Norway NGO employee

Residence permit of one year at a time, up to four years in total, for full-time employment in an established non-profit, humanitarian or religious organisation that needs foreign labour or takes part in an international exchange programme. ^{1 2 3}

What you must show and pay

• A fee of NOK 6,300 (≈ $660) · Application fee under Immigration Regulations section 17-10 (work and similar permits), including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half. ³

Requirements

• The applicant has a concrete offer of full-time employment from an established organisation whose main purpose is non-profit, humanitarian or religious work. ¹
• The applicant comes as part of an international exchange programme or because the organisation needs foreign labour, and is not working as a religious leader or teacher. ^{1 2}
• Pay and working conditions are not poorer than normal for the occupation; low or no pay is accepted where that is normal. ¹
• The pay is enough to live on and the applicant has somewhere to live; with low or no pay the organisation covers board, lodging and the return ticket. ¹
• The application fee is NOK 6,300 (≈ $660). ³
• The permit is valid for one year at a time, at most four years in total. ^{1 2}
• The permit period does not count towards permanent residence; spouse or cohabitant and children can usually apply. ¹

Stay

• One year at a time, at most four years in total; the permit does not lead to permanent residence.
• Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
• 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

Work for the organisation; a new job or employer needs a new permit.

Family

Spouse or cohabitant and children can usually apply; family applying at the same time receives the answer at the same time.

Checked 2026-10-12

Official sources

1. Exchange programmes, culture, organisational work and working holiday · Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) · checked 2026-10-12
2. Immigration Regulations (utlendingsforskriften), chapters 6 and 10 · Lovdata (Norwegian legislation) · checked 2026-10-10
3. Regulation on foreigners' entry and residence (utlendingsforskriften), section 17-10: processing fees for residence permits · Lovdata (Norwegian regulation text) · checked 2026-10-11