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.
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 or the employer. Please submit your application with attachments to the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning.
- CV, including personal data, education (with dates) and relevant practice (with dates) for the specific profession
- Copy of original certificate or diploma confirming the qualification
- Copy of the curriculum for the education
- Copy of original certificate of employment confirming completed apprenticeship. (If relevant in the country where the education was obtained.)
- Copy of original certificate, craft certificate, journeyman's certificate, or vocational training certificate for the qualification.
- Copy of original certificate of employment from current or previous employers, confirming completed practice.
Comments
- In case of reasonable doubt, the competent authority in Norway may ask the competent authority in the relevant EEA state to confirm the validity of the certificate of qualification.
- The application process does not start until the competent authority has received a complete application.
- Any documentation that is not in Swedish or Danish must be translated into Norwegian or English.
- The competent authority may require applicants to take an aptitude test or undertake an adaptation period.
- Please note that the competent authority may demand further information about the applicant's education and training if required.
Language requirements:
No, but the employer may require proof of sufficient Norwegian language knowledge necessary for practicing the profession.
Criteria/conditions for recognition:
The statutory qualification requirements for persons who shall work as a Firefighter are set out in the fire and rescue service regulations. Persons who work as a Firefighter exercise public authority. Act relating to recognition of professional qualifications (the Professional Qualifications Act) does not apply for professions that exercise public authority. This means that persons who apply for approval to work as a Firefighter must fulfill qualifications requirements in the fire and rescue service regulations.
Case processing deadlines:
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.
Fees:
The Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning does not charge a fee for processing applications for recognition.
Right of appeal:
In pursuance with the Fire and Explosion Prevention Act and Section 28 of the Public Administration Act, this decision may be appealed. Appeals must be submitted within three weeks from the day you received the decision. The appeal must include your grounds for appeal and any additional documentation that you feel is relevant to the case. The letter of appeal shall be addressed to The Ministry of Justice and Public Security (not sent directly to The Ministry) but sent to DSB.
Competent authority
The Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB)
P.O. Box 2014
NO-3103 Tønsberg
E-mail: postmottak@dsb.no
Phone:(+47) 33 41 25 00
Visiting address: Rambergveien 9, 3115 Tønsberg
