If you have a foreign education or professional qualification and wish to practice your profession in Norway, you generally need approval or authorisation. You will find information about documentation requirements, the application process and regulations here. The competent authority will assess whether you meet the requirements to practice the profession and use the professional title in Norway. If you intend to establish in Norway and work permanently in your chosen profession, the rules below apply to you. However, if you wish to work in Norway for shorter periods of time within your chosen profession, the rules for temporary provision of services apply.
Please submit the application electronically via the service Application for authorisation and license as a healthcare professional. If you do not already have a Norwegian national ID-number, you will need to register a user account for the Altinn services. Please access the registration procedure here.
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Applications can only be submitted by the professional/individual.
Please submit the application electronically via the service Application for authorisation and license as a healthcare professional.
Establishment:
If you wish to establish yourself or work for an extended period in Norway within your profession, you must apply for recognition from the competent recognition authority before you can practice this profession in Norway.
Temporary provision of services:
You can work temporarily in this profession if you are already legally established in an EEA country or Switzerland and can practice the same profession in that country. To be able to work in this profession temporarily in Norway, you must submit a prior declaration to the competent authority (by applying for temporary recognition). This is because the practice of the profession may have serious implications for safety and health for the recipient of the service, and the competent authorities need to be able to verify that you are qualified to practice the profession before you start working.
Documentation requirements for application upon establishment:
- Diploma / Certificate.
- Transcript / Diploma Supplement.
- Confirmation that your education is in accordance with the minimum requirements according to EU directive. Such a confirmation is referred to in several countries as a Certificate of conformity. The confirmation must be issued by the competent authority in your country of education and must be issued in English.
- Confirmation of your professional status (right to the profession). Such confirmation is referred to in several countries as a Certificate of current professional status (CCPS) or Certificate of good standing. The confirmation must be issued by the competent authority in your country of education and in other countries where you may have practiced the profession. The confirmation must be issued in English and cannot be older than 3 months at the time of the submission to the Norwegian Directorate of Health.
As an applicant, you are responsible for obtaining the necessary documentation.
An overview of competent authorities in the European countries can be found here: Regulated Profession Database (europa.eu)
Exception for health personnel educated in a Nordic country:
If you have an education from one of the Nordic countries, you are not required to submit such a certificate.
If you can document the full right to practice the profession in one of the Nordic countries but have education from an EEA country outside the Nordic countries, confirmation from the country of education must be documented.
Possible additional documentation:
- Authorisation from the country of education, alternatively from another EU/EEA country.
- If relevant, work references.
Documentation requirements for temporary/occasional provision of service:
When you submit a prior notification for the first time, the minimum documentation requirements are as follows:
- Proof of identity and nationality (passport og European ID card).
- Confirmation that the professional is legally established in another EEA state or Switzerland and has the right to work in that state.
- Evidence of professional qualifications (diploma/certificate).
- If the profession in question is not regulated by law in the country where you are established, you must provide evidence of having practiced the profession for at least one of the last ten years.
- If you plan to operate a self-employed business, you must also provide information about professional liability insurance coverage applicable to businesses in Norway.
Comments
- All documentation must be submitted as scanned PDF-copies of the original documents. If the original documents are in colour, the scanned copies attached to the application must also be in colour. Photographs of documents will not be acceptet. Ensure that all pages are rotated the right way. If a document consists of several pages, the pages must be submitted in one file and in the correct order.
- All original documents that are not in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English must be translated into one of these languages by a government authorised translator. The translation must be placed in the same file as the original document.
- If you have changed your name since completing your education, please enclose documentation of change of name.
- Applicants without a Norwegian personal ID number or D number must use the alternative log-on in Altinn. You must attach a scanned copy of passport or European ID card in your application. First name and surname in the application form must be the same as in the passport/ID card, and be written in the same order.
- If you wish to authorise someone to act on your behalf, you must fill in an authorisation form (see the Norwegian Directorate of Health's website).
- If you need to submit additional attachments or make changes to your application after submission, you have to use the email address autorisasjon@helsedir.no. Do not submit another application via Altinn.
- In some cases, the Norwegian Directorate of Health may request further information and documentation that is not listed here.
Language requirements:
No.
Criteria/conditions for recognition:
The statutory requirements for being entitled to authorisation are stipulated in the Norwegian Health Personnel Section 48 a.
Case processing deadlines:
Establishment:
The competent authority must acknowledge receipt of your application within one month of receiving it and inform you of any missing or incomplete documentation.
Following the submission of a complete application, the competent authority should complete processing your application within three months.
Temporary/occasional provision of service:
You can practice your profession any time after you have notified the competent authority and provided the necessary documents.
Fees:
Everyone who applies for approval must pay a processing fee of NOK 2,500,- The fee is paid via Altinn when you register your application for authorisation or a licence.
Right of appeal:
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the decision, you may appeal in writing, pursuant to Chapter VI of the Public Administration Act.
Competent authority
The Norwegian Directorate of Health
P. O. Box 220, Skøyen,
0213 Oslo
E-mail: godkjenning@helsedir.no
Phone: (+47) 21 52 97 00
