Norway · Work
Norway Foreign-company assignment
First stay: 2 yrs
Residence permit for employee of a company abroad on assignment in Norway
Checked against official sources on Record corrected 11 Oct 2026Change log
Key facts
Foreign-company assignment is a work route for Norway. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- NOK 6,300 ≈ $660
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
Government feesNOK 6,300 ≈ $660
- NOK 6,300 (≈ $660)Application fee for a work residence permit (Immigration Act sections 23 to 26), including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half.
RenewalRenewable, 6 years max
Granted for two years at a time, up to six years in total, followed by two years outside Norway.
Permanent residenceTime here doesn't count
This permit does not lead to permanent residence.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route is capped at 6 years in total
- Time on this route doesn't count toward permanent residence
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Norway
- Work rights are limited
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- The applicant works for a company abroad that has a contract with a business in Norway for services of limited duration.
- The applicant has three years of vocational training, a degree or special qualifications relevant to the assignment.
- The Norwegian client has a registered business address in Norway and is not a staffing company; as a rule the offer concerns one client.
What you must show2
- Pay and working conditions are not poorer than normal in Norway.
- The application fee is NOK 6,300 (≈ $660).
Steps1
- The client confirms the assignment offer and gives the applicant a code before the application is submitted from abroad.
After you arrive3
- The permit is valid for two years at a time and up to six years in total; after six years the holder lives outside Norway for two years.
- The permit period does not count towards permanent residence.
- Spouse or cohabitant and children can apply when the assignment lasts more than six months.
When you become tax resident
How Norway decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 6 years in total
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in any 12-month periodPresence in Norway for more than 183 days in one or more periods makes a person resident for the income year in which the limit is passed.
- More than 270 days in any 36-month periodPresence in Norway for more than 270 days in any 36-month period also makes a person resident, except for persons resident on Svalbard.
- Foreign-source income
Norwegian tax residents are taxed on worldwide income and wealth: 22% on general income plus bracket tax of 1.7% to 17.8% on personal income above NOK 226,100, (≈ $23,600) and employees pay 7.6% national insurance contributions.
- Regime tied to this route
PAYE scheme for foreign workers · 25% tax
New workers with short stays or in their first year as tax resident can be taxed at a flat 25% on salary (17.4% in 2026 if exempt from national insurance contributions), up to NOK 725,050 (≈ $75,700) earnings.
All tax rules for Norway Tax records checked
Full official text
For employees of a foreign company that has a contract with a Norwegian client to provide services of limited duration in Norway. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- A fee of NOK 6,300 (≈ $660) · Application fee for a work residence permit (Immigration Act sections 23 to 26), including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half. 2
Requirements
- The applicant works for a company abroad that has a contract with a business in Norway for services of limited duration. 1 3
- The applicant has three years of vocational training, a degree or special qualifications relevant to the assignment. 1
- The Norwegian client has a registered business address in Norway and is not a staffing company; as a rule the offer concerns one client. 1
- Pay and working conditions are not poorer than normal in Norway. 1
- The application fee is NOK 6,300 (≈ $660). 2
- The client confirms the assignment offer and gives the applicant a code before the application is submitted from abroad. 1
- The permit is valid for two years at a time and up to six years in total; after six years the holder lives outside Norway for two years. 1 3
- The permit period does not count towards permanent residence. 1
- Spouse or cohabitant and children can apply when the assignment lasts more than six months. 1
Stay
- Two years at a time, up to six years in total, then two years outside Norway; the permit does not lead to permanent residence.
- First stay: up to 24 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
The assignment only; no remote work unless part of the job.
Family
Family can apply when the assignment lasts more than six months.
Official sources
- Skilled workers, assignments, athletes, religious leaders, self-employed · Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) · checked 2026-10-12
- Regulation on foreigners' entry and residence (utlendingsforskriften), section 17-10: processing fees for residence permits · Lovdata (Norwegian regulation text) · checked 2026-10-11
- Immigration Regulations (utlendingsforskriften), chapters 6 and 10 · Lovdata (Norwegian legislation) · checked 2026-10-10
Foreign-company assignment and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign-company assignment | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Skilled worker permit | Needs income from NOK 545k a year ≈ $57k | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Artist or performer | Needs income of NOK 341k+ a year ≈ $36k | 1 yr | – |
| Athlete / coach permit | Needs income of NOK 341k+ a year ≈ $36k | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Branch assignment permit | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Foreign-company assignment?
A fee of NOK 6,300 (≈ $660). Application fee for a work residence permit (Immigration Act sections 23 to 26), including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half.
How long can I stay on the Foreign-company assignment?
Two years at a time, up to six years in total, then two years outside Norway; the permit does not lead to permanent residence.
Can I work on the Foreign-company assignment?
Limited. The assignment only; no remote work unless part of the job.
Can I bring my family on the Foreign-company assignment?
Family can apply when the assignment lasts more than six months.
Who can apply for the Foreign-company assignment?
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Foreign-company assignment lead to permanent residence in Norway?
Time on the Foreign-company assignment doesn't count toward permanent residence in Norway.
Is there a tax break for Foreign-company assignment holders in Norway?
PAYE scheme for foreign workers (25% flat): New workers with short stays or in their first year as tax resident can be taxed at a flat 25% on salary (17.4% in 2026 if exempt from national insurance contributions), up to NOK 725,050 (≈ $75,700) earnings. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
PAYE scheme for foreign workers (25% flat)
25% tax
Details
- On: Salary withheld by the employer
- Limit: NOK 725k/yr ≈ $76k
New workers with short stays or in their first year as tax resident can be taxed at a flat 25% on salary (17.4% in 2026 if exempt from national insurance contributions), up to NOK 725,050 (≈ $75,700) earnings.
Taxed on
Salary withheld by the employer; no tax return for the year.
Who it applies to
- Not a tax resident (short work stay under 183 days in 12 months or 270 days in 36 months) or first year as tax resident.
- Earnings under NOK 725,050 (≈ $75,700) in 2026.
Exclusions
- Earning more than NOK 725,050 (≈ $75,700); tax resident for more than a year; other taxable income such as Nav benefits, Norwegian business income or capital income above NOK 10,000 (≈ $1,040).
Limits
- NOK 725,050 a year (≈ $75,700) · 2026 earnings ceiling for PAYE (NOK 697,150 (≈ $72,800) in 2025).
Tax residence
Short work stays of under 183 days in a 12-month period (or under 270 days in 36 months) keep the worker in PAYE each time a card is applied for; the first year as tax resident may also use PAYE.
Visas
Independent of the permit type.
Other taxes
A worker can opt out of the PAYE scheme and use the general tax rules, with deductions, at any time.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in Norway
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 3 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Skilled workers, assignments, athletes, religious leaders, self-employed · Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) · checked 2026-10-12
- Regulation on foreigners' entry and residence (utlendingsforskriften), section 17-10: processing fees for residence permits · Lovdata (Norwegian regulation text) · checked 2026-10-11
- Immigration Regulations (utlendingsforskriften), chapters 6 and 10 · Lovdata (Norwegian legislation) · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.