Norway is bringing about a big change in the requirement to get a permanent residence permit to live and stay in the country. The Norway government is dropping the financial support requirement to get a permanent residence permit from April 18, 2024.

Earlier, the rule was if you are between 18 and 67 years old and are going to apply for a permanent residence permit, you must have had your income during the last 12 months. You cannot have received any financial assistance from the government during the last 12 months. Going forward, the requirement that you have not received financial assistance under the Social Services Act is lifted, however, you are still required to have your income.

With a permanent residence permit, you can live and work in Norway indefinitely. To apply for a permanent residence permit, you must have held a residence permit in Norway for at least three years and meet certain other requirements. If you have a permanent residence permit, you will be issued a residence card that is valid for two years at a time. This is your proof that you have been granted a permanent residence permit. Previously, people with permanent residence permits had a sticker affixed to their passports.

Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) is working on updating the guide on requirements for training in the Norwegian language for those who have been granted a residence permit after 1 January 2021. Currently, the guide is not updated for those who have received a permit after this date.

Only these types of incomes are approved:

• Income from employment
• Business income (from your own company)
• Pension payments or permanent periodical benefits, for example earned interest and regular income from insurance settlements, contractual pensions, personal pension schemes, income from life insurance, rental income
• Sickness benefit, pregnancy benefit, parental benefit, retirement pension, unemployment benefit, work assessment allowance, single parent’s benefit
• Loans or grants received in connection with studies
• Introduction benefit

You can receive financial assistance during your stay if you do not have money. Assistance can be in the form of pocket money or money for food. You can apply for assistance for necessities such as medical help, eyeglasses and support to buy textbooks in connection with an education.