A permanent residence permit entitles you to stay and work in Norway indefinitely. When you have lived in Norway continuously for three years, you can be granted a permanent residence permit. It is a requirement that you have completed 250 hours of tuition in Norwegian and 50 hours of social studies, or that you can document adequate knowledge of the Norwegian or Sami language. The requirement for Norwegian language skills applies to everyone between the ages of 16 and 55 who were granted their first residence permit forming the basis for a permanent residence permit after 1 September 2005.
It is not a requirement that you have had residence on the same grounds for the whole three-year period, but all the permits you have held must be of a type that forms the basis for permanent residence. If you are uncertain about whether or not the permits you hold and have held form the basis for permanent residence, this can be checked by reading the previous decisions you have received. Once you have been granted a permanent residence permit, however, you will not lose it if the conditions for the original permit cease to apply, for example if you are no longer working.
