SAFH is responsible for granting the professional authorisation which is required for practising the applicants` profession within the legally regulated health personnel categories. Authorisation represents full and permanent approval, while licences impose one or more limitations with respect to duration, independent or supervised practise, etc. SAFH will not be able to assist in finding jobs within the Norwegian health care system. Information about vacancies in the health sector may be found on the English website of Arbeids- og velferdsetaten (The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration), or on the websites of the professional organisations, e.g. www.fysio.no (physiotherapists), www.legeforeningen.no (medical practitioners) www.farmaceutene.no (pharmacists), www.nosf.no (general nurses). Information on how to obtain permits for work and residence in Norway may be found on the website of Utlendingsdirektoratet (UDI) (The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration). Foreigners who are not citizens of an EEA country must have a particular reason for living or working in Norway, for instance if their professional competence satisfies a specific need in the Norwegian labour market which cannot be met by the domestic work force. Norwegian foreign service missions (list here) handle applications for work and residence permits initially. The website of The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) gives information about general requirements for authorisation of professional education and training obtained in countries other than Norway, and about equivalents to Norwegian degrees in respect of both level and content. Medical Practitioner When should I apply? For medical practitioners there are four normal situations involving application for licence or authorisation: 1. Student Licence: Such licence grants permission to practise in a subordinate capacity, and permits the licencee to prescribe medication in Groups B and C in connection with work in such capacity. Student licences may also be granted to medical students who are studying at universities abroad. A student licence does not entitle the holder to call her-/himself medical practitioner. 2. "Turnus" (practical service) licence: This is required for practising as medical practitioner in a subordinate capacity at a hospital, work in a causualty unit, etc during state organised "turnus". The licence provides for a more extensive area of responsibility than a student licence does. The licence is necessary for accumulating experience counting towards authorisation. 3. Authorisation: Authorisation is granted to applicants who have successfully completed "turnus" in terms of current "turnus" regulations. 4. Licence: A licence is permission to practise as medical practitioner, but on certain conditions. A licence may be restricted in terms of time, locality, etc., and may only be granted following a concrete assessment of whether the licencee is capable of practising her/his profession responsibly. Applicants with foreign qualifications It is a condition for applicants with foreign qualifications that such qualification be recognised as the professional equivalent of Norwegian qualifications. Such assessment is made by the University of Oslo. The university has special regulations as to who may participate in courses intended to compensate for deficiencies in an applicant`s qualifications. Only when the foreign qualification has been approved can the applicant commence her/his "turnus". All other work experience prior to professional approval of the qualification is evaluated along the same lines as work experience accumulated during studies, and cannot be subtracted from the length of the turnus period. Applicants with foreign authorisation as medical practitioner Special regulations regarding recognition apply to applicants with foreign authorisation as medical practitioner. Norway has through the EEA accord and a special Nordic Agreement entered into agreements regarding mutual recognition of authorisation, licencing, and Certificates of Completion of Specialist Training. In such cases no assessment is made as to whether the foreign qualification is equivalent to the Norwegian qualification. Authorisation is granted in instances where the applicant can present the diploma or documentary confirmation referred to in Council Directive 93/16/EEC (The Medical Practitioner`s Directive). No turnus will be required for this category of applicants. Approval of Specialist Training Application for Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training must be submitted to The Norwegian Medical Association, P.O. Box 1152 Sentrum, NO-0107 OSLO, tel. no. +47 23 10 90 00 on a special application form to be found on the Association`s website. This also applies to approval of specialist training obtained within EEA or other countries. Source
