Work permit authorisation for Non-EU Nationals (Difficulty)

12POSTS

8 years ago

How difficult is it to get a work permit authorised for a "skilled worker" - I hold a bachelor's degree - in Norway, as a third country national residing abroad?

UDI states "if the position requires a bachelor's degree, your pay must be at least NOK 386 700 per year pre-tax".

Would this requirement discourage Norwegian employers to hire third country nationals (non EU) ?

For instance in other European countries like the Netherlands "skilled" third country nationals must be paid about 2 times the minimum wage, but Dutch holders of bachelor degrees would be making in average some 300-400 euros less, from my research. In Malta the requirement is about 1.5 times the average wage to hire a third country national.

Is the Norwegian requirement the average or above it?

From what I understand, holding the right qualifications and being offered the above mentioned salary are the main requirements in Norway. For "skilled work" (vocational, bachelor or master) a market test is not performed, in other words checking whether other Norwegians or EU citizens could do the job instead.

Any thoughts or knowledge on this?

Thanks.

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fornight Serial expat

395POSTS

8 years ago

I don't think they did any market test to check if other norwegians or EU citizen can do the job instead but my company did wrote a letter to UDI explaining why they needed me etc.

Yes, based on my experience with others who have the permit, it is just the right qualification and salary.

There was a news a few years back that an immigrant wanted to work in a church. He has the right qualification for skilled worker permit but because his pay was too low (church cannot pay well and he is willing to work for that pay), his application for work permit was rejected.

Mauricio119 Member

12POSTS

8 years ago

Thank you for your feedback. Yep. They don't make this check when it is skilled work only for "unskilled" positions in which case, permits are only seasonal up to 6 months.

I was mainly concerned whether the requirement of an income of at least NOK 386 700 per year pre-tax for a BA holder, was above the average in Norway or not. For instance in the Netherlands the requirement is about 3100 euro for non-eu skilled workers, when a Dutch BA holder could be paid some hundred euros less from my research.