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NEW IN NORWAYPractical information from public agencies

NEW EDITION 2016

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Contents

T R A N S P O R T A N D S E R V I C E S

U S E F U L I N F O R M A T I O N

W O R K

C H I L D R E N A N D S C H O O L S

H E A L T H

R E C R E A T I O N A L A C T I V I T I E SThis section contains information

about the Norwegian school system.In addition, it provides informationabout bene ts you are entitled toas a parent, and who to contact foradvice or help regarding di cultfamily issues. Among other things,this section will answer the followingquestions:

What kind of nancial bene ts amI entitled to after I have hadchildren? ...........................................................52Am I entitled to family allowanceeven if my children live in theirhome country? ..............................................53Who do I contact to get a place ata pre-school day care center for mychild? ..................................................................53How long must my child stay inNorway to be entitled and obligedto go to school? ............................................56When does my child start school? ....56Is education free in Norway? ................56Is my child entitled to schooltransport? .........................................................58Am I entitled to nancial supportif I wish to study in Noway? ...................59In what way can the child welfare

services help me? ........................................60Where can I get help if I am the victimof violence, abuse or threats? ..............61

This section contains informationabout what the National Insurancescheme is, how the Norwegian publichealth service is organised, the rulesthat apply to the di erent healthservices in Norway, and what youshould do if you are ill and unable towork. Among other things, this sectionwill answer the following questions:

What is the National Insurancescheme? ............................................................64How are the public health servicesorganised? ......................................................64When do I become a member of theNational Insurance scheme? .................64Do I have to pay when I seea primary doctor? ........................................65What kind of care will I receive ifI am pregnant? ..............................................66What is the primary doctorscheme? ............................................................66When should I contact my primarydoctor, and when should I use theaccident and emergencydepartment? ...................................................68When can I receive treatmentin a hospital? ..................................................68Is hospital admission free? ....................68

What kind of treatment can I receivefrom the public dental service? ..........69How can I get treatment froma physiotherapist? ......................................69When do I need a European healthinsurance card? .............................................69What should I do if I am unableto work due to illness? .............................71

This section contains informationabout cultural facilities andrecreational activities, voluntarygroups and organisations, and therules that apply to hunting and shingand outdoor pursuits/rights of way inthe countryside. Among other things,this section will answer the followingquestions:

What role do voluntary groups andorganisations have in Norwegiansociety? .............................................................74How can I or my children join a clubor an organization? ....................................75What is the public right of way? .........77Where is it free to sh and wheredo I have to pay? ..........................................78What do I need to rememberwhen I am in a boat? ..................................79Can I go hunting in Norway? .................80What do I need to rememberwhen walking/skiing in themountains? ....................................................81

This section contains informationabout regulations and legislationrelating to the use of a foreign driver’slicence and a foreign-registered car.You will learn about driving and owninga car and how public transport isorganised. Several nancial and com-munication services are also described.Among other things, this section willanswer the following questions:

Can I use my driving licencein Norway? ..........................................................84How long can I drive a foreign-registered car? ...................................................84How do I register my carin Norway? ...........................................................86What tra c and parking rules applyin Norway? ...........................................................92How do I open a bank account? .............100What kind of insurance do I needduring my stay in Norway? ........................104What do I need to think about whenpurchasing telephone and internetservices? ...............................................................107Do I have to pay a televisionlicence? ..................................................................108What services does Norway Postprovide? ................................................................108

How do I use online publicservices? ...............................................................109

This section contains facts aboutNorway and how the Norwegian courtsystem is organised. You will alsolearn about what the di erent publicagencies are responsible for and whereyou can nd contact information forthe agencies so that you can get intouch with them if you have a question.

Note!For important deadlines,dates and telephone numberssee end of the booklet.

This section contains informationabout permits, registration and howyou can nd a place to live. It providesinformation about your rights to getNorwegian language courses andinterpreting services. Among otherthings, this section will answer thefollowing questions:

Do I need a residence permit

or should I make a registration? .......8, 11How can I arrange for my familyto come to Norway? ............................... 9, 13Do I need to be registered in thepopulation register? ....................................18What is a D-number? ....................................18What can I bring with me withoutpaying tax when I move to Norway? ...20How can I nd a place to live? ................20What are my rights as a tenant? .............21How can I get nancing to buya house or an apartment? ..........................24Am I entitled to use an interpreterin contact with public agencies? ...........28Am I entitled to tuition in theNorwegian language? .................................29

M O V I N G T O N O R W A Y This section contains information

about your rights and duties as anemployee. It provides informationabout what your employment contractshould include, how to pay taxes,and whether your education can berecognised. Among other things, thissection will answer the followingquestions:

What should my employmentcontract include? ........................................32How are working hours regulated? ...32How is pay regulated? ..............................33Am I entitled to holidaysand holiday pay? .........................................34Can I be granted leavefrom work? ......................................................35What rules apply to temporarylay-o s and dismissals? ...........................37How is the tax systemstructured? ......................................................41Where do I get a taxdeduction card? ...........................................42What are the advantages of unionmembership? .................................................45How can I get recognition foreducation taken abroad? ........................47Am I entitled to unemployment

bene t if I become unemployed? ......47Where can I nd information aboutstarting my own business? ...................49

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Residence permit pursuant to the general regulationsDifferences between EEA nationalsand nationals of the other countries Permanent residence permit

Family immigration permitpursuant to the general regulations

When you have lived in Norway continu-ously for three years, you can be granteda permanent residence permit. A perma-nent residence permit entitles you to stayand work in Norway inde nitely. Onceyou have been granted a permanentresidence permit, you will not lose it if theconditions for the original permit ceaseto apply, for example if you are no longerin employment.

It is a condition that you have completedthe mandatory tuition in the Norwegianlanguage required by the Introduction Act, or that you document that themunicipality has made a decisionexempting you from such tuition inNorwegian.

The requirement for Norwegian languageskills applies to everyone between theages of 16 and 55 who were grantedtheir rst residence permit forming thebasis for a permanent residence permitafter 1 September 2005.

It is not a requirement that you have hadresidence on the same grounds for thewhole three-year period, but all the per-mits you have held must be of a type thatforms the basis for permanent residence.

A good conduct requirement also applies. A conviction for a criminal o ence meansthat an additional period of residence willbe required before a permanent residencepermit can be granted.

If you are uncertain about whether or notthe permits you hold and have held formthe basis for permanent residence, thiscan be checked by reading the previousdecisions you have received.

More information about permanent

residence permit is available at

www.udi.no.

If you have close family members who liveabroad, they can apply to come and livewith you during your stay in Norway. Thisis called family immigration. As a rule,you cannot apply on behalf of your familymembers.

WHICH FAMILY MEMBERS CAN BEGRANTED FAMILY IMMIGRATION?Some members of your family are entitledto a family immigration permit if all theconditions for a permit are met. Otherfamily members can also be grantedfamily immigration if certain conditionsare met. The Directorate of Immigration(UDI) will also consider whether there arestrong humanitarian grounds for grantingthe application for family immigration.

Di erent conditions and applicationprocedures for resident permits andfamily immigration apply to EU/EEA/EFT A nationals, so-called EEA nationals, andnationals of other countries, so-calledthird-country nationals.

All permits that entitle the holder to stayand work in Norway are called residencepermits. Depending on what country youare from, you can be granted a residencepermit/right of residence pursuant to oneof the following two regulations: the gene-ral regulations or the EEA Regulations.

THE GENERAL REGULATIONS Apply to all foreign nationals.

THE EEA REGULATIONSOnly apply to nationals of EU/EEA/EFTAstates.

A residence permit pursuant to the gene-ral regulations entitles the holder to liveand work in Norway. All foreign nationalscan apply for a residence permit pursuantto these regulations.

There are many types of work permits,and di erent rules, guidelines and ap -plication procedures apply. A completeoverview of residence permits andinformation about the di erent

permits, conditions and application

procedures is available at www.udi.no.

RENEWAL OF RESIDENCE PERMITSMost of residence permits are renewable.Renewal applications must be submittedto the police at least one month beforeyour current permit expires. Contactthe police in your municipality for furtherinformation.

LOSS OF PERMITS AND EXPULSION You may loose your permit if you havegiven incorrect information to the authori-ties. If you lose your permit, you mustleave the country. You may be expelledif you violate the provisions of theImmigration Act or if you are convicted ofa criminal o ence. If you are expelled, youare not permitted to return to Norway forthe duration of the expulsion period. Theprohibition on entry also usually applies tothe rest of the Schengen area.

Permits

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Those family members entitled to resi-dence permits when all conditions fora permit are met are:• A spouse or registered partner over

the age of 18, when the couple plansto live together in Norway.

• Cohabitants over the age of 18, whenthe couple has lived together for atleast two years and intends to cont-inue their cohabitation.

• A cohabitant over the age of 18who has children with the person inNorway, and the couple intend tocontinue their cohabitation.

• Children when both parents have beenor will be granted residence permitsin Norway.

• Children who only have one parentresident in Norway. It is a require-ment that the parent living in Norwayhas sole parental responsibility or,if parental responsibility is shared,that the other parent gives his orher consent.

In addition, parents may visit their child-ren (regardless of the children’s age) inNorway for up to nine months, eithertogether or separately. It is a requirementthat the parents return to their homecountry after the permit has expired. Thepermit does not entitle the holder to workin Norway. Parents can travel into andout of Norway for as long as the permitis valid. The permit cannot be renewed,but parents can be granted a new nine-month permit when they have stayedoutside Norway for at least one year.

SUBSISTENCE AND HOUSINGREQUIREMENTSIn order for your family to be grantedfamily immigration permits, it is a require-ment that the person living in Norwaycan guarantee subsistence for the familymembers applying for family immigra-tion. In the case of some types of familymembers, it is also a requirement thatthe family living in Norway can guaranteeaccommodation.

OTHER CONDITIONS ANDAPPLICATION PROCEDURES Additional requirements will often applybefore a permit can be granted.

RENEWAL OF RESIDENCE PERMITS You should apply for renewal at least onemonth before your permit expires. Youwill then retain the same rights as beforerelating to work, studies etc. while you arewaiting for us to process your application,even if your permit expires before youreceive our answer.

If you fail to apply for renewal within thedeadline, you will not automatically beentitled to stay in Norway. If you apply forrenewal after your permit has expired, asituation can arise where you do not havelegal residence while we process your ap-plication. Applying too late may also meanthat your residence will not be regardedas continuous, which means that you mayhave to wait longer before you can begranted a permanent residence permit.Submit your renewal application to the

police where you live. The police renewmost types of permits. If the police are indoubt as to whether your application canbe granted, they will forward it to the UDIfor processing.

More information about familyimmigration and application proce-dures is available at www.udi.no.

RIGHTS AND DUTIES ASSOCIATEDWITH FAMILY IMMIGRATION Among other things, family immigrationpermits for adults confer a right to workin Norway, to leave and enter Norwayfreely, the possibility of renewal and thepossibility of being granted a permit on

independent grounds. The permit alsoforms the basis for permanent residencein Norway.

Contact the Directorate of Immigration(UDI) about any changes in your cir-cumstances that are relevant to yourresidence permit. The UDI can also assistyou with questions concerning the rightsand duties associated with your permit,or the possibility of permanent residenceor Norwegian citizenship.

The tax authorities, the health authori-ties, the Directorate of Integration andDiversity (IMDi) and the municipality inwhich you live have an overview of yourrights and duties regarding tax matters,health, language tuition, and of schoolsand kindergartens where you live.

If you are an EEA national and have avalid identity card or passport, you haveright of residence for three months inNorway. The same applies to membersof your family who are also EEA nationals.Family members who are not EEA nation-als must have a valid passport and beable to document that they are membersof your household or that they are sup-ported by you.

If you are an EEA national who wishesto work in Norway for more than threemonths, you must have a job (basis forresidence).

Nationals of EU/EEA/EFTA countries donot need to apply for a residence permitbut mustregister online (selfservice.udi.no). Once you have registered online,you must go to your nearest police sta-tion. If you live in a district with a ServiceCenter for Foreign Workers you needto meet in person there. You must takealong a valid identity card or a pass-port and proof of employment that is inaccordance with the provisions of theWorking Environment Act.

PermitsRight of residence pursuantto the EEA regulations

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Once you have registered, you will be

issued a registration certi cate. This

certi cate is issued free of charge and

is valid inde nitely (i.e. you do not needto renew it).

The registration certi cate is only validas long as the conditions are met, i.e. aslong as you meet the conditions for oneof the grounds for residence, for exam-ple as an employee or student. You canchange your grounds for residence, forexample from being an employee to be-coming self-employed. You do not haveto report this.

If you have had continuous legal resi-dence in Norway for at least ve years,you can apply for a document certifyingpermanent legal residence.

LAPSE OF RIGHT OF RESIDENCEIf you stay outside Norway for more thansix months during a calendar year, thegrounds for residence will lapse. Changesof address must be reported to thePopulation Register. An EEA national willhave to register again in the event ofa new stay in Norway.

Right of residence will nonethelessbe retained if the absence is for validreasons. In the case of pregnancy, birth,serious illness, education or vocationaltraining and secondment to anothercountry, a continuous period of absenceof maximum 12 months is accepted. Theserving of military or civil national serviceis not deemed to interrupt the period ofresidence. EXPULSIONIf you are an EEA national, you haveextended protection against expulsion. You can nonetheless be expelled if theauthorities deem you to be a potentialand serious threat to public order andsafety. If you are an EEA national, you willonly be expelled from Norway and youwill not be registered in the SchengenInformation System (SIS).Read more at www.udi.no.

If, as an EU/EEA/EFTA national, you havehad continuous legal residence in Norwayfor at least ve years, you can apply

for a permanent residence certi cate

that applies inde nitely. In some cases,employees or self-employed persons canbe granted permanent right of residenceafter a shorter period of residencein Norway.

Members of your family who have hadcontinuous legal residence in Norway forve years may also apply for a permanent

residence certi cate regardless of theirnationality. It is required that you havelived together in Norway during those veyears.

Read more about permanent right ofresidence at www.udi.no.

As EU/EEA/EFTA nationals with right ofresidence in Norway pursuant to the EEARegulations, your family members areentitled to come to Norway to live withyou. There are two di erent schemesthat your family members can use tobe granted family immigration permits.

Which scheme they fall under dependson which citizenship your family membershold. If they are also EU/EEA/EFTAnationals, they are covered by the regis-tration system for EEA nationals and willbe issued registration certi cates.If they are not EU/EEA/EFTA nationals,they must apply for residence cards asfamily members of an EEA national.

More information about family immi-gration pursuant to the EEA regula-tions is available at www.udi.no.

From 2012, everyone who holdsa residence permit in Norway and whois from a country outside the EU/EEAcan be issued a residence card. EU/ EEA nationals are not issued such cards.Family members of EEA nationals whoare not EEA nationals themselves will beissued a residence card.

The card, which is about the samesize as a credit card, replaces the previ-ous system of stickers in passports ortravel documents. The residence cardis proof that you hold a residence permitin Norway.

Unless otherwise stated on the card,it also proves that you are entitled totravel freely in the Schengen area. You should therefore take the card withyou when you travel abroad, althoughyou must still always have your passportwith you.

The card is valid for the same period asyour residence permit. If you hold a per-manent residence permit, the card is validfor two years.

Among other things, the card containsyour photograph, signature and nger -prints. The ngerprints are not st oredanywhere else other than on the carditself.

You must present the card in the eventof a control. If you do not have it with you,you may be asked to get it.

The sticker on your travel document isvalid until its expiry date, and you do notneed to obtain a residence card as longas it is valid. If you renew your permit,you will be issued a residence card.

Read more about residence cards atwww.udi.no.

Family immigration permitpursuant to the EEA regulations Residence cardsPermanent right of residence

Permits

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T H E G E N E R A L R E G U L A T I O N S

YOUR RESIDENCY

Checklist for foreign workers in Norway

Permanent residence permit(page 9)

Permanent rightof residence(page 12)

Employment contract(page 32)

Employment contract(page 32)

D-number(page 18)

D-number(page 18)

Tax deduction card(page 42)

National identity number(page 18)

National identity number(page 18)

Residence permit(page 8)

Tax deduction card(page 42)

It is demanded if you wish to stay andwork in Norway for more than threemonth. Register online register(selfservice.udi.no) and subsequentlymeet in person at your nearest policestation or Service Center for ForeignWorkers. Remember to take with yourequired documentation. Read moreat page 11.

If you intend to stay in Norway for morethan six months, you can apply fora national ID number by reportinga move to Norway. You have to show upin person in one of the 42 tax o ces to

report moving to Norway and to performID-check. Remember to take with yourequired documentation. If you arenational of a country outside EEA area,you can apply for a tax deduction cardat the same time. Read more at page 18.

If you intend to work in Norway for lessthan six months you will be givena D-number. You will get it when youapply for a tax deduction card for the rst

time. You have to show up in person inone of the 42 tax o ces to apply for a tax

deduction card and to perform ID-check.Remember to take with you requireddocumentation. Read more at page 18.

If you EU/EEA national, you need a taxdeduction card if you intend to work inNorway. Nationals of a country outsideEEA area have to apply for a residencepermit before they apply for a tax deduc-tion card. You have to show up in personin one of the 42 tax o ces to apply for

a tax deduction card and to perform ID-check. When you apply for a tax deduc-tion card for the rst time you are given

a registration number: a D-number(or national identity number depends howlong you intend to work in Norway).

You will not get a national identity numberwhen you only apply for a tax deduc-tion card; you have to also register yourmoving to Norway. Remember to takewith you required documentation. Readmore at page 42.

You are entitled to a written employmentcontract, irrespective of the length ofemployment or the percentage of a full-time position when you work in Norway.

The employer shall prepare a draftemployment contract as soon as pos -sible and no later than one month afterthe start of the employment relationship.Read more at page 32.

You are national of a country outsideEEA area, you must apply for a residencepermit if you want to stay and work inNorway. There are many types of workpermits, and di erent rules, guidelines

and application procedures apply. A com-plete overview of residence permits andinformation about the di erent permits,

conditions and application proceduresis available at www.udi.no.

If you are national of a country outsideEEA area and you have lived in Norwaycontinuously for three years, you can begranted a permanent residence permit.Remember the requirement for Norwegianlanguage skills when you apply. Readmore at page 9.

If you have had continuous legal resi-dence in Norway for at least ve years

and you are EEA-national, you can applyfor a permanent residence certi cate that

applies inde nitely. Read more at page 12.

NATIONAL IDENTITY NUMBER

TAX DEDUCTION CARD

D NUMBER

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

RESIDENCE PERMIT

PERMANENT RESIDENCE PERMIT

PERMANENT RIGHT OF RESIDENCE

REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE

T H E E E A R E G U L A T I O N S

0 – 3 MONTHS 4 – 6 MONTHS 7 MONTHS – 3 YEARS AFTER 3 YEARS AFTER 5 YEARS

Registration certi cate(page 11)

EEA countries - all EU m ember states and Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland.

AFRICA, AMERICA,ASIA, AUSTRALIA,EUROPE OUTSIDE EEA

EU/EEA

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Register/send your application onlineand book your appointment at thePolice station or at the ServiceCenters to get:

• registration certi cate if you areEEA national (page 11)

• residence permit if you are nonEEA national (page 8).

Apply for tax deduction card at oneof the listed on page 42 tax o ceor the Service Centers.

Register in connection with movingto Norway if you intend to stay inNorway for more than 6 months(page 18).

Remember to sign a lease (page 21). Check if house or apartment youlease is approved and protectedagainst re (page 25).

Protect your belongings, buy homecontents insurance (page 106).

If you own a house, buy also homeinsurance (page 105).

If you wish to participate in theNorwegian language tuitioncontact the municipality where youlive for information about the tuition

it o ers. Remember the tuition is notfree (page 29).

Remember to ask for a writtenemployment contract, keep yourcopy (page 32).

Concider joining trade unions, thereare many membership bene ts(page 44).

Contact your municipality tocheck how to apply for a placeat a pre-school day care center(page 53).

Contact your municipality to checkwhich school you child will attendand when he/she can start start togo to school (page 56).

If you child does not understandNorwegian, ask for possibilityfor special language tuition (page 58).

Choose your primary doctor. After

you are registed as residing inNorway, you will get a letter from youcommunity with the list of primarydoctors (page 66).

Only some medicines are freelyavailable, but most of them areprescription drugs sold at pharmacies(page 68).

Things to remember after you move to Norway

Pregnancy check-ups are exemptfrom patient charges (page 66). Dental services are not free of chargefor adults (page 69).

Examinations and treatmentof children under the age of 16are exempt from patient charges(page 65). Children under the ageof 18 are entitled to free dental carefrom the public dental services.(page 69).

Have you moved to Norway fromEEA or Switzerland? Rememberto order European health insurancecards for you and your family whenyou go to one of the EEA-countries

(page 69).

All municipalities have public libraries(page 77). Contact your municipality forinformation about cultural facilitiesand recreational activities for youand your family (page 76).

Contact The Norwegian CustomsServices and check if you can useyour vehicle in Norway (page 84).

Contact the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to check how long youcan use your foreign

driving licence – applies only for nonEEA nationals (page 84).

Remember to open a bank account(page 100).

Mark your letter box with yourfull name (page 108).

Get a map of the area and nd outabout transportation in your area(side 96).

Before you take out a subscriptionfor a mobile phone, xed-line phone,or broadband, you should check theprices, terms and conditions anddi erent providers (page 107).

REGISTRATION HOUSING HEALTH

HEALTH

CHILDREN AND SCHOOLS RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

NORWEGIAN LANGUAGETUITION FOR ADULTS

WORK

MOTOR VEHICLE

BANK

TRANSPORT ANDCOMMUNICATION

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Renting a house/apartment does notrequire capital other than for the deposit.If you do not have money for the deposit,you should contact your municipality.Some municipalities can o er to lend youthe deposit, while others can furnish aguarantee that some landlords will acceptas an alternative to a deposit. If themunicipality cannot o er you a loan forthe deposit, the alternative is to take upa loan for the deposit in a private bank.

YOUR RIGHTS AS A TENANT Your most important rights as a tenantare stipulated in the lease and in the Tenancy Act. The Tenancy Act includesa prohibition against discrimination in ten-ancy situations. The parties (the landlordand the tenant) are free to decide theamount of rent to be paid at the time thelease is signed. However, once the leasehas been signed, the rent can only beincreased in step with the consumer priceindex in the rst three years. Index regula -tion can only take place after one year atthe earliest. The tenant is not obliged topay rent for more than one month in

advance. The rent must be a xed

amount. In addition, it can be agreedthat electricity and heating will be paidseparately on the basis of consumption. The same applies to consumption-basedwater and sewage charges. Other addi -tions are not permitted.

The tenant has a right to let his/herimmediate family move into the dwelling. The landlord cannot enter the dwellingwithout the tenant’s consent.

The Tenancy Act does not prohibit theletting of a run-down property, but abuilding that has not been approved forhuman habitation, or that is considereda health hazard, cannot be let. Incorrectinformation about the dwelling given bythe landlord will be considered a breachof contract (defect). Damage, faults orother matters concerning the dwellingthat the tenant knew about before signingthe lease are not considered defects. Thelandlord is obliged to repair any defects toensure that the condition of the dwell-ing is in accordance with the lease. If the

landlord does not repair the defects,the tenant can demand a reduction inrent or withhold the rent. If the defectsare substantial, the tenant can cancel thelease. Always contact the landlord rstif you think there is a defect.

LEASE You can always demand a written leasebetween landlord and tenant. The leaseshould include: the parties’ names andaddresses, the property to be rentedand the amount of rent to be paid. If thelandlord demands a deposit, this mustbe speci ed in the lease. The period ofnotice is three months, unless otherwisestated in the lease.

The property should be checked whenthe lease is signed to make sure it corre-sponds to the description of the propertyin the lease. Consider drawing up a list offurniture etc. and its condition.Usinga standard contract is advisable.

A standard lease is available atwww.forburkerportalen.no

Personal belongings Finding a home Renting a home

When you move to Norway, you mustcomplete adeclaration for the impor-tation of household goods (RD0030). You should also draw up a list of theobjects you are bringing with you, statingwhether they are new or used. This listmakes customs clearance easier. Youmust contact the Norwegian CustomsService when your household goodsarrive in Norway. If you arrive before yourhousehold goods, you must contact theNorwegian Customs Service on yourarrival.

You may import household objects freeof customs and excise duties if certainconditions are met. Among other things,

you must have lived abroad continuouslyfor at least a year, and you must haveowned or possessed the objects abroadand used them during your stay abroad.It is also a condition that you will continueto use them in Norway.

Special rules apply to the importation ofprivate boats to Norway. Please contactthe Norwegian Customs Service forfurther details.

To bring certain goods into Norway,you must pay customs and excise dutiesor have a special permit.

This applies to:• Work-related equipment• Motor vehicles• Aircraft• New items• Food products• Alcohol and tobacco products• Weapons

• Plants• Animals• Radio and television equipment

More information about customs andexcise regulation in relation to theimportation of household goods isavailable at www.toll.no.

Houses/apartments for rent are oftenadvertised in the local newspaper.In addition, there are several web-sites where you can nd rentedaccommodation.

Some estate agents o er houses/apart -ments for rent. There are also agents whodeal exclusively in rented accommoda-tion. Remember that you must signa lease with the landlord – the agents arenot responsible for the property itself.

Some municipalities can assist you inyour search for rented accommodation,but council houses are generally reservedfor those who are not able to get accom-modation on their own.

Buying and selling property is usuallyhandled by an estate agent. The agentsadvertise houses/apartments for salein the local newspaper and on variouswebsites.

On the State Housing Bank’s website, you will nd an online informationmodule in ten di erent languagesabout living in Norway. Go towww.husbanken.no.

Housing

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REMEMBER

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HOME INSURANCE

If you own your own home, you mustinsure the building (home insurance). You can take out joint home contentsand buildings insurance. If you own ahouse or an apartment in a jointly-ownedproperty or a housing cooperative, thebuilding will as a rule be insured by thecooperative/jointly-owned property. Allyou need in such case is a home con-tents policy. Ask the board of the jointly-owned property or housing cooperativeabout this.

Read more about home insurance onpage 105.

HOME CONTENTENS INSURANCE

In order to insure the contents of yourapartment/house, you need home con-tents insurance. This insurance coversdamage to belongings in the event of re,water damage, burglary etc. As for othertypes of insurance, the terms and condi-tions decide what the home contentsinsurance covers.

Read more about home contents insur-ance on page 106.

Further information about insurance

products is available at www. nans -portalen.no. It is an information ser-vice where users can compare banksavings and insurance products.

Waste and recycling collection

Di erent municipalities have di erentwaste disposal schemes. Check withyour local municipality.

Many municipalities sort waste, whichmeans that waste such as paper andfood waste is sorted in separate bins.Waste that cannot be sorted is residualwaste, which is put in a separate bin.

The di erent types of waste are collectedon di erent days of the week – contactthe waste collection service in yourmunicipality.

Not all waste can be disposed of in thewaste bins where you live. Glass, metaland hazardous waste are examples ofwaste that must be taken to the munici-pality’s waste recycling centres. Electricaland electronic equipment waste (EEwaste) can be returned to shops that sell

this type of equipment.Most of those who die in res in their ownhome die of smoke poisoning. The cor-rect re protection equipment reduces the

risk of injury or death in the event of re.

SMOKE DETECTORSSmoke detectors save lives every year.

All homes must have at least one

approved smoke detector. If the house

or apartment is big or has several oors,

it should be tted with several smoke

detectors. The location of the smoke

detector is very important in relation to

how quickly it detects smoke. The detec-

tors should be placed near stairs and in

escape routes, at the highest point of the

ceiling and at least 50 centimetres fromwalls (follow the installation instructions).

The smoke alarm must be clearly audible

in all bedrooms with the door closed.

The smoke detectors should be con-

nected in series, so that they all go o

at the same time.

Fire safety in the home

bank o ers. Bring your tax return and

pay slip to the bank to document yourincome level.

At www. nansportalen.no, you can

nd out which banks o er the lowest

interest rate.

FIRST-TIME BUYER MORTGAGEPeople who do not own a home inNorway can apply for a rst-time buyermortgage from their bank, i.e. a mortgagewith the same interest rate for the entireamount where you can borrow up to 100per cent of the purchase price. If the bankis not willing to lend you 100 per cent ofthe purchase price, you can apply for astart loan from your municipality.

START LOAN FROM YOURMUNICIPALITYIf you have di culties getting a loan fromyour bank to buy your own home, or youneed help to stay in your current home,you can apply for a start loan. The loancan be granted as bridge nancing orfull nancing for buying or renovating ahouse, as re- nancing to stay in yourcurrent house, and as top-up nancing tobuild a new house. Di erent municipali -

ties have di erent policies and practices

when it comes to granting start loans. It isup to the municipality to decide whethersomeone should be granted a loan andhow much.

Applications should be submitted tothe municipality that administers thescheme. Contact your municipalityfor further information about how the

scheme is organised where you live.

BASIC LOAN FROM THENORWEGIAN STATE HOUSING BANK A basic loan can be granted from theNorwegian State Housing Bank for thebuilding of a new home or for renovat-ing and adapting an existing home. Thehouse must meet certain criteria relatingto universal design (accessibility) andenergy e ciency/the environment. If thehouse satis es the criteria, the NorwegianHousing Bank can grant a loan of up to80% of the costs or the purchase priceapproved by the bank.

Applications should be submitted to theNorwegian State Housing Bank, whichadministers the scheme.

More information and application

forms for all schemes are available atwww.husbanken.no.

HOUSING ALLOWANCE You may be entitled to a housing allow-ance. Read more on page 22.

HOUSING GRANTS A housing grant is available for thosewho are most disadvantaged in thehousing market. The household mustbe experiencing long-term or permanentnancial di culties, or the home mustbe in need of special adaptation. Grantscan be given to buy a home, to renovate/ adapt one’s own home and to re- nancea mortgage to be able to stay in one’scurrent home.

Applications for housing grants

should be submitted to the munici-

pality that administers the scheme.

Contact your local municipality for

further information and to nd out

whether the municipality o ers grants.

REMEMBER-Test the smoke detector every month- Replace the batteryin smoke detector oncea year

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Employment

Unemployment

Workingenvironment

Old-age pension

Tax

Entrepreneurship

Trade unionsRecognition ofhigher education

30

Work

Employmentcontract .................32

Working hours .......32

Pay .........................33

HSE cards in thebuilding industry ...33

HSE cards in thecleaning industry ...34

Holidays andholiday pay ............34

Leave .....................35

Self-certi edsickness .................36

Sick leave ...............36

Sickness bene t .....37

Temporarylay-o s ..................37

Dismissal ...............38- Collective

redundancies .......38- Dismissal without

notice ......................39

Unemploymentbene t ...................47

Job seeking ............48

The rights of EEAcitizens movingbetweencountries ................48

Helth, safety andthe environment(HSE) ......................39

Personalinsurance ...............40

Accidents at work...40

Occupationalinjury ..................... 40

Impaired workability .................... 41

Work assessmentallowance ..............41

Disabilitypension ..................41

Old-age pension ....49

Who needsauthorisation orrecognition?...........46

Generalrecognition ............47

Trade unionsand trade unionfederations ............44- Collective

agreements ...........45- General application

of collectiveagreements ...........45

- Membership ...........45

Tax system .............41

Tax deductioncard ........................ 42

Pay slips .................43

Tax return ..............43

Tax settlement .......44

Obligation to paytaxes in Norway .....44

Entrepreneurship ...49This section contains information about your rights and duties

as an employee. It provides information about what youremployment contract should include, how to pay taxes, and

whether your education can be recognised.

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Employment contract Working hours Pay HSE cards in the build ing industry

As a rule, pay is not regulated by law in

Norway, and there is therefore no generalminimum wage. Having a clear and un-ambiguous written agreement on pay istherefore very important.

An exception from the main rule appliesin the building and construction idustry,the shipbuilding industries and greensector. In these idustries, the collectiveagreements have been made generallyapplicable, which means that wages areregulated and minimum wage rates apply.

Many enterprises have entered into col-lective agreements. There are agreementsconcerning pay and other rights betweenemployers’ federation and trade unions. You must join a trade union in order to beentitled to the right set out in a collectiveagreement.

If you do not receive the pay you areentitled to, you must send a letter to youremployer by recorded delivery, specifyingyour wage claim. Set a speci c deadline,at least one week ahead, and write that ifyou are not paid within the deadline, youwill take the matter further. The proce-dure from there depends on the reason

your wages have not been paid. If the

employer refuses to pay, the ConciliationBoard is the correct body to turn to. Ifthe employer cannot pay because hehas solvency problems, the next step isa petition for compulsory liquidation. TheLabour Inspection Authority can providemore detailed information about the pro-cedure in such cases.

If your employer is declared bankrupt,the NAV Wage Guarantee scheme maycover pay that is due to you. In suchcase, you must le your wage claimcorrectly and within certain deadlines.If you wait too long, your claim mightbecome obsolete and fail to be coveredby the NAV Wage Guarantee scheme.NAV Wage Guarantee can provide guid-ance about what you should do andwhat deadlines apply.

Make sure you can document your wageclaim by, for exemple, timesheets, youremployment contract, old pay slips ect.

For more information about pay seewww.arbeidstilsynet.no.

Everyone working on construction sites

in Norway must have a special identitycard; this applies to both Norwegian andforeign employees in full and part-timepositions, on short or long-term contractsand to self-employed persons. The HSEcard requirement also applies to peoplewho carry out support functions whenthey are permanently established withinthe construction area. The purpose ofthis scheme is to identify the employeeand who the employing enterprise is. Itis the employer’s responsibility to ensurethat all employees have such HSE cards.Self-employed persons must obtain HSEcards themselves.

Everyone is entitled to a written employ-

ment contract, irrespective of the lengthof employment or the percentage of a full-time position. The employment contractdescribes employees and employers’rights and duties, and it shall always con-tain information about: who has enteredinto the contract, the workplace, a descr-iption of the work or position, the date onwhich the employment commences, theexpected duration of the employment ifit is temporary, the right to holidays andholiday pay, the probationary period if thishas been agreed, period of notice, pay,length and speci cation of working hours,breaks and any collective agreementsregulating the employment relationship.

The employer shall prepare a draft em-ployment contract as soon as possibleand no later than one month after thestart of the employment relationship.

For more information about employ-ment contract see www.arbeidstil-synet.no.

In principle, normal working hours are

maximum nine hours per day and 40hours per seven days. If you work dif-ferent work rotas, the weekly workinghours are 38 or 36 hours for a seven dayperiod, depending on your work rota.

An alternative arrangement of workinghours is permitted. It is called averagecalculation of working hours. This requiresa written agreement, and means that theemployee can work more during someperiods and less in others, but that theaverage working hours remain within thelimits of ordinary working hours.

As a rule, the rest period must be 11

hours in the course of 24 hours and 35hours in the course of 7 days, and, as arule, time o shall be taken on Sundays orpublic holidays. Employees are entitled toa break if their daily working hours exceed5,5 hours, and breaks shall total 30 min-utes if the daily working hours exceed 8hours. Work in excess of normal workinghours shall only occur if it is speci cally

required and is of a limited duration, and

this work shall then be compensated withan overtime supplement of at least 40 percent of normal hourly pay.

Night work and work on Sundays is onlypermitted if the nature of the work makesthis necessary.

The right to paid travel time between thehome and the workplace is not regulatedby law, and this must be agreed with theemployer.

For more information about working

hours see www.arbeidstilsynet.no.

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HSE cards in the c leaning industry Holidays and holiday pay Leave

You are entitled to have two weeks’

holiday transferred to the following year,of, on account of illness, you have beenprevented from taking holidays by theend of the holiday year. The demandmust be submitted before the end ofthe year. Holiday transferred due to theillness comes in addition to any otherholidays that you have agreed to transfer.It is possible to transfer 12 working days’holiday because of illness. An employeecan thus transfer a total of 24 workingdays’ holiday to the following holiday year.

Holiday that, in violation of the statutoryprovisions, have not been taken by theend of the holiday year shall be transferred

to the next holiday year. Unused holidaydays will thus not be lost of the employerand/or employee is passive and doesnothing to ensure that mandatory holidaysare taken. An exception applies if this isdue to illness or parental leave. All earnedholiday pay is then paid on the rst ordi -nary pay day in the following year.

Holiday pay is earned the year before it

is paid (the holiday year). Holiday pay is10.2 per cent of the wages paid duringthe earning year. Holiday pay is normallypaid in June. Part of your pay in June willbe withheld by your employer. This moneywill be paid to you when you actually takeyour holiday.You are entitled to be paidholiday pay one week before taking yourholiday or in connection with the nal

settlement if you leave the enterprise.Employees on sick leave cannot demandto have their holiday pay paid before theyeither take their holiday or terminate theemployment relationship. Holidays areagreed with the employer, and noti cation

must be given to the Norwegian Labour

and Welfare Administration (NAV) so thatsickness bene t payments can be tempo -rarily suspended during the period whenholiday pay is received. It is important toremember that, for income purposes, ayear consists of eleven months of wagesand one month of holiday pay. For more information about holidays

and holiday pay see www.arbeidstil-

synet.no.

An employee is entitled to take leave

in connection with pregnancy, care inconnection with birth, births and parentalleave. Leave rights in connection withhaving a child mean that, together, par-ents are entitled to take leave from workuntil the child is three years old. The rstyear is paid by the Norwegian Labour andWelfare Service (NAV). The employer candemand that the leave be taken as onecontinuous period. The reason for this isthe employer’s need for predictability asregards sta ng.

An employee is entitled to take the timeo she needs to breastfeed her child. Thistype of leave is unpaid.

An employee is entitled to take time oif the child or childminder is ill. This rightapplies until the calendar year the childis 12 years old and covers ten days peryear, or 15 days per year if the employeehas more than two children. If the childhas a chronic illness or disability, the em-ployee has extended rights. The WorkingEnvironment Act regulates the right totake time o work; rights to b ene ts

The term construction industry refers

to the construction of buildings, interiorand installation work, the assembly anddismantling of prefabricated elements,demolition, renovations and repairs, sani-tation and maintenance and groundwork.Identity cards are not required for buildingactivities in stationary, permanent enter-prises, such as shipyards or factories.

There is only one body that issues theseidentity cards, and they can be orderedfrom www.byggekort.no.

For more information about HSEcards see www.arbeidstilsynet.no.

All employees, both Norwegian and foreign,

who carry out cleaning work must havean HSE card from the Norwegian LabourInspection Authority. The requirementfor an HSE card also applies to self-employed persons (sole proprietors withoutemployees) and employees who are hiredout to do cleaning work. The purpose isto identify who you are and who you workfor. The card is valid for as long as you areemployed by the enterprise, but not forlonger than two years.

Your employer must issue you an HSE card. The card is linked to your employmentrelationship with a speci c rm. If you are

employed by more than one employer,

you must have an HSE card for eachemployment relationship. You must notifyyour employer immediately if you lose yourHSE card or if it is stolen from you. Youremployer will notify the card issuer, sothat you can get a new card. If you stopworking for the enterprise, you must returnthe card to your employer.

For more information about HSEcards see www.arbeidstilsynet.no.

All employees who start a job before 30

October are entitled to 25 working days’holiday by the end of the holiday year(which follows the calendar year), irrespec-tive of whether they are entitled t o holidaypay or not. Those who start in a job after30 October are entitled to six working

days’ holiday. There are six working daysin an ordinary week and in practice 25working days is four weeks and one day’sholiday in the course of a holiday year. Theemployee is entitled to three continuousweeks’ holiday during the main holidayperiod from 1 June to 3 0 September.Employees are entitled to take the remain-der of their holidays in one continuousperiod. The stipulation of holidays must

be discussed in advance, but theemployer decides when you take yourholiday within the time frame regulatedby law.

The employer and employee can agreein writing to transfer a maximum of twoweeks’ holiday to the following holidayyear. It is a condition that both partiesagree on this. Taking holiday in advancecan also be agreed in the same way.

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Self-certified sickness Sick leave Temporary lay-offsSickness benefit

Loss of income due to illness may entitle

you to sickness bene t. The conditionis that you have been employed for atleast four weeks before sick leave begins.

Your are entitled to sickness bene t for amaximum of 52 weeks. The illness mustbe documented by a self-declaration ora medical certi cate. You are entitled to

sickness bene t from your rst day ofabsence. The employer pays the sick-ness bene t for the rst 16 days, afterwhich the Norwegian National Insurancescheme takes over.

For more information, seewww.nav.no, contact your NAV LocalServices or call NAV’s service centre

on tel. (+47) 55 55 33 33.

An employer can, in whole or in part,

be excused from the obligation to paywages, and an employee can temporarilybe excused from the obligation to work,in connection with temporary lay-o s.

Reasonable grounds for lay-o s can,for example, be a lack of orders, theover-accumulation of stock, accidents orsimilar. Even if the employee is tempo-rarily laid-o , the employment relationshippersists.

Noti cation of a lay-o shall be givenin writing at least 14 days before it isimplemented, and the employee shallreceive normal pay during the period ofnotice. After the period of notice, there

is a period during which the employer isobliged to pay wages. This is currentlyve days, and 15 days if the employee is

laid o for less than 40 per cent of his/ her normal working hours. The maximumperiod an employee can be laid o is cur -rently 52 weeks. The number of days theemployer is obliged to pay wages and themaximum lay-o period can vary. ContactNAV for up-to-date information.

If an employer dismisses an employee

who has been laid o , the lay-o willimmediately cease to apply. Employees

have a duty to work and employers have

a duty to pay wages during the agreed

or statutory period of notice, even if

the employer has no work to o er. An

employee who has been laid o can,

however, hand in his/her notice with 14

days’ notice if the period during which

the employer is obliged to pay wages

has come to an end.

For more information about

temporary lay-o s see

www.arbeidstilsynet.no.

in connection with periods of leave are

regulated by the National Insurance Act. Pregnancy check-ups are the soleexception. The Working Environment Act entitles women to paid leave for thispurpose. Rights relating to bene ts inconnection with such leaves of absenceare otherwise regulated by the NationalInsurance Act. Contact NAV for moredetailed information about such bene ts.

An employee is entitled to unpaid studyleave for up to three years if the employeehas worked for at least three years andhas been employed by the same em-ployer for the last two years. In order tobe entitled to take this type of leave, the

education must be part of an organisedcourse of education, but it does not haveto be related to the employee’s position. An employee is not entitled, however, totake this type of leave if it is an obstacleto the employer properly planning therunning of the enterprise.

An employee is also entitled to take leaveto care for close relatives during the nalstages of their lives, to complete militaryservice and to serve in public o ce.

As an employee, you are entitled to

self-declared sick leave, i.e. to notify youremployer that you are unable to workdue to illness without having to presenta medical certi cate. The main rule isthat self-declared sick leave can be usedfor up to three calendar days at a time.For more than three calendar days youmust present a medical certi cate froma doctor. Self-declared sick leave can beused four times in the course of a 12-month period.

You must have been employed for atleast two months to be entitled to takeself-certi ed sick leave. The conditions

for self-certi ed sick leave may di er. Ask

your employer about the rules in yourworkplace.

If you are sick longer than the time

allowed by the self-declaration, you mustget in touch with your doctor in order toget a medical certi cate. If the doctorregards sick leave necessary, he/she willissue a medical certi cate for the requiredperiod. The doctor will also assesswhether full sick leave (100 per cent) isrequired, or whether you are able to per-form some of your work and only needpartial sick leave. For example you maybe on 50 per cent sick leave and work 50per cent of the time. The employer shalladjust your duties if necessary, and followyou up while on sick leave.

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Personal insurance Accidents at work Occupational injury

If your ability to work has been reduced

by at least fty per cent as a result ofillness, injury or impairment, you may beentitled to work assessment allowance. The most important question is not howmuch your health is imapaired, but towhat extent it a ects your possibilities oftaking paid employment.

Work assessment allowance is intendedto assure that you have income in a tran-sitional period when you, due to illnessor injury, require work-related measures,medical treatment or other follow-up fromNAV in order to obtain employment.

As a rule, you must have been a member

of the National Insurance scheme for atleast three years before you apply. If youhave been t for employment, it is suf -cent that you have been a member forone year before you apply. Exeptions canbe made. You must be between the agesof 18 and 67, and, as a rule, you mustlive or stay in the country.

If your earning ability has been perma-

nently reduced by at least fty p er centdue to illness, injury or impairment, youmay be entitled to disability pension.It must be substantiated that expedienttreatment and individual, appropriatework-related mearures cannot improveyour earning ability.

NAV decides whether you meet therequirements for disability pension. As a rule, you must have been a memberof the National Insurance scheme forat least the last three years before youbecame disabled. Exeptions can bemade. You must be between the agesof 18 and 67, and, as the rule, you

must still be a member of the NationalInsurance scheme.

For more information see

www.nav.no, contact your NAV LocalServices or call NAV’s service centreon tel. (+47) 55 55 33 33.

The public sector in Norway pays for

extensive services in the interests of thepopulation, including a public healthsystem under which everyone is entitledto treatment, has a right to education andhelp in several other areas. The taxes thatwe pay are spent on public services suchas healthcare, hospitals, education andtransport and communications. In addi-tion to covering general public expendi-ture, taxes are designed to contribute togreater equality between individuals. Taxes account for the most of local andcentral government revenues. A distinc-tion is drawn between direct and indirecttaxes. The direct taxes are infome tax and

wealth tax.

Indirect taxes include value added tax(VAT). It is a tax we pay when we buygoods and services. It means that someof the prices that we pay for goodsor services is in turn paid to the publicpurse.

There are di erent types of personal

insurance. You can take out personal in-surance for death, disability, critical illnessor one of the above alone.

Insurance that pays compensation in theevent of death due to illness or accidentsis called life insurance. If you want tosecure your nances in the event of dis -ability or critical illness, you can take outseparate or combined insurance for this,in which case you must complete a medi-cal declaration form.

If no one else is dependent on yourincome, it is usually su cient to t ake outdisability insurance. For cohabitants, per-

sonal insurance is often a better solutionthan credit life insurance (which cancelsdebt in case of death).

An employer is obliged to notify the

Labour Inspection Authority as quickly aspossible in the event of a fatal accident oraccident involving serious personal injury.Examples of such serious injury couldbe: injuries to the head, skeletal injuries,internal injuries, loss of a body part, poi-soning, frostbite, burns, corrosive injuries,loss of consciousness and injuries thatrequire hospital treatment.

An employer is also obliged to notify theNational Labour and Welfare Service(NAV) about injuries and illnesses thatmay entitle employees to occupa-tional injury coverage from the NationalInsurance scheme. The person in

question may also be entitled to occu-pational injury coverage pursuant to the Act relating to industrial injury insurance.Such claims shall be addressed to theinsurance company with which the em-ployer has taken out occupational injuryinsurance.

By occupational injury we mean injury,

illness or death caused by an accidentat work. Certain illnesses can also berecognised as an occupational illnesses ifthe illness is a result of harmful in uenceof the working environment.

An employer is obliged to notify your NAVLocal Services about occupational injuryor occupational illness. It is your respon-sibility to ensure that your employer ismade aware of the injury. You can reportthe injury yourself if your employer doesnot meet his/her reporting duty.

Impaired work ability

If your health reduces your ability to workor your options in relation to choosing anoccupation or workplace, you may be en-titled to particular services and measuresfrom NAV to help you return to work.

Disability pensionWork assessment allowance Tax system

Working environment Tax

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ONLINE USERAs a registered online user you

can handle your tax papers online,

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and you will be noti ed by SMSand/or e-mail on every update.Read more about how you can

register as en online user atwww.taxnorway.no

Tax deduction card Pay slips

Tax deduction card for persons

with a Norwegian personal number(fødselsnummer)If you have a Norwegian personal number(that starts with your date of birth) youwill most likely receive tax deduction cardautomatically, although there are someexceptions. If you do not receive your taxdeduction notice automatically, you needto apply for a tax card.

Tax deduction card for persons witha provisional Norwegian personalnumber (D-nummer)Everyone with a D-number must apply fora new tax card each year.

You should be aware of the special rulesif you:• are working o shore for a Norwegian

employer• are working as a seafarer on

a Norwegian-registered ship• are a foreign artist or sportsperson

For more information seewww.taxnorway.no.

Each time you are paid, you receive a

pay slip from your employer. The pay slipshows how much you have been paidand any tax that has been deducted.

The pay slip also acts as a receipt show-ing that tax has been deducted. Youshould therefore keep your pay slips.

Tax return

Everyone who works in Norway receicesa tax return at the end og the March/ beginning of April in the year following theincome year. If you do not receive a taxreturn, you must contact the tax o ce.

It is important that the tax o ce knowswhich address to send your tax returnto. The tax return is pre-completed withinformation received from your em ployer,among others. You must check that theinformation is the same as that con-tained in the Certi cate of Pay and TaxDeducted that you receive from youremployer in January. You must correctany errors in your tax return and submitit to your local tax o ce.

Please note that you may be entitled

to deductions from your income, e.g. thestandard deduction for foreign employeesor a deduction for expenses relating toliving away from your home abroad(commuter deduction). You must claimeventual deductions yourself by enteringthem in your tax return.

It is important that you provide correctinformation in your tax return. If you failto declare income or capital (for examplea house, car, boat, cash etc.), your taxcan be increased (additional tax).

You can read more about howto submit your tax return at

www.taxnorway.no.

Everyone working in Norway must have

a tax deduction card. The tax deductioncard shows how much tax your employershould deduct before you are paid. Youmust give your tax deduction card to youremployer.

If you apply for a tax deduction card youmust have the following documentationwith you:

Nordic nationals• A passport or national ID card

containing a photograph of you andindicating your citizenship and gender,or a valid driving licence together witha transcript from the population regis-

ter in the country you have movedfrom. The transcript must not be olderthan three months. It needs bestamped and signed.

• An employment contract, a writteno er of employment or documentationof a Norwegian-registered business.

EEA nationals

• A passport or approved ID cardcontaining a photograph of you andindicating your citizenship and gender.

• An employment contract, a writteno er of employment or documentationof a Norwegian-registered business.

Employers have an independent respon-sibility for ensuring that all their employ-ees are entitled to work in Norway. Anyquestions must be addressed to theimmigration authorities.

Nationals from outside the EEA area• A passport• An employment contract, a written

o er of employment or documentationof a Norwegian-registered business.• Documentation stating that you have

the right to stay and work in Norway

You must go in person to one of thefollowing tax o ces:

Tax Norway East:

Oslo, Sandvika, Lillestrøm, Gjøvik,Grålum, Hamar and Tynset

Tax Norway South:

Drammen, Kristiansand, Skien, Tønsberg,Gol, Lyngdal and Grimstad

Tax Norway West:

Førde, Sogndal, Bergen, Haugesund,Egersund, Stavanger, Nordfjordeid andOdda

Tax Norway Central Norway: Trondheim, Ålesund, Kristiansund,Namsos, Steinkjer, Molde and Hitra

Tax Norway North:

Kirkenes, Hammerfest, Alta, Tromsø,

Harstad, Bodø, Mo i Rana, Brønnøysund,

Leknes, Vadsø, Sortland, Narvik and

Svalbard

From 2014 tax deduction cards becomeelectronic (e-skattekort). It means thatyou will no longer receive a tax car onpaper. You will receive a tax deductionnotice (skattetrekksmeldingen) by mailinstead. Your employer obtains your taxdeduction card electronically from the Tax Administration.

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Tax settlement Obligation to pay taxes in NorwayTrade unions and tradeunion federations

When your tax return has been pro-

cessed by the tax authorities, you willreceive a tax settlement notice. It containsinformation about the income on whichthe tax assessment is based, how muchtax your employer has deducted andwhether you have paid too much or toolittle tax. You will receive the tax settle-ment notice in June, August, Septemberor October in the year following theincome year.

If you have paid too little tax, you mustpay the remaining amount by the duedate that you nd on the giro thataccompanies the tax settlement notice.If you have paid too much tax, the excess

amount will be refunded.

All persons who, pursuant to Norwegian

regulations, are resident in Norway areliable to pay tax on all their income andwealth. You become resident for tax pur-poses if you live in Norway for more than183 days during a 12-month period ormore than 270 days during a 36-monthperiod.

A person who is not resident in Norwaylong enough to be considered residentpursuant to the Norwegian tax regulationsis still liable to pay tax on, among otherthings, income from employment andincome from business in Norway.

The obligation to pay taxes in Norway

may be limited by a tax treaty betweenNorway and your home country. It isworth noting, however, that if you workin Norway for a Norwegian employeror if you are on hire to a Norwegian em-ployer, you are always liable to paytax in Norway.

Further information about the taxsystem is available at www.taxnor-way.no.

A trade union is an association of employ-

ees in one or several enterprises. It canoperate over both small and large geo-graphical areas. Trade unions in an enter-prise are generally called local branchesor ‘shops’. A trade union looks afterthe interests of its members. The mostimportant job of a trade union is to ghtfor better pay and working conditions forits members. There are also trade unionsthat have several a liated local b ranchesin a limited geographical area.

Most trade unions are a liated to anational federation. A national federationis usually a nationwide organisation con-sisting of local trade unions. Most national

federations are a liated to a main confed -eration of employees. There are four mainemployee confederationsin Norway.

The Confederation of Norwegian TradeUnions (LO) is currently the biggestconfederation of unions in Norway. It has21 national federations as members. These federations have a total ofapproximately 880,000 members.

Trade unions

You will nd more information at

www.lo.no. The Norwegian United Federationof Trade Unions (Fellesforbundet)is a member of the Confederation ofNorwegian Trade Unions (LO), and itis the largest union in the private sectorin Norway, with approximately 160,000members.

The other main employee

confederations are:• The Federation of Norwegian

Professional Associations(Akademikerne),www.akademikerne.no

• The Confederation of Vocational

Unions (YrkesorganisasjonensSentralforbund),www.ys.no• The Confederation of Unions for

Professionals UNIO, www.unio.no

COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTSIn Norway, trade unions have muchgreater in uence than in many othercountries. The trade union federationsenter into national collective agree-ments with the employers. A collective

agreement is an agreement between an

employer’s federation and a trade unionfederation concerning pay and workingconditions. The pay and working condi-tions are usually better in workplaces thatare bound by collective agreements thanin most companies that are not. The sizeof your salary and other bene ts dependson the terms agreed in the collectiveagreements. The level may vary from oneindustry to another.

GENERAL APPLICATIONOF COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTSIn Norway, several collective agreementshave been given general application. Thismeans that these provisions will apply to

all employees who carry out the type ofwork covered by the agreement, includ-ing foreign employees and Norwegianemployees who are not membersof a trade union.

The following sectors have generallyapplicable collective:• Construction sites

(for construction workers)• Electricians

• The maritime construction industry

• Freight transport by road• Fish processing enterprises• The agriculture and horticulture sectors• Wages - Passenger transport

by tour bus• Cleaning workers

MEMBERSHIP To be a member of a union, you mustpay a certain annual amount, in whatare called union dues. The union duesmay be a percentage of your gross payor a xed amount. In addition, the localbranch/union may charge a separateadministrative fee. You can become amember of a union regardless of your

nationality, and regardless of where thecompany you work for is registered. If youexperience trouble in the workplace, theunion can help you. Examples could bea dispute with an employer, non-paymentof wages or holiday pay, unfair dismissalor an occupational injury. Several unionso er insurance schemes as part of mem -bership bene ts.

Tax

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Who needs authorisation or recognition?

The Norwegian Competence Centre

for Foreign Education at the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance inEducation (NOKUT) provides informationabout the Norwegian recognitionschemes. If you wish to have foreigneducation and/or work experiencerecognised, the Competence Centre willrefer you to the correct agency, which willbe able to help you.

NOKUT is also the point of contact for

the recognition of professional quali ca -tions for professionals regulated by lawin Norway, covered by Directive 2005/36/ EC. This means that NOKUT is there to

help nationals of EU/EEA countries byproviding information about the recognitionof professional quali cations in Norway.

Recognition of higher education Unemployment

Unemployment benefitGeneral recognition

The Norwegian Agency for Quality

Assurance in Education (NOKUT)provides general recognition (level andscope) of higher education from othercountries. This means that NOKUT cangrant you credits and, if applicable, pro-vide general recognition of your educa-tion/degree as being equivalent to a uni-versity college degree, Bachelor’s degree,Master’s degree, or a PhD degree.

However, NOKUT does not providerecognition of the academic content ofan education. Norwegian universities anduniversity colleges consider applicationsfor recognition of the academic contentof an education that is equivalent to the

educational programmes they provide.NOKUT does not recognise vocationalquali cations that are not de ned ashigher education in the home country,and it does not grant authorisation toregulated professions.

Further information about the recog-nition of higher education, documen-tation requirements and the approvalprocess is available at www.nokut.no.

To be entitled to unemployment benet,

your working hours must usually havebeen reduced by at least 50 per cent. You must meet the general requirementsfor unemployment bene t in Norwayand be willing to do any kind of work. As a main rule, you must live or residein Norway.

To receive unemployment bene t,you must be registered as a job seekerat www.nav.no or at your NAV LocalServices. You must then complete theUnemployment Bene t Claim Form.School pupils and students are, asa rule, not entitled to unemploymentbene t.

You may be entitled to unemploymentbene t if you are temporarily laid o . Yourworking hours must have been reducedby at least 50 per cent. For persons whoare temporarily laid-o in the sh process -ing industry, working hours must havebeen reduced by at least 40 per cent.If you are a frontier worker, you can stayin your country of residence while receiv-ing unemployment bene t from Norway.

Cross-border workers are persons who

live in one country and work in anotherand who travel to their country of resi-dence at least once a week.

Entitlements to unemployment bene tearned in another EEA country can betransferred to Norway using form PD U1/ SED U002/U004 from the country whereyou used to work. You must be able todocument that you have become unem-ployed in Norway. It will be su cient foryou to document that you have becomeunemployed through no fault of your ownafter having worked for at least one day.It is a condition that the entitlements youhave earned in the country you move

from also entitle you to unemploymentbene t in Norway. You must also meetthe general conditions for entitlement tounemployment bene t in Norway.

AUTHORISATION/RECOGNITION BODY

The Financial SupervisoryAuthority of Norwaywww. nanstilsynet.no

The Supervisory Councilfor Legal Practicewww.tilsynet.no

The Norwegian Registation Authorityfor Health personnel (SAK)www.sak.no

The Norwegian FoodSafety Authoritywww.mattilsynet.no

The Norwegian MaritimeDirectoratewww.sjofartsdir.no

The Civil Aviation Authority- Norway

www.luftfartstilsynet.no

Pilots, aircraft technicians

PROFESSION

Health personnel

Auditors, accountants,estate agents,

licensed debts collectors

Veterinary surgeons, shhealth biologists

Lawyers

Maritime professions

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Job seekingThe rights of EEA citizensmoving between countries

On certain conditions, you may keep your

Norwegian unemployment bene t for upto three months while you are applyingfor a job in another EEA country. Youmust then submit a claim in writing usingthe application form NAV 04-02.01 for aPD U2 certi cate. This certi cate entitlesyou to stay in another country as a jobseeker while receiving unemploymentbene t from Norway.If you are job seekingin Norway while receiving unemploymentbene t from another EEA country, youmust bring form PD U2 with you from thecountry from which you receive employ-ment bene t. Or NAV must be sent SEDU008 by the authorities in the countryfrom which you are entitled to receive un-employment bene t. You must register asa job seeker when you arrive in Norwayand comply with the Norwegian rules thatapply to registration as a job seeker withNAV, i.e. submit an employment statusform every 14 days to your NAV LocalServices.

For more information seewww.nav.no, contact your NAV LocalServices or call NAV’s service centreon tel. (+47) 55 55 33 33.

At www.nav.no, you will nd Norway’s

largest job vacancies database. When youregister as a user of the job seeker servic -es at www.nav.no, you get your own page,where you can enter permanent searchesfor vacancies and publish your own CV.

You can also receive e-mail noti cation of

relevant vacancies. As a registered user,you may also be contacted by employers.

At www.nav.no, you can download thebrochure ‘Living and working in Norway’.

The brochure is available in English,German and Polish. It contains usefulinformation about applying for a job inNorway and how to write a CV.

At your NAV Local Services, you canuse a computer to search for vacanciesand submit applications. You can alsocall NAV’s Service centre phone line ontel. 800 33 166 for information aboutvacancies.

For more information see

www.nav.no, contact your NAV Local

Services or call NAV’s service centre

on tel. (+47) 55 55 33 33.

The EEA regulations ensure that you may

keep your earned rights while movingbetween EEA countries.


Old-age pension Starting own business

You can receive a retirement pension

from the National Insurance schemewhen you have reached the age of 62if you have had su ciently high earn -ings. Everyone can receive a retirementpension on reaching the age of 67. Yourannual retirement pension will be higherthe longer you wait until drawing it. Youmust have lived in Norway for at leastthree years after reaching the age of 16and still be a member of the NationalInsurance scheme. If you have worked inanother EEA country, an exception maybe made from the condition regarding aminimum residence period. If you move toanother EEA country, you keep your old-age pension from the Norwegian NationalInsurance Scheme.

You must earn pension rights for 40years to be entitled to a full pensionfrom Norway.


Do you have a business idea and want

to start your own business? At www.altinn.no, you will nd simpleanswers to the most frequently askedquestions about the rules that apply tostarting and running your own business.

At www.altinn.no, you will nd informa -tion about things you should think aboutbefore starting your own business andanswers to the most frequently askedquestions about registering a busi-ness. In addition, you will nd answersto questions relating to running yourown business, including documentationrequirements, taxes and employmentrequirements if you are going to employother people.

The website will guide you to the forms

that you are required to submit to theauthorities about your business. Youwill also nd links to Lovdata (collectionof Norwegian laws) and other relevantwebsites.

If you have any further questions, you

can submit them to the editorial staat www.altinn.no. You will receive

a reply via e-mail within a short time.

Old-agepension

EntrepreneurshipUnemployment

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The daycarecentre/school systemChildren The school system

Assistance forchildren and families

50

This section contains information about the Norwegianschool system. In addition, it provides information about

benefits you are entitled to as a parent, and who to contactfor advice or help regarding difficult family issues.

Children and schools

Primary and lowersecondary schools..56

Before and after-school programme .. 56

Parent-teachercooperation ...........57

Upper secondaryschool ....................57

School transport ....58

Special languagetuition ....................58

Higher education ...58- The Norwegian

universities andcolleges admission

service ....................58

The NorwegianState EducationalLoan Fund ..............59- Who is eligible for support? .................59- What kind of support

can i apply for? .....59- How do i apply? ....60

Pregnancy bene t ..52

Parental bene t .....52

Lump sum maternityand adoptiongrants .................... 52

Child bene t ..........53

Cash-for-carebene t ...................53

Pre-school day carecentres ...................53

The day care centre/school system ........54

Good advice forparents ..................55

Family counsellingservices..................60

Children welfareservice ...................60

Mediation ..............61

Women’s shelters ..61

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Pregnancy benefit Parental benefitLump sum maternityand adoption grants Child benefit Cash-for-care benefit Pre-school day care centers

The purpose of child bene t is to partly

cover the expences of having a child. You can be paid child bene t from themonth following the child’s birth, or themonth after your arrival in Norway withthe child. If the child is born in Norwayafter you have registered in the NationalRegister, child bene t is granted auto-

matically. Child bene t is granted untilthe month before the child turns 18.If you are a single parent, you may,on certain conditions, be entitled tochild bene t for one more child thanyou actually have.

Citizens of EEA countries who work inNorway while their families remain in theirhome country may be entitled to childbene t pursuant to special regulations.

For rates and further information,go to www.nav.no or contact yourNAV Local Services.

You can be paid cash-for-care bene t for

children between the ages of 1 and 2. The condition is that the child does nothave a full-time place in a publicly-fundedpre-school day care center. You can bepaid cash-for-care bene t for maximum11 months. Citizens of EEA countries who work inNorway while their family remains in theirhome country may be entitled to this ben-e t pursuant to special regulations.


The municipalities are responsible for pre-

school day care centres in Norway. Thereare both private and public pre-schoolday care centres for children between theages of one and ve. Submit an applica -tion for a place at a pre-school day carecentre on a separate form that is avail-able from the relevant day care centreor the municipality. Rates and admissionrequirements may vary from one day carecentre to another. Admissions usuallytake place once a year.

For further information aboutpre-school day care centres,contact your local municipality.

You may be entitled to pregnancy bene t

if you are pregnant and your work couldentail a risk of injury to your unborn child. You must have been working for at leastfour weeks to be entitled to pregnancybene t. It is a requirement that you

cannot be assigned di erent tasks or thatother arrangements cannot be made.

Among other things, this applies to:• Work with chemical substances• Physically tiring work• Stressful work • Psychosocial conditions

The purpose of parental bene t is to

secure an income for parents in connec-tion with childbirth or adoption. You maybe entitled to parental bene t if you havehad pensionable income from employ-ment for at least six of the last ten monthsbefore the bene t period starts. Previousemployment relationships in EEA coun-tries can be included if the most recentemployment relationship was in Norway. You can choose between 100 per centparental bene t for 49 weeks or 80 percent for 59 weeks. Ten bene t weeks are

reserved for the mother (the maternalquota) and ten bene t weeks arereserved for the father(the paternalquota). The last three weeks before thedue day and the rst six weeks after the

birth are reserved for the mother. The restof the bene t periodcan be distributed

freely between the parents. Certain condi -tions apply to the mother if the father is tobe entitled to a parental bene t that is not

part of the paternal quota. She must,for example, be in work or studying.

The parental bene t is limited to six times

the National Insurance basic amount.

A woman who is not entitled to parental

bene t may be entitled to a lump sumgrant paid in connection with childbirthor adoption.


Children

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Primary and lower secondary schools Parent-teacher cooperation Upper secondary school

It is important that the school and parentscooperate on children’s learning. Dialoguebetween parents and the school is there-fore closer in Norway than in other coun-tries. Usually, the parents and teachers ofa class get together twice a year, and thisis called a parent-teacher

New in Norway 2016

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