WORK

EDUCATION

SOCIETY

WORK

How to get a job

Participation in the labour market is maybe the most important factor of good integration in the Norwegian society. A job contributes to increased involvement in the society because it gives you a network and a social arena. It gives you more knowledge about the Norwegian society, about communication culture and about culture at the workplace. A job also makes you capable of caring for yourself and be more independent in the society. More importantly, you become economically independent.

There is no guarantee that you can work if you are an asylum seeker because there are certain rules that applies for asylums seekers. You do not have the same rights as people with a residence permit or citizenship in Norway. You can apply for a working permit while you are waiting on your asylum application and use your spare time to increase your competence, expand your network and learn the language. Talk with employees at your reception centre about this. Everyone with a residence permit have the right to work in Norway.

On this page you will find information about work in Norway with links to other pages where there are more details. Most web pages will be in Norwegian or English. If you need information in your first language, you can chat with volunteers at Caritas Resource Centre in Arabic, Tigrinya, Dari, Turkish and Somali.

Working in Norway is here summed up in 5 steps. Not all the information is relevant for you, but we have tried to sort the information so that you most likely will find what is relevant for your situation.

We begin with describing residence permit that gives access to working in Norway. We will then describe how you need to proceed to get your former education recognised in Norway. This can be important for what jobs and salary that you qualify for in the future. We will describe the different demands for Norwegian language levels in the labour market. We will conclude the section about work with useful information about acquiring the right formal competence to get your dream job, how to build a network, where to find job ads and how to write a job application and perform well at job interviews.

Every country has its own education system. Education in university and university college in Norway can be on college level in other countries. This is also true for other schools, like nursing school and primary school. These differences also exist between countries in Europe and can lead to misunderstandings. Former education and work experience should be assessed and compared with a similar Norwegian education to count as a completed or partly completed Norwegian education. NOKUT (the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education) does the assessment and recognize foreign higher education.

NOKUT can recognize higher education from abroad except for regulated professions that requires special authorization.

There are a lot of different recognition schemes. Remember that it is your education and what you want to use it to achieve that is important for what kind of recognition scheme you choose. We shall now walk you through some important differences. It is not certain you will be able to get education from your country recognised.

Recognition of foreign higher education: You can apply for this recognition if you have higher education from abroad.
Recognition of foreign vocational education and training: You can apply if you have completed foreign vocational education and training (carpenter, plumber, hairdresser, painter)
Recognition Procedure for Persons without Verifiable Documentation (UVD-procedure): This is a recognition procedure for persons with documentation that cannot be verified.

Validation of prior learning: Prior learning comprises all the competence a person has acquired through paid or unpaid work, in-service training, continuing education, leisure activities in addition to the competence documented through basic education and training.
Regulated professions: Some professions are regulated by law. This means that you must fulfil certain requirements to practice the profession and/or use a certain professional title in Norway. Examples are accountant, doctor or lawyer.

NOKUT’s Qualifications Passport for Refugees

This arrangement is for you who cannot be included in the mentioned recognition schemes. It is for you if you do not have sufficient knowledge about Norwegian, English or another Scandinavian language. If you do not have a permanent residence permit and if you do not have a completed qualification in higher education.

The qualification passport has information about your highest achieve qualification, work experience, language competence, in addition to advice and guidance about how you should proceed. The Qualifications Passport is valid for three years. During this period, you should start working or begin your studies, improve your language skills, or get the chance to apply for formal recognition or authorization. To qualify, you first must apply for recognition of foreign higher education.

On the way to work in Norway, you should start thinking about two important parts of your integration project as early as possible, namely building social networks and raising competence.

Both can be equally important for finding the job you dream of. By building social networks we mean expanding your circle of acquaintances in Norway, both as friends and professionally. By competence we mean your qualifications or what you can to do a job. Often you will have to increase your skills, that is, acquire new or strengthen your qualifications through, for example, courses, education and / or work experience.

What do I want to achieve?
What is your goal? If your goal is to get a job, you may want to define the type of job you are looking for. Get an overview of the labour market in Norway within the industry you are interested in, skills requirements, where you can meet relevant people or gain relevant work experience. You can do your own research on the internet or use your network for information. On “utdanning.no“ there is a lot of information about education and various occupations.

Who do I know?
After setting goals for what types of jobs you could think of, it is advisable to think about who you know in Norway who can give you advice, share experience or otherwise support you on the way to that job. As a newcomer in Norway, you will usually have a fairly small network, especially if you live at a reception centre. It is yourself who is responsible for building your network beyond those you know at the reception centre. You can use your goal of getting a job as a motivation to think new and to seek out new arenas where you can meet people, such as libraries, volunteer work, associations or leisure clubs. Not everyone you know will be relevant to the goal you set, but it is the first step that will allow you to gain access to the environments you are looking for.

What can I offer?
To receive, you must share. To meet new people and expand your network you need to be relevant and have something to offer. A good example of this is volunteering. By volunteering for an activity or assignment, you are offering your time and expertise to others who need it and in doing so get to meet many new people and build new relationships. As your social network grows, you will be more likely to get to know people who can provide you with relevant advice or information along the way to your dream job. In addition to networking, volunteering can give you the lack of work experience and good references that you can use during the job search process or if you are going to rent your own apartment. Read more about volunteering under the section «society».

It is UDI (The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration) that is the governmental agency that process applications about residency permits. A residency permit can be on the grounds of studying, working, family unification, international protection, visiting (tourist) or as an au pair. You can check the processing time at the UDI web page.

When your application for residence permit get accepted for some of the above-mentioned reasons, you often get access to other rights regarding your stay. For example, if you get a study permit, you can normally also work for a limited number of hours per week. Every case processed by the UDI is individual, and it is therefore important that you wait for your decision and that you get help with the translation and understand it as well as possible. There are several organizations that you can contact for getting help with understanding your decision:

Caritas can assist you through the chat service at enfase.no, or you can call us on 40428450. You can also visit the resource centre in Oslo.

Norwegian organization for asylum seekers, NOAS, can also assist you with understanding your decision from UDI. You can call NOAS on. 22365660.

You can apply for a work permit while you wait on your asylum application. You can apply for a temporary working permit at your local police station. You can get a temporary working permit if:
you have had your asylum interview (or you are from Syria, Eritrea, or Turkey), and
you have a valid passport (or live in an integration reception centre, and the UDI is in no doubt about your identity), and
you have not received an answer to your application for protection.

You will find more information about different grounds for resident permits, processing and the demands for documentation at UDI web pages: www.udi.no or by calling UDI advisory service at 23351600, Monday Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 09.00 to 14.30.

The most common reason for exclusion from the job market is difficulties with learning the language. It is therefore important that you start obtaining language skills as soon as possible after you have arrived in Norway. Learning a new language is never a waste of time.

There is a lot of different courses, programs and volunteer arranged activities you can attend for learning Norwegian. You will be offered the standard «introduksjonsprogram» when you have been granted a resident permit, and this program will give you necessary language training for free. Most other programs will as a rule cost you money. Here is a list with some of the offers:

Osloskolen
Folkeuniversitetet
Caritas Norge
Alfaskolen
Lingu
Språkakademiet
Røde Kors

There are several possibilities for self-learning on your free time at the reception centre or in your home. You can for example use your local library and the internet to find free exercises in the Norwegian language. Reception centres have different activities for you to learn the language, and there are also likely to be volunteer organizations in your local community that arranges Norwegian courses or language cafes. Contact your advisor or staff at the reception centre to get an updated list of different offers that is relevant for you. Remember to always speak the Norwegian language when you talk to people at the reception centre, people on the bus or at the store. This is important wisdom that can contribute to increased motivation and positive mood. Languages are fun!

The language levels are divided into 6 groups from lowest A to highest C. Here is a summary of the levels that you also will find at “Kompetanse Norge”:
A1 – Understand and use familiar, everyday expressions and very simple statements.
A2 – Participate in simple conversations about practical tasks and routines in familiar context.
B1 – Can understand the main points of text and talk about familiar topics that one often encounters in connection with work, school, and leisure.
B2 – Can understand the main content of complex or academic texts and discussions within his / her own field of study.
C1 – An advanced level of competence required for more complex study tasks and work.

Different language requirements may be set in the working life depending on, among other things, occupation, and position. Here is a small guide that can give you an idea of the language requirements in the labour market:

Occupations that require A2:
Cleaning jobs in Oslo Municipality

Occupations that require B2:
Permanent positions as health professionals and nursing assistants in nursing homes
Kindergarten employees
Taxi and bus drivers

Occupations that require B2 / C:
Healthcare professionals with higher education: Doctor, nurse, midwife etc. Not a formal requirement in Norway, but it is up to the employer. But it is a formal requirement in the City of Oslo to have passed C1 for all health care professionals with higher education.

It will be easier for you in the job search process if you have a clearly defined goal of the type of job you are looking for. In the section «Social networking and expertise» you can read more about setting goals in your integration project.

Where to find vacancies in Norway?
There are many channels for finding jobs in Norway. It can be on the internet, the media, through unions and private recruitment agencies or by submitting an open job application.

Most jobs in Norway are advertised online. On the NAV and FINN websites you will find most positions. In addition, you can create and register as a job seeker with your own CV and job search so that you get updates when new positions that are relevant to you are posted. You can also search for jobs in Norway in a variety of languages at http://eures.europa.eu.

Many Norwegian companies have their own websites and sometimes choose to post information about vacancies on their own pages and not elsewhere. You can use «Gule sider» on the internet to find the internet address of the sites.

Norwegian newspapers often contain job postings and you may want to check these if you have access to, for example, a local newspaper.

Trade unions are also good sources of information during the job search process. Some unions, such as LO, publish trade journals that contain job listings.

If you are looking for work in specific industries or professions, you may want to register with private recruitment agencies. Some examples are:
Randstad
Job Norway
Adecco
Manpower
and many more

Norway also has an informal market for vacancies, i.e. positions that are not registered with other organizations or advertised in other ways. One way to capture such positions is to send an open application to companies that may be interesting. In addition, it is advisable to call the company after submitting your application, to follow up on it. Remember to always bring your updated CV, in Norwegian or English, as well as certificates, diplomas, etc.

CV, application and interview
To secure your dream job, you should become good at CV, application writing and interview.
CV – Here you present yourself and your life in connection with education and work. It should have information about what you can do and what you have done. It should be simple and a maximum of two pages. Customize your resume to the position you are applying for so that the information is up to date and relevant.

Application – In Norway, it is common to apply together with a CV. In the application, you will argue your motivation for applying for the job, why you should get the job, by showing what you have done before, and why you are qualified for the job. Remember that the application does not have to repeat what is in the CV, but it can elaborate some points.

If you have sparce experience in writing applications, creating CVs or maybe you need training in job interview, then there are several tips and advice online or free offers in the form of courses. Caritas Norway has several free offers such as job seeking course, work mentor, computer course, and individual guidance and much more. Check out Carita’s website for more information or contact us here on chat.

NAV can help you with guidance on job search and working life. There is a NAV office in each municipality. NAV offers competency-enhancing courses: for example, accounting courses, nursing and care courses, kindergarten courses, café and canteen courses, job clubs, etc. NAV helps you with CVs and job applications. NAV can also help you find practice (similar to an internship) and work. Click here for more info: www.nav.no

Rights as an employee in Norway
It is important that you are familiar with your rights as an employee in Norway, especially when you have been offered a job and must sign a contract of employment. The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority gives you all the necessary information about what rights you have in relation to various issues related to work such as employment contract, salary, holiday, pension etc. At Caritas guidance / chat service we can help you by answering your questions regarding your working conditions and your rights in Norway. LO has created a useful job guide that gives you an overview of your most important rights.

EDUCATION

How to get admission

To study in Norway as a foreign citizen, you should, as early as possible, begin to familiarize yourself with the requirements set in the Norwegian system. There are several things that need to be in place before you can start studying and the process of studying can be complicated and time consuming. Patch yourself with patience and seek help / guidance, either through Caritas’ online / telephone guidance service or by contacting the relevant actors for what you are wondering about.

Here we have gathered most of the necessary information related to education in Norway with a link to other websites where you will find more details about each topic. Keep in mind that most websites will be in Norwegian or English and if you are not fluent in these languages you can contact our guidance service on chat in your native language.

Education in Norway is summarized here in five steps and ranked by what is the most natural order. Keep in mind that what applies to you may be totally or partially different from what is described here. In addition, you can often combine several steps or start a specific place in the process.

Below you can click on each of the steps and explore your options. In the first step, you must ensure that you have been granted legal residence in Norway which provides access to studies. In step two, you will receive information on the necessary approval of previous education from other countries. As the third and fourth steps, we explain to you the requirements in terms of language, general study competence and any supplemental education. Finally, we introduce the process of applying for admission to the desired study to gain study space.

Remember, there is much you can do on your own, such as expanding your social network and learning the language. Work towards your goals today!

Every country has its own education system. Education in university and university college in Norway can be on college level in other countries. This is also true for other schools, like nursing school and primary school. These differences also exist between countries in Europe and can lead to misunderstandings. Former education and work experience should be assessed and compared with a similar Norwegian education to count as a completed or partly completed Norwegian education. NOKUT (the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education) does the assessment and recognize foreign higher education.

NOKUT can recognize higher education from abroad except for regulated professions that requires special authorization.

There are a lot of different recognition schemes. Remember that it is your education and what you want to use it to achieve that is important for what kind of recognition scheme you choose. We shall now walk you through some important differences. It is not certain you will be able to get education from your country recognised.

Recognition of foreign higher education: You can apply for this recognition if you have higher education from abroad.
Recognition of foreign vocational education and training: You can apply if you have completed foreign vocational education and training (carpenter, plumber, hairdresser, painter)
Recognition Procedure for Persons without Verifiable Documentation (UVD-procedure): This is a recognition procedure for persons with documentation that cannot be verified.

Validation of prior learning: Prior learning comprises all the competence a person has acquired through paid or unpaid work, in-service training, continuing education, leisure activities in addition to the competence documented through basic education and training.
Regulated professions: Some professions are regulated by law. This means that you must fulfil certain requirements to practice the profession and/or use a certain professional title in Norway. Examples are accountant, doctor or lawyer.

NOKUT’s Qualifications Passport for Refugees

This arrangement is for you who cannot be included in the mentioned recognition schemes. It is for you if you do not have sufficient knowledge about Norwegian, English or another Scandinavian language. If you do not have a permanent residence permit and if you do not have a completed qualification in higher education.

The qualification passport has information about your highest achieve qualification, work experience, language competence, in addition to advice and guidance about how you should proceed. The Qualifications Passport is valid for three years. During this period, you should start working or begin your studies, improve your language skills, or get the chance to apply for formal recognition or authorization. To qualify, you first must apply for recognition of foreign higher education.

«Higher Education Entrance Qualification» is the formal admission requirement for higher education in Norway. Higher education means university or university college. Everyone must have «Higher Education Entrance Qualification» to get admission to higher education in Norway. For applicants with foreign education, the requirements are specified in the GSU-list.

Persons who have been granted refugee status or similar in Norway and who cannot obtain necessary documentation on education and work from their home country can gain «Higher Education Entrance Qualification» on the basis of the 23/5 rule, with exemption from the requirement of at least five years of practice and / or education.

If you are still unsure whether you meet the requirements for admission to higher education, «Samordna opptak» can provide you with individual guidance. Send mail to: sokerinfo@samordnaoppak.no or call 21495609. Caritas can also guide you with finding the right plan for you.

When you can document «Higher Education Entrance Qualification» and language requirements, you can usually apply for admission to the desired higher education. However, in some studies, additional requirements are set before admission can be applied for. You can find more about this by visiting the relevant educational site online and under the next section «apply for admission».

If you do not meet the requirement for «Higher Education Entrance Qualification», you can apply for «validation of prior learning». You must be 25 years old or more in the year you are applying and have the relevant competence for a study that can make up for you not meeting the normal admission requirements. Work or voluntary assignments, education or organizational experience can be examples of relevant prior learning. It is each student’s place of study that decides whether the qualifications can be approved.

It is UDI (The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration) that is the governmental agency that process applications about residency permits. A residency permit can be on the grounds of studying, working, family unification, international protection, visiting (tourist) or as an au pair. You can check the processing time at the UDI web page.

When your application for residence permit get accepted for some of the above-mentioned reasons, you often get access to other rights regarding your stay. For example, if you get a study permit, you can normally also work for a limited number of hours per week. Every case processed by the UDI is individual, and it is therefore important that you wait for your decision and that you get help with the translation and understand it as well as possible. There are several organizations that you can contact for getting help with understanding your decision:

Caritas can assist you through the chat service at enfase.no, or you can call us on 40428450. You can also visit the resource centre in Oslo.

Norwegian organization for asylum seekers, NOAS, can also assist you with understanding your decision from UDI. You can call NOAS on. 22365660.

You can apply for a work permit while you wait on your asylum application. You can apply for a temporary working permit at your local police station. You can get a temporary working permit if:
you have had your asylum interview (or you are from Syria, Eritrea, or Turkey), and
you have a valid passport (or live in an integration reception centre, and the UDI is in no doubt about your identity), and
you have not received an answer to your application for protection.

You will find more information about different grounds for resident permits, processing and the demands for documentation at UDI web pages: www.udi.no or by calling UDI advisory service at 23351600, Monday Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 09.00 to 14.30.

All applicants for admission to university and university college in Norway must meet the language requirements in Norwegian and English.

Norwegian
The Norwegian language requirement corresponds to passing the Norwegian exam at level B2 on all four sub-tests. You can familiarize yourself with the different levels and which sub-exams are compulsory on the exam by visiting the «Kompetanse Norge» website. Here is a brief description of each level:

A1 – Understand and use familiar, everyday expressions and very simple statements.
A2 – Participate in simple conversations about practical tasks and routines in familiar context.
B1 – Can understand the main points of text and talk about familiar topics that one often encounters in connection with work, school, and leisure.
B2 – Can understand the main content of complex or academic texts and discussions within his / her own field of study.
C1 – An advanced level of competence required for more complex study tasks and work.

When you get settled in a municipality, you get to participate in the Introduction Program, where you receive training in language and society. Read more about settlement and the introductory program under «Society». There are several other organizations that offer Norwegian courses. Here is a list of some of the offers:
Osloskolen
Folkeuniversitetet
Caritas Norge
Alfaskolen
Lingu
Språkakademiet
Røde Kors

English
The English language requirement corresponds to approved tests such as TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge ESOL Examinations or The European language certificate. One can fulfill the language requirements by, for example, being able to document completed master’s degree in English, completed bachelor’s or master’s degree with English as a major part of the program or completed one year of study in high school or in higher education in an English-speaking country.

In Norway, «Samordna opptak» is responsible for processing applications for admission to higher education. You can create a user, log in and submit an application, as well as upload all necessary documentation online. To apply for admission to higher education in Norway, you need «Higher Education Entrance Qualification», sufficient knowledge of Norwegian and English and proper documentation, see the section above.

Study Summary 2020 gives you an example of which studies exist and what requirements are set in the year 2020: https://sok.samordnaopptak.no/

SOCIETY

Living in Norway

Modern Norway is a society characterized by welfare, equality, and economic stability. Equality and equal worth are closely related to the modern welfare state. This means that regardless of gender, sexual identity, ethnicity or disability, all citizens should be guaranteed equal rights. Norway is named among the best in terms of gender equality and living conditions with around 70 percent of women working.

Norway is a parliamentary, democratic, and unitary constitutional monarchy. In short, this means that power and authority in the constitution are distributed nationally between the government, the parliament, and the courts. Municipalities and county municipalities have authority only to the extent that the Stortinget has delegated such power to local and regional authorities in their own laws.

Norway is a representative democracy. This means that the people elect their representatives to the Storting, county councils and municipal councils in general elections every four years. The right to vote in Norway is universal. It is a requirement to have turned 18 and to be a Norwegian citizen in parliamentary elections, while in municipal and county council elections, foreign nationals can also vote. You must have lived in Norway for at least 3 years before Election Day. It is important for democracy that everyone who has the right to vote actively participate in elections. Read more about elections and voting rights here.

Counties and municipalities
Norway is divided into 11 counties and 356 municipalities. With a simple Google search, you can quickly check which municipality and county the address you live in belongs to. That way, you can keep up to date with what’s happening in your local community and follow the local elections we mentioned earlier.

Family can be an important theme for your integration project in Norway. It is the UDI that deals with family immigration matters. This can be a long and arduous process and to help you along the way, we will summarize the most necessary requirements to be reunited with your family in the best possible way.

Before applying for a family reunion, it is crucial that you have a legal stay that provides access to family reunification, such as asylum. Caritas Norway and the Norwegian Organization for Asylum Seekers, NOAS, can provide free legal assistance in connection with asylum decisions, family reunions and complaints. You can also seek help and guidance from other organizations such as JussBuss or SEIF.

Not all family members can have a family reunion. This applies mainly to spouses / cohabitants or a child under the age of 18.

To avoid income requirements, the application for family reunification must be registered within 6 months of the date stated in your decision letter for asylum in Norway. This can be done electronically in the UDI’s application portal. Within 12 months of the date stated in the letter of decision to you who are in Norway, the family members must have physically submitted the application and all necessary documentation by appearing at a Norwegian embassy, consulate or application centre.

Keep in mind that you can contact UDI’s guidance service directly by calling 23351600 if you have questions about your case or the regulations.

Half of the population in Norway is engaged in voluntary work. Voluntary efforts have an impact on individuals, but also on society. Volunteering can be motivating, educational, and not least rewarding for those who share their time to help others. It can also be a way to learn Norwegian, meet the locals and make friends. There is a lower requirement to perform a voluntary assignment compared to a job, while at the same time acquiring a lot of useful knowledge for potential jobs.

In Norway, there are many voluntary organizations and missions. Volunteer centres, «frivillighetssentraler» exist in many places in Norway and are, for example, local meeting places that link individuals and organizations together to create a good voluntary environment, good activities, and good cooperation with the local public. If you want to get involved or get an overview of offers, check out www.frivillig.no

Caritas is a voluntary organization that relies on good and dedicated volunteers to provide information and activities for the immigrant population. You can find our voluntary assignments and registration at frivillig.no.

Most volunteer assignments can be found at frivillig.no, but also by visiting the relevant sites directly. Volunteering is unpaid and has a wide variety, from information work, socialization, networking, training and much more. If you are wondering if being a volunteer is right for you, you should first think through what engages you, what matters you are concerned with and what kind of tasks you would like to do. Volunteering is mutual, so it is important that you enjoy what you do! Here you can find some videos where former volunteers share their experiences. https://om.frivillig.no/filmer/2016/8/31/frivilligno-mahmod-og-damene-i-botanisk-hage

Settlement
In Norway, it is the municipalities’ task to settle and assist refugees with integration into the Norwegian society.

Usually all refugees live at reception centre until the UDI has processed their asylum application. However, some choose to live privately while waiting for answers from the UDI and have no financial support. It is a duty to report the correct address to the Norwegian authorities.

After the application for protection has been processed and granted, it is the the directorate of integration and diversity, IMDi, who will find a municipality in which to live.
The settlement process in Norway can take a long time and is different from person to person. Single minor refugees and families with children are prioritized for quick settlement and wait the shortest time to be allocated a municipality.

How is it determined which municipality is right for you?
Employees at the reception centre where refugees reside during the application period will initiate a survey of the individual refugee’s needs, qualifications and other information relevant to the refugee’s future in Norway. This survey is an important tool used by IMDi to find the right municipality in the settlement work. For example, IMDi considers whether the refugee has close relatives who are already in Norway.

Once IMDi has made a settlement decision, a copy of the decision will be sent with the planned date of settlement. There is only one offer for settlement in a given municipality that cannot be appealed. It is therefore very important that you provide all necessary background information about you to the employees at the reception during the survey. You can refuse the offer from IMDi and settle elsewhere in the country on your own. The consequence of this will be that you lose the right to an introductory program and an introduction allowance. You will have to manage yourself on your own without financial support from the public. Read more about settling on the IMDi website.

Introductory program
After settling in the municipality, the municipality shall arrange for an introduction program for up to two years. This is an offer for refugees and their family reunions between the ages of 18 and 55. The introductory program provides basic qualification which includes basic skills in Norwegian, basic insights into Norwegian social life and prepares for participation in professional life. Introductory support is granted while participating in the introductory program. The benefit equals twice the basic national insurance amount for participants over the age of 25.

For refugees with higher education, in addition to the possibility of seeking higher education on par with others (read more in the library under «education»), there are also special offers from the university and university-college sector that can be included in the introductory program. You can find the list of these offers at IMDi.

Good language skills are essential for education and work. It is therefore important that you start learning Norwegian as early as possible. The public gives you who are between the ages of 16 and 67 and have been granted the right and obligation to receive training in Norwegian and social studies. Persons receiving protection in Norway will participate in the 2-year introductory program, as mentioned above.

There are a number of opportunities for self-learning, activities organized by a voluntary organization or local area offerings that you can use while awaiting answers to your asylum application, or whether you are a resident of a municipality. If you live at a reception centre, ask the staff there to give you an overview of organizations that work locally, libraries that you can visit, activity centres, or websites that you can visit to learn the language. You can also contact Caritas and ask for advice on how and where to learn Norwegian.

Several places offer courses at many levels in Norwegian for adult immigrants. There are Norwegian courses both daytime and evening at several schools / organizations in Oslo and other municipalities. People can also take advantage of free drop-in Norwegian courses and language cafes offered locally in Norway. Caritas, for example, offers a free «drop-in» Norwegian course weekly and a social language cafe.

Health rights
As a refugee or asylum seeker you have the right to health care for both physical and mental ailments, and drug issues. You also have the right to necessary dental care. This right applies when you arrive in Norway and apply for protection or as a refugee / family reunification

All children under the age of 18 who reside in Norway are entitled to both health and care services. Pregnant women are entitled to necessary health care before and after birth. Pregnant women have the right to follow-up by a doctor or midwife and the right to give birth in hospital. For unwanted pregnancy, you are entitled to an abortion.

If you have received a final rejection of your application for protection or do not have a legal residence in Norway, you are entitled to immediate health care and health care that is absolutely necessary and cannot wait.
If it is life matter, call 113
The telephone number of the emergency room throughout Norway is 116 117

General practitioner
The GP is your personal physician that you can visit for treatment or consultation. All persons registered in a Norwegian municipality have the right to a GP. As an asylum seeker, you can still get a GP if you have received a D-number. D number is an ID number, which is assigned to persons who do not fulfill the conditions for being assigned ordinary birth and social security numbers.

Dentist
As an asylum seeker with the asylum application during treatment or granted a stay, you are entitled to the necessary dental health services. Consult your receptionist or health care professional for more information about a dentist in your area.

Payment for health services and dentist
As an adult, you have to pay a deductible (between NOK 150 and 200) from an emergency room and a doctor. You do not pay for hospitalization and treatment.

The dental expenses depend on whether you live at a transit or regular reception centre. If you live at a transit centre, the UDI will cover the necessary treatment and any travel and interpreting expenses in connection with the urgent need for dental treatment. If you live at an ordinary reception, you must, as a general rule, cover the cost of dental treatment and any interpreter. Contact the staff at the reception where you live for updated information. If you do not live in a reception centre, you must cover all expenses yourself.

Children under the age of 16 do not pay a deductible from the GP. For children, dental treatment is free up to the year they turn 18. Dental regulation is not free.
Pregnant women have free health care before and after birth. Also, if you are pregnant, you should not pay to give birth in a hospital.

If you have received a final rejection on your asylum application, the general rule is that you must pay for health care and treatment in hospitals, but except for immediate assistance. This also applies at birth.
Residents at reception centres have the opportunity to apply to the UDI for so-called supplementary benefits for expenses coverage. This applies in special cases and must be applied for directly to the UDI. Consult with staff and health professionals at reception, they can assist you in the application process.

Facilitated health monitoring
When contacting the health service, health professionals should facilitate good communication despite language differences. Health professionals should order an interpreter if you need to use your native language. The interpreter and health care professional have a duty of confidentiality and, as a general rule, can not and information about your health further if you do not want it.