Norway · Work
Norway Trainee permit
Income needed: NOK 15k+ a month ≈ $1,620
Residence permit for trainees
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Trainee permit is a work route for Norway. Applicants need income of NOK 15k+ a month ≈ $1,620. You can stay 1 yr. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Money needed
- NOK 15k+ a month ≈ $1,620
- Government fees
- NOK 6,300 ≈ $660
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee NOK 6,300 ≈ $660; income to show NOK 15k+/mo ≈ $1,620. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
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.
Shown, not spentNOK 15k+/mo ≈ $1,620
- NOK 15,488 a month (≈ $1,620)Grant corresponds to Lånekassen basic support for 2026/2027 when no collective agreement applies.
Renewal1 year max, no extension
Normally up to six months and no more than twelve months in total; it cannot be renewed.
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.
- Can't be renewed: 1 year in total at most
- 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
- Some ways in have an age limit
What you'll need
Who can apply4
- The applicant is 18 or older and under 30 and is taking higher education at a foreign institution that is not yet completed.
- The stay builds on and is relevant to that education, and the applicant has a full-time trainee offer from one employer.
- Normally the applicant has not been a trainee before and has not worked in the same field.
- Exceptionally, a worker not in education can come for vocational training under a contract between the employer and companies in Norway, or an intergovernmental agreement.
What you must show3
- Pay is at least the collective wage rate for trainees, or not poorer than normal for a trainee in the occupation.
- A grant instead of pay is at least NOK 15,488 (≈ $1,620) per month (Lånekassen basic support for 2026/2027).
- The application fee is NOK 6,300 (≈ $660).
Documents1
- A training plan for the whole period applied for is submitted.
After you arrive2
- The permit is valid for up to six months, or up to twelve months where longer traineeships are usual in the industry; it cannot be renewed.
- Remote work is not allowed unless it is part of the traineeship.
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 1 year 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.
All tax rules for Norway Tax records checked
Full official text
For students of a foreign institution doing practical training in Norway; age 18 to under 30. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least NOK 15,488 a month (≈ $1,620) · Grant corresponds to Lånekassen basic support for 2026/2027 when no collective agreement applies. 1
- 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 18 or older and under 30 and is taking higher education at a foreign institution that is not yet completed. 1
- The stay builds on and is relevant to that education, and the applicant has a full-time trainee offer from one employer. 1
- Normally the applicant has not been a trainee before and has not worked in the same field. 1
- Exceptionally, a worker not in education can come for vocational training under a contract between the employer and companies in Norway, or an intergovernmental agreement. 1 3
- Pay is at least the collective wage rate for trainees, or not poorer than normal for a trainee in the occupation. 1
- A grant instead of pay is at least NOK 15,488 (≈ $1,620) per month (Lånekassen basic support for 2026/2027). 1
- The application fee is NOK 6,300 (≈ $660). 2
- A training plan for the whole period applied for is submitted. 1
- The permit is valid for up to six months, or up to twelve months where longer traineeships are usual in the industry; it cannot be renewed. 1
- Remote work is not allowed unless it is part of the traineeship. 1
Stay
- Normally up to six months and no more than twelve months in total; cannot be renewed and does not lead to permanent residence.
- First stay: up to 12 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
Training with one employer.
Family
Spouse and children can usually apply.
Official sources
- Vocational training and research · 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
Trainee permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trainee permit | Needs income of NOK 15k+ a month ≈ $1,620 | 1 yr | – |
| 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 Trainee permit?
Income of at least NOK 15,488 a month (≈ $1,620). Grant corresponds to Lånekassen basic support for 2026/2027 when no collective agreement applies. 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 Trainee permit?
Normally up to six months and no more than twelve months in total; cannot be renewed and does not lead to permanent residence.
Can I work on the Trainee permit?
Training with one employer.
Can I bring my family on the Trainee permit?
Spouse and children can usually apply.
Who can apply for the Trainee 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 Trainee permit lead to permanent residence in Norway?
Time on the Trainee permit doesn't count toward permanent residence in Norway. The stay itself ends after 12 months and can't be extended.
How are Trainee permit holders taxed in Norway?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Trainee permit. The standard rules apply: 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.
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.
- Vocational training and research · 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.