Requirements

• You must plan to engage in long-term business activities in Norway.
• The business concerned must as a rule be your own sole proprietorship. The business cannot be a limited company.

Rights and obligations

•  In addition to engaging in business activities, you can also take on other work.
• You can bring your family to Norway. They must also register.
• After five years in Norway, you can be granted permanent right of residence 

What happens if you are no longer a self-employed person?

• If you have been a self-employed person in Norway for at least one year, you can continue to live in Norway and look for a job for as long as you wish. You must have registered as a job seeker with the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, Nav, (external website) 
• If you have been a self-employed person in Norway for less than one year, you can continue to live in Norway and look for a job for six months. You must have registered as a job seeker with the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, Nav, (external website)
• If you can no longer be a self-employed person because you are temporarily incapacitated due to illness or accident, you can continue to live in Norway for as long as you wish. 

How the registration scheme works

• You can move to Norway and start working right away, but you must register no later than three months after your arrival in Norway.
• You only need to register once, regardless of how long you will be living in Norway. You can also, for example, go from being a student to being employed without having to re-register.
• While you live in Norway, you must belong to one of the residence categories described on this page. You may be an employee, self-employed, family member, student, have your own funds, or be employed by a foreign company. If you are a student or are here on your own funds, you must have insurance.
• If you meet the requirements for registering, the police will issue you a registration certificate.
• Registration is free.