American opening a business and moving to Norway

I am from the US and am hoping to open a business in Norway. It would be to buy and hold real estate as rentals. I would also like to move over there to be the employee. I’ve read the rules for Residence permits and cannot tell if I would be approved. If I am not approved, I would not go forward with the business. Do I still need to seat up the business first?

Answer:

You are correct that you would need a work and residence permit in order to work for this company. 

There are several ways you could do this. Those depend on if you want to register it as a private limited company or a sole proprietor

There are two separate processes that may apply. You can find more information here: https://www.udi.no/en/want-to-apply/work-immigration/skilled-workers/?c=usa#link-831

If she is a skilled worker and is employed by the business ‘Skilled worker with an employer in Norway’ may work, while if she is the sole proprietor ‘Self-employed persons with a company in Norway’ may apply.

In order to be granted a skilled worker permit with an employer in Norway she must receive a genuine job offer before we are able to process the case. This can be offered by the AS company.

As you explain, the problem with the AS is that you will need to set up the business first before applying. The immigration authorities in Norway cannot give any guarantees.

Submit your own question

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Get in touch

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Related countries

Related notes:

Thomas

Thomas is the founder of NordicHQ. Get in touch
Business Setup, Compliance & Operations, Corporate tax, Cross-Border Taxation, Industries, Legal Requirements, Market Entry, Tax, Tax Incentives, Technology & IT, VAT

US Tech Company Expansion to Europe: A Strategic Guide for SaaS and IoT Product Lines

Who This Guide Is For This comprehensive guide is specifically designed for:…

Industries

Best Countries for Your Film Business Expansion in 2025

The global film industry continues its upward trajectory, with the movies and…

Legal Requirements, Logistics & Operations, Quick Notes, Transport & Logistics

Foreign Vehicle Agreements and Dutch Transport Licenses

Case Study: Romanian “Comodat” vs. Dutch Requirements A recent client inquiry highlighted an important consideration for transport entrepreneurs using foreign vehicle arrangements while operating a Dutch company. The Scenario Our Finding Important: A foreign “comodat” (loan for use) agreement is generally not sufficient to meet Dutch…

Compliance & Operations, Legal Requirements, Quick Notes

Legal Representation Requirements for Non-EU Food Supplement Sellers

Challenge A Canadian entrepreneur wants to sell vitamin gummies through Instagram across multiple EU countries. They plan to set up a French entity and use the One-Stop Shop (OSS) for VAT compliance while expanding to Italy and Spain. Their main concern is finding a legal representative…

Funding, Quick Notes, Subsidies & Government Grants

DHI Subsidy: Financial Support for International Entrepreneurs Expanding from the Netherlands

As an international entrepreneur based in the Netherlands ready for your next growth phase, the DHI subsidy scheme provides concrete support for your expansion plans. This subsidy helps SMEs introduce their technologies, products, or services to foreign markets. What is the DHI Subsidy? The DHI subsidy…

Funding, Quick Notes, Startups

MIT R&D AI Collaboration Projects Grant Now Open for Applications

The MIT R&D Collaboration Projects for Artificial Intelligence (AI) grant program is now open for applications. This subsidy is specifically designed for collaborating SMEs that are developing innovative AI solutions or enhancing existing products, processes, or services through AI implementation. Key Requirements To qualify for this…