Norway · Work
Norway Seasonal worker permit
First stay: 6 mo
Residence permit for seasonal workers
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Seasonal worker permit is a work route for Norway. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- NOK 6,300 ≈ $660
- First stay
- 6 mo
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.
Renewal6 months max in total
Up to six months in total; the six months can be split over several permits and a new permit needs six months 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 months in total
- Time on this route doesn't count toward permanent residence
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Norway
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply4
- The applicant is at least 18 and has a concrete full-time job offer in seasonal work or holiday cover; each employer must have made an offer.
- The applicant does not qualify as a skilled worker; work such as carpentry or painting is not seasonal work.
- In agriculture and forestry the worker must fall within the seasonal quota.
- Conditions in the home country make it likely that the applicant will return after the work.
What you must show2
- Pay and working conditions are not poorer than normal in Norway, with a guaranteed minimum hourly wage.
- The application fee is NOK 6,300 (≈ $660).
Steps2
- Outside agriculture and forestry the employer obtains NAV confirmation that enough workers cannot be recruited from Norway or the EEA.
- When the applicant applies from abroad, the employer first confirms the job offer and gives the applicant a code to enter in the application form.
After you arrive2
- The permit is valid for at most six months out of twelve; after six months the holder stays outside Norway for six months.
- The permit period does not count towards permanent residence, and family cannot apply.
When you become tax resident
How Norway decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- This route
Up to 6 months in total, shorter than the 183-day test below.
- 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 seasonal work or holiday stand-in jobs; full-time job offer; employer must have NAV confirmation that Norwegian or EEA workers cannot be recruited (not needed in agriculture or forestry). 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 is at least 18 and has a concrete full-time job offer in seasonal work or holiday cover; each employer must have made an offer. 1
- The applicant does not qualify as a skilled worker; work such as carpentry or painting is not seasonal work. 1 3
- In agriculture and forestry the worker must fall within the seasonal quota. 3
- Conditions in the home country make it likely that the applicant will return after the work. 1
- Pay and working conditions are not poorer than normal in Norway, with a guaranteed minimum hourly wage. 1
- The application fee is NOK 6,300 (≈ $660). 2
- Outside agriculture and forestry the employer obtains NAV confirmation that enough workers cannot be recruited from Norway or the EEA. 1
- When the applicant applies from abroad, the employer first confirms the job offer and gives the applicant a code to enter in the application form. 1
- The permit is valid for at most six months out of twelve; after six months the holder stays outside Norway for six months. 1 3
- The permit period does not count towards permanent residence, and family cannot apply. 1
Stay
- Up to six months; the six months can be split over several permits and a new permit requires six months outside Norway. The permit does not lead to permanent residence.
- First stay: up to 6 months, decided case by case.
- Not renewable according to our source.
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
Seasonal work in the offer.
Family
Family is not entitled to residence permits.
Official sources
- Seasonal workers · 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
Seasonal worker permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonal worker permit | – | 6 mo | – |
| 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 | – |
| Foreign-company assignment | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Seasonal worker permit?
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 Seasonal worker permit?
Up to six months; the six months can be split over several permits and a new permit requires six months outside Norway.
Can I work on the Seasonal worker permit?
Seasonal work in the offer.
Can I bring my family on the Seasonal worker permit?
Family is not entitled to residence permits.
Who can apply for the Seasonal worker permit?
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 Seasonal worker permit lead to permanent residence in Norway?
Time on the Seasonal worker permit doesn't count toward permanent residence in Norway.
Is there a tax break for Seasonal worker permit 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.
- Seasonal workers · 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.