Have applied Can I work when I have applied for protection (asylum)?

Questions and answers

• Can I be granted a temporary work permit?

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  Applications for temporary and renewed work permits from Syrian citizens and stateless persons from Syria

  If you are from Syria, you have the right to apply for a temporary or renewed work permit. However, if you have not had an asylum interview, you will not be eligible for a temporary or renewed work permit while you wait for your application for protection to be processed.

  If you have had an asylum interview, your application will be processed as normal.

  You can be granted a temporary work permit while you are an asylum seeker if

  • you have had your asylum interview (except if you are from Yemen or if you are a Uyghur from China), and
  • you have a valid passport (if you handed in your passport to the police when you applied for protection, it is sufficient that the passport was valid when you handed it in), and
  • you have not received an answer to your application for protection, or you have been granted deferred implementation of rejection while your case is being considered by UNE.

  You cannot be granted a temporary work permit while you are an asylum seeker if

  • you have not had your asylum interview (except if you are from Yemen or if you are a Uyghur from China), or
  • you do not have a valid passport, or 
  • you are to be sent to another European country (your application is processed as a Dublin case), or
  • you have received a rejection of your application for asylum, or
  • you have received a letter of expulsion or an advance notice that you may be expelled

  How to apply

  • You apply by filling in Form for asylum seekers who would like a work permit (pdf, 629 kB).
  • You send the form by postal mail to the police in the area where you live. Please ensure that the form is not sent by email. Also, please note that you send it by postal mail to the police, not to UDI.
  • You are required to hand in your passport to the police if you have not already done so. After you have sent the Form for asylum seekers who would like a work permit to the police, you will receive an email from them with information on how to book your appointment to hand in your identity document.
  • The police may also ask you to attend an appointment at your local police district if anything in your application is unclear.
  • You do not have to pay a fee when applying for a temporary work permit. This does not apply to you if your application for protection has been rejected by the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE).

• What does it mean to be granted a work permit?

  • In order for you to be allowed to work, UDI must first have given you a temporary work permit.
  • If you work without being allowed to by UDI, you are violating Norwegian law. If you work without a temporary work permit, this may have consequences for your application for protection.
  • If you get a temporary work permit, this means you can work. You have to find work yourself.

• Can I participate in voluntary work?

  You do not need a work permit to participate in voluntary work. There are strict rules for what is considered voluntary work.

  For work to qualify as voluntary

  • It must be work that you yourself have chosen to do.
  • It must be work that you are not paid for.
  • It must be work that is organised by a humanitarian, non-profit or religious organisation, or by a volunteer centre (frivillighetssentral), a sports club or similar organisations.
  • The tasks you carry out must be tasks that no one is normally paid to do.
  • You cannot do voluntary work for more than 30 hours per week.

• Can I work at my reception centre?

  In principle, you need a work permit in order to work in Norway. This also applies to tasks and work at your reception centre.

  You can carry out some tasks and small jobs at your reception centre without holding a work permit. You cannot receive pay or other forms of compensation for these jobs. You are not allowed to do other jobs.

  Examples of tasks you can do

  • Show new residents around the reception centre and the local community
  • Help other residents to use the internet
  • Help to make and distribute the reception centre newspaper
  • Keep the notice board up to date
  • Help to organise the activity rooms
  • Help others with language issues during informal gatherings
  • Assist in fire safety work at the reception centre, for example by informing other residents about fire safety
  • Help to sort and hand out clothes and other items that the reception centre has received from the local community
  • Take part in voluntary work at the reception centre, such as spring cleaning
  • Take practical training as part of schemes that promote return

  Examples of tasks you cannot do

  • Interpreting or translation
  • Work in the canteen
  • Work in the reception or on the switchboard
  • Building or technical equipment maintenance
  • Driving or transport services