an immigrant woman staying at home who wants to work? Jobbsjansen is a free programme that helps you with qualification and the path to employment or education. You receive a stipend while you participate, and around 7 out of 10 are in employment or education one year later.
Many women who come to Norway stay at home for some years, often with children. Starting to work can feel difficult without Norwegian work experience and with a small network. Jobbsjansen is made for exactly this situation.
What is Jobbsjansen?
Jobbsjansen is a scheme from IMDi (the Directorate of Integration and Diversity). Municipalities receive funding from IMDi and run a full-time qualification programme that is tailored to you, with an individual plan. The goal is for you to gain a lasting connection to working life and become financially independent. In 2026, 210,5 million kroner has been allocated to the scheme.
What does the programme include?
The programme is put together based on what you specifically need. It can include, among other things:
- Norwegian language training adapted to your level,
- work placement in a real workplace,
- courses in, for example, IT, health or customer service,
- help with writing CV and job applications, and practising job interviews,
- a dedicated adviser who follows you through the entire programme.
If you have small children, this is not a barrier to participation. The municipality must help you find a solution for childcare or a nursery place, so that you can participate full-time. Ask about this when you make contact.
Who can participate?
The target group is immigrant women between 18 and 55 years old who are staying at home with little or no connection to working life, who are not in ordinary education, and who need qualification. The answer to "can I participate?" is usually yes if this fits you—even if you receive transition allowance or social assistance.
- If you have completed the introduction programme, you can be admitted to Jobbsjansen later (as a general rule, earliest around two years after the programme has ended).
- If you are participating in the Qualification Programme (KVP) with NAV, you are not in the target group for Jobbsjansen. If you are unsure of the difference, read about the Qualification Programme (KVP).
Do I get paid while I participate?
Yes. The municipality must pay a Jobbsjansen stipend while you are participating. IMDi sets a minimum level of 1 times the National Insurance basic amount (1G) per year, regardless of age. 1G is 136 549 kroner from 1 May 2026. The stipend is not paid to you if you already receive transition allowance. For comparison, the introduction allowance is 2G per year.
Receiving a stipend means you do not have to choose between supporting your family and qualifying yourself—you can do both at the same time.
How long does the programme last?
Jobbsjansen is a full-time programme that lasts up to 2 years. It can be extended by up to 1 year when necessary, that is, up to 3 years in total. If you lack basic reading and writing skills, the programme can be extended for another year, up to 4 years. So you have enough time to build yourself up step by step.
Does it work?
Yes. The goal is that at least 70 per cent of participants should move into employment or education after the programme. In practice, 74 per cent of women who completed Jobbsjansen in 2025 were in employment or education one year later—that is, more than 7 out of 10. This makes Jobbsjansen one of the most effective paths into employment for this group.
You are not alone in starting afresh. Many who start in Jobbsjansen speak little Norwegian and have never had paid employment in Norway. This is completely normal, and the entire programme is designed to take you forward step by step, at your own pace.
What happens after the programme?
The goal is for you to stand on your own feet. After Jobbsjansen, many move straight into permanent or temporary employment, while others begin education or an apprenticeship. Your adviser helps you with the transition, for example by finding an employer or applying for a school place. If you do not quite reach the goal on your own, you can receive further follow-up from NAV.
How to register—ask your own municipality
The important thing to know: Jobbsjansen is not available in all municipalities. Only municipalities that have applied for and received a subsidy from IMDi offer the programme, and you do not register centrally with IMDi. You must contact your own municipality—ask the refugee and integration service, adult education or the NAV office, and ask: "Do you have Jobbsjansen?" If your municipality does not offer it, they can often point you to other measures.
Other paths to employment
If Jobbsjansen is not available where you live, or it does not suit you, there are several other free paths forward:
- NAV measures such as wage subsidies and work training—see NAV measures to get into employment.
- Free career guidance for help choosing a profession and education: free career guidance in Norway.
- Norwegian language training is often a requirement for employment; see how you can learn Norwegian for free.
Norwegian and civic knowledge are an important part of the path to employment. On SamfunnPrep you will find tools and guides for newcomers to Norway, and you can practise for free for the civic knowledge test while you prepare for working life.
