Trainees

Requirements of the trainee

  • You must pay an application fee.
  • You can only be a trainee whilst taking higher education. The education must be at a foreign educational institution. 
  • You cannot have completed your education. In such cases, you must instead apply for a permit as a skilled worker. You cannot have a stay as a trainee at the start of your studies either.
  • The purpose of the traineeship must be to get practical training as a part of your education. 
  • Normally, you cannot previously have been a trainee, or have worked in the same field as the one you are going to work as a trainee.
  • You must have somewhere to live.
  • You must have turned 18 years old when you apply, and not have turned 30 years old.
  • The circumstances in your home country must indicate that it is likely that you can return home when you have completed your trainee period. 

Requirements relating to the trainee period

  • You must have received a concrete offer of full-time employment as a trainee.
  • The work you do during the trainee period must be relevant to your education.
  • You can either be paid or receive a grant. Your pay must not be less than is normal in Norway:
    • If you are to work in an industry in which a collective agreement applies, you must be paid the collective wage rate for trainees. 
    • If you are going to work in an industry in which no collective agreement applies, your pay cannot be poorer than what is normal for a trainee in your occupation in the place you are going to work. 
    • You may receive a grant instead of pay. The grant must correspond to the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund's (Lånekassen's) basic support for full-time studies for higher education, i.e. for the academic year 2024/2025, at least

      NOK 13 790‬ per month

       .
  • You can only have one employer.
  • You are not allowed to work remotely unless it is part of the job you have been granted a residence permit to do.

Rights and obligations for applicants who are granted a permit

  • You can be granted a residence permit for up to six months. If the industry in which you will be an intern commonly offers longer trainee periods, you can get a residence permit for up to twelve months. You must be able to show a training plan for the entire period applied for.
  • You cannot renew your residence permit.
  • Your spouse or cohabitant and children can usually apply to come and live with you in Norway. If your family members apply at the same time as you, you will receive the answer to your applications at the same time. 
  • The period you have this permit does not count if you later wish to apply for a permanent residence permit.