Regulated professions/authorisation
For some professions and trades, you must have an authorisation before you can start working. This authorisation is regulated by law. This means that in order to work in a regulated profession or trade, your educational qualifications and, in some cases, your professional experience, must be recognised. The regulation of certain professions and trades applies both to those which require higher education and those which require vocational education and training at a lower level. Check whether your profession or trade is regulated in Norway
General recognition
For most professions or trades, no specific recognition is required before you can start working in Norway. Professions such as engineer, economist, social worker, journalist, beautician and painter/decorator are not regulated and do not require recognition or authorisation. An employer may nevertheless wish you to have your educational qualifications formally recognised, because it makes it easier to evaluate whether you fulfil the educational requirements of a specific post. If you have higher education, you can send an application for general recognition to NOKUT (Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education). Read more about NOKUT’s general recognition of foreign higher education
Craft certificates and journeyman’s certificates
Apart from the professions and trades that are regulated, there is no system of regulation for most types of education taken at vocational schools outside Norway. If you have vocational education and training from another country, and have taken your craft or journeyman’s certificate there, you may apply for an assessment of your competence. Read more about recognition of craft or journeyman’s certificates
Most foreign workers need a residence permit to work in Norway. On the website of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI), you will find more information about the rules and guidelines that apply to the various types of residence permit, how you can apply for a residence permit, and the procedure for employers who wish to employ foreign workers. Read more on UDI’s website
If you come from an EU/EEA country, there are systems designed to make it easier for you to have your professional qualifications recognised. These systems are controlled by EU Directives.
To have your qualifications recognised, you must be fully qualified to practise your profession in an EU/EEA country. If you are fully qualified, you may apply to have your professional qualifications recognised in another EU/EEA country. Once your qualifications are formally recognised, you can work in the EU/EEA country you applied to and you have the right to use the professional title authorised in that country.
There are a number of special recognition authorities in Norway that are responsible for recognising professional qualifications. Read more about the EU Directive on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications for regulated professions.