Student work rights in Norway
Rules for working while studying in Norway, including work limits, internships, tax steps and post-study routes where covered by the guide.
Read the complete Norway study abroad guide.
Part-time Jobs
A third-country university study permit normally gives permission to work up to 20 hours per week while studying and full time during ordinary holidays. UDI includes this work permission in the study permit rather than requiring a separate ordinary work permit.
You may not be self-employed or run your own business on the study permit. If work is a required part of the education, different/full-time work arrangements can apply under UDI's rules.
When you renew the study permit, UDI reassesses the work permission as part of the case. Falling substantially behind in your studies can therefore affect both the permit and your ability to keep working.
EU/EEA, Swiss and Nordic citizens have different free-movement labour rules and are not subject to the same 20-hour study-permit condition.
Source: https://www.udi.no/en/want-to-apply/studies/studietillatelse/
Post-study Work
If you complete education in Norway and meet the requirements, you may apply before your study permit expires for UDI's job-seeker permit for people who recently graduated in Norway. UDI recommends applying at least one month before the existing permit expires.
For the recently-graduated category, the permit can be granted for a maximum of one year. While looking for relevant skilled work, you may work full time or part time, including temporarily in jobs that do not themselves require skilled-worker qualifications. You may not be self-employed or run your own business.
Once you obtain qualifying skilled employment, you normally move to the relevant work-residence route. Do not confuse the graduate category with UDI's separate general job-seeker category, which has different conditions.
UDI explicitly states that time on the graduate job-seeker permit does not count toward permanent residence. Study permits are also temporary permits that do not themselves form the ordinary permanent-residence clock, so plan settlement around the later qualifying permit category rather than assuming your student years fully count.
Source: https://www.udi.no/en/want-to-apply/work-immigration/job-seekers/
Common questions
What should international students know about work in Norway?
Third-country study permits normally allow 20 hours of work per week during study and full-time work during holidays; self-employment is not allowed.
What should international students know about post study in Norway?
Recent Norwegian graduates can qualify for a job-seeker permit of up to one year and may work while searching; the permit does not count toward permanent residence.