How to apply for a work permit step by step
You start with the right type of permit, not with a random form. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) uses your answers to show the right application, checklist, and appointment place.
| Step | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Choose the correct type of residence permit for work. |
| 2 | Check whether the employer must confirm the offer. |
| 3 | Fill in the application in UDI's online portal. |
| 4 | Pay the fee and save the receipt. |
| 5 | Gather the documents from your personal checklist. |
| 6 | Book and attend an appointment at the police, SUA, embassy, or VFS. |
| 7 | Follow messages from UDI while the case is processed. |
On SamfunnPrep you can use tools for documents and deadlines when you create your own overview. The tool does not replace UDI, but it helps you see what is missing.
1. Choose the correct type of permit
If you are from a country outside the EU/EEA, you usually need a residence permit to work in Norway. As of 6 July 2026, UDI says this was often called a work permit in the past.
As of 6 July 2026, UDI also says that you usually need a job first. The type of permit depends on your competence and the job you will do. Common choices are skilled worker, seasonal worker, self-employed person, or work in a humanitarian, nonprofit, or religious organisation.
If you do not yet have a job, you should first work on your CV, application, and interview before you pay a UDI fee.
2. Get the job offer confirmed
When you apply yourself from abroad, the employer may need to confirm the job offer before you send the form. UDI published a new scheme for this on 19 February 2026.
As of 6 July 2026, the scheme applies to several work permits when the applicant submits the application from abroad. The employer or client sends a form to UDI, receives a code of four English words, and sends the code to you. You enter the code in the application form. If the code is wrong, you cannot submit the application.
If the employer applies on your behalf, the situation is different. The employer usually needs written power of attorney from you. Also make sure the employment agreement is clear. A weak agreement can cause problems later, so read the guide to employment contracts in Norway before you sign.
3. Fill in the application and check the document list
Once you have chosen the correct type, fill in the application online with UDI. After you have submitted the electronic application, you will get information about which documents you must hand in.
As of 6 July 2026, UDI says the checklists on the website are only guidance. The most important list is the personal checklist you get after the form has been completed in My Applications. If you cannot apply electronically, you should use the checklist for your type of application.
As of 6 July 2026, the document list for a skilled-worker case may for example ask for:
- passport and copies of relevant pages
- signed covering letter or receipt from UDI
- job offer or employment contract
- documentation of education, trade certificate, or work experience
- authorisation if the occupation requires public approval
- power of attorney if the employer submits on your behalf
Do not guess if something is missing. Use the exact checklist, and bring original documents if UDI or the appointment place asks for them.
4. Pay the fee and book the appointment
You pay the fee when you register the application electronically, and you must attend the correct place to hand in documents. UDI does not book appointments for you.
As of 6 July 2026, the fee for a work residence permit for applicants over 18 is NOK 6,300. UDI says you can pay with Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. For an online application, you pay at the same time as you register the application.
If you apply from abroad, you usually hand in the documents at a VFS application centre or an embassy. A VFS centre may charge a service fee in addition to the UDI fee. Courier fees may also apply if a passport or documents must be sent on.
If you apply from Norway, you attend the police or the Service Centre for Foreign Workers (SUA), if SUA is the correct place for your case. As of 6 July 2026, UDI clearly says that only the police, the embassy, or VFS has access to its own calendar. You should not go to UDI to hand in the application.
5. When does the waiting time start?
The waiting time does not start when you press send in the online portal. As of 6 July 2026, UDI counts the waiting time from when you have handed in the documents at the police, an embassy, or an application centre.
This is a common mistake. If you register the application in June but get an appointment with the police in August, the waiting time starts in August. That is why you should book the appointment as early as the system allows.
As of 6 July 2026, UDI describes the process like this: after the appointment, the case is sent to UDI. When UDI has received the case, you will usually get a message by email or SMS. The case then enters the queue. UDI normally processes the oldest case first. If documents are missing, UDI will contact you. If the case needs extra checks, it may take longer.
6. Can you work while you wait?
As a rule, you cannot start working before you get an answer. As of 6 July 2026, there is a narrow exception for early work start in some skilled-worker cases.
Early work start means the police confirm that you can work for this employer while UDI processes the application. For a skilled worker with an employer in Norway, the application must be submitted with all required attachments. UDI also requires at least a completed three-year university or college education for this scheme.
You must ask for early work start when the application is handed in to the police. If the police have already sent the case to UDI, it is not possible to get such confirmation afterwards as of 6 July 2026. It is also not possible to ask for early work start if you submit the application at an embassy. UDI also says you cannot get this confirmation at SUA in Bergen, Oslo, Trondheim, Kirkenes, or Stavanger.
7. What to do after submission
After submission, follow the case, but do not send the same document several times. Use the correct channel if UDI asks for more information.
Do this after the appointment:
- save the receipt, reference number, and a copy of what you submitted
- check email, SMS, Digipost, and the postal mail regularly
- send in new documentation if you get new documents or UDI asks for them
- check UDI's waiting time page instead of calling about general processing times
- do not start the job before you are allowed to, unless the police have given valid early work start
If you get a positive decision and are outside Norway, follow the instructions from the embassy or application centre about visa and entry. If you are already in Norway, you must follow the instructions about the residence card. Once you actually arrive in Norway, the guide your first week in Norway can help you with ID checks, the National Registry, and practical steps.
Also remember the deadline for the next renewal. When the permit is nearing expiry, read about renewal of residence permits and deadlines in good time.
SamfunnPrep explains Norwegian rules in simple language, but UDI decides your application. Ready to understand more rules before you start work? Try SamfunnPrep free.
