For safety reasons, you must fulfil strict training and qualification requirements before you can work as a diver or diving supervisor in Norway.
Different permits for commercial diving with foreign diving certificates
If you have a foreign diving certificate (competence certificate), you need a permit from the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority before you can work in commercial diving in Norway.
The same applies to Norwegian citizens who hold foreign diving certificates.
The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority can issue two types of permits for commercial diving with foreign diving certificates in Norway:
- Establishment as an inshore commercial diver in Norway
- Permit for temporary work as a commercial diver in Norway
You use the same application form for both applications.
The application must document that the diver has obtained the minimum training and competence requirements for the class of diving certificate required to perform the type of work the diver will be performing.
The application must document that the diver has obtained the training and competence requirements for the class of diving certificate required to perform the type of work the diver will be performing.
In Norway, there are different classes of commercial diving certificates:
- Diving certificate class A
- Diving certificate class B
- Diving certificate class A and diving supervision
- Diving certificate class B and diving supervision
More information about the different diving certificates
In the application, you must select the class of diving certificate required for the job you will be performing. You must also document that your foreign diving certificate(s) and work experience fulfils the competence and training requirements for this certificate.
Read more about the content of the application below.
Submit application
Submit the application to the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority by filling out the form in Altinn.no.
Altinn is an internet portal for digital dialogue between businesses, private individuals and government agencies in Norway.
Submit the application through Altinn. You can log in with an Altinn user or using a Norwegian electronic ID.
Log in using an electronic ID
Use ID-porten to log in to Altinn. You can use several different types of electronic ID, such as MinID, BankID, Buypass or Commfides.
More information about how to log in at Altinn (altinn.no).
You can also log in without a Norwegian national identity number or D-number
If you do not have a Norwegian national identity number or D-number, you can create a user on Altinn. You can then log in with the username and password that you created.
More information about how to create a user in Altinn.no.
Roles that have access to forms in Altinn
To be able to send forms and read mail from us, you must hold these roles in Altinn:
- You must hold the role "reporter/sender" to fill in and send forms.
- You must hold the role "mail/archive" to read digital mail.
Read more about the different roles in Altinn (altinn.no)
Give rights or access to others
People who have the roles "main administrator" or "access manager" can
- give the roles of "reporter/sender" or "mail/archive" to others in the organisation
- give access to a specific form or service
Get access to a specific form or service
If the person submitting the form does not have the roles described above, they can gain access to a specific form or service. It is those who have the roles "main administrator" or "access manageer" who can give this access to others.
The person who is granted this access does not have access to the inbox where receipts or responses are sent.
Read more about how to grant access to others in Altinn (altinn.no)
Your application must include the following documentation:
- copy of passport or identification that confirms the identity of the diver (proof of citizenship)
- copy of your foreign competence certificates for commercial diving (diving certificates)
You may also include the following optional documentation:
- copy of documentation outlining the content and duration of your training for the foreign competence certificate(s)
- documentation of relevant work experience
If you are already established as a commercial diver in another country, please include:
- copy of documentation that shows you are legally established and have the right to practice as a commercial diver in this country
Other relevant documentation:
- copy of documentation of your competence in Norwegian rules and regulations for inshore commercial diving
- copy of documentation of other education relevant for the application
It is important that the documentation is complete when you submit the form.
What must the application include?
You can submit the application yourself. A company (your employer) may also apply on your behalf.
The applicant must state whether the diver is submitting the application or whether the employer is submitting the application on behalf of the diver.
Power of attorney if a company is applying on your behalf
If a company is applying on your behalf (the diver), you must give the company a written power of attorney to do so. A copy of the power of attorney must be attached to the application.
In the application, you must provide the following information about yourself:
- first and last name(s)
- e-mail address
- telephone number (incl. country code)
- citizenship (attach a copy of your national ID or passport)
The form will also ask if you are established as a commercial diver in another EU or EEA country. If you are, you may upload documentation showing that you are established in that country.
What does it mean to be legally established in another EU or EEA country?
If you are applying to establish yourself as a commercial diver in Norway
If you are legally established as a commercial diver in another EU or EEA country, your certificate of establishment is considered as a competence certificate for commercial diving.
If you are applying for temporary work as a commercial diver in Norway
Workers legally established in another EEA country or Switzerland, who have a permit to perform work there, have the right to perform the same work in Norway temporarily. If neither the trade nor the education is regulated in the country of establishment, the professional must have practised the trade for at least one of the last ten years in one or more EU or EEA countries or Switzerland.
Information if a company is applying on behalf of the diver
If a company is applying on your (the diver’s) behalf, the application must also include the following:
- Name of the company
- Organisation number
- Power of attorney from the diver (upload as attachment)
- Name of contact person in the company
- Contact person’s e-mail address
- Contact person’s telephone number
The application must specify which type of permit you are applying for:
- Permit for temporary work as an inshore commercial diver
- Establishment in Norway as an inshore commercial diver
Temporary work as an inshore commercial diver
If you will be working temporarily as an inshore commercial diver in Norway, apply for a permit for temporary work.
With a permit for temporary work you can only perform work in the period the permit is issued for. The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority normally grants temporary permits for one year at a time. You may apply to extend the permit.
Establishment in Norway as an inshore commercial diver
If you will be working as a commercial diver in Norway permanently, you must apply to become established as a commercial diver in Norway based on your foreign diving certificate.
This type of permit is not time-limited, but your original foreign diving certificate must be valid.
In the application, you have to specify which class of Norwegian diving certificate you are applying to have your foreign competence certificate recognised as.
Choose between:
- Diving certificate class A
- Diving certificate class B
- Diving certificate class A and diving supervisor
- Diving certificate class B and diving supervisor
In the application, you must enter in information about your foreign diving certificates. You may add information about multiple certificates.
You need to fill out the following information for each diving certificate:
- Name of the competence certificate (diving certificate)
- provide full names that distinguish them from other certificates of competence that you attach
- The issuing institution
- Specify whether it was a commercial diving school or other type of institution
- Add the name of the school or institution
- Specify the country where training was completed.
- Depth and dive time covered by the diving certificate
- Maximum depth in meters
- Total dive time in minutes
- Duration of the training course for the diving certificate
- Date of completed training
- Certificate class
- Please specify the name of the diving certificate in the country of issue
- Name of the issuing authority for the diving certificate (or on whose behalf the certificate was issued)
Attachments
For each diving certificate you must upload the following:
- Copy of the diving certificate
You may also upload:
- Copy of the curriculum for the diving course
You must meet the competence requirements for the equivalent Norwegian class of diving certificate.
In the application, you must specify the competence requirements covered by your diving certificate or work experience. The application form lists the training requirements in the Norwegian regulations for the diving certificate in question.
Specify whether you acquired this competence through training or relevant work experience – or both.
Read more about the minimum requirements for the Norwegian diving certificates below.
To qualify for a permit to perform commercial dives requiring diving certificate class A, you need to document safety training in the following areas:
- systematic HSE
- Norwegian regulations concerning inshore commercial diving
- commercial diving training to 30 metres
- diving theory
- diving physiology
- first aid
- decompression tables
- communication systems
- underwater hazards
- risk assessment
- use of hyperbaric chambers
- practical diving
- use of diving equipment
- use of common and simple work equipment
- maintenance and repairs
- surface procedures
- basic diving supervision
- marking dive sites
- use of SCUBA diving equipment with air as breathing gas
- use of surface-supplied diving equipment with air as breathing gas
The training for diving certificate class B is based on the training for diving certificate class A (see above).
To perform commercial dives requiring a class B diving certificate, you must in addition (to the requirements for a class A diving certificate) document safety training in the following areas:
- commercial diving to 50 metres
- the risks that diving to 50 metres can entail
- physical and medical preconditions
- surface-supplied diving
- progression diving to 50 metres
- complications in connection with diving
- use of hyperbaric chambers
- use of wet bell
- use of warm-water wet suits
- operational conditions
- diving equipment
- common types of work equipment
- common types of breathing gas
- diving supervision
To get a permit to work as a diving supervisor for commercial dives requiring class A diving certificate, you need to document safety training fulfilling the requirements for:
- class A diving certificate (see above)
- diving supervisor
The diving supervisor course must include both theoretical and practical instruction.
In your application, you must therefore state if you have training that meets the requirements for diving supervisor training. The theoretical part of the safety training must cover:
- organisation and management
- surveying hazards and risks, risk assessment, planning, and implementation of measures
- emergency response
- diving medicine and lifesaving first aid
- lessons learned from the evaluation of previous accidents
- communication
- accident site management
- behaviours in stressful situations, including emotional first aid
- good operational practice
The practical part of the safety training must cover:
- practical training in the role of dive leader, in an exercise that includes:
- planning, risk assessment and managing a diving operation
- handling a diving accident, including accident site management
- brief and debrief
Refresher course requirements
If it has been more than five years since you completed your training as diving supervisor, you must state if you have completed a refresher course in the last five years.
The Norwegian regulations have requirements for the refresher training for diving supervisors. In your application, you must therefore state if the course:
- had a duration of at least three days
- was based on the content of training for class A diving certificates and diving supervisor
- included an evaluation of past accident, and facilitated the sharing of experiences from incidents
- included a practical exercise in the role as diving supervisor, which included:
- planning, risk assessment and managing a diving operation
- handling of a diving accident, including accident site management
- brief and debrief
- included a theoretical examination, which covered:
- relevant diving regulations
- basic diving medicine
- use of diving tables
- reporting requirements
To get a permit to work as a diving supervisor for commercial dives requiring class B diving certificate, you must document that you have safety training fulfilling the requirements for:
- class B diving certificate (see above)
- diving supervisor
The diving supervisor course must include both theoretical and practical instruction.
In your application, you must therefore state if you have training that meets the requirements for diving supervisor training. The theoretical part of the safety training must cover:
- organisation and management
- surveying hazards and risks, risk assessment, planning, and implementation of measures
- emergency response
- diving medicine and lifesaving first aid
- lessons learned from the evaluation of previous accidents
- communication
- accident site management
- behaviours in stressful situations, including emotional first aid
- good operational practice
The practical part of the safety training must cover:
- practical training in the role of diving supervisor, in an exercise which includes:
- planning, risk assessment and managing a diving operation
- handling a diving accident, including accident site management
- brief and debrief
Refresher course requirements
If it has been more than five years since you completed your training as diving supervisor, you must state if you have a completed refresher course in the last five years.
The Norwegian regulations have requirements for the refresher course for diving supervisors. In your application, you must therefore state if the course:
- had a duration of at least three days
- was based on the content of training for class B diving certificate and diving supervisor
- included an evaluation of past accident, and facilitated the sharing of experiences from incidents
- included a practical exercise in the role as diving supervisor, which included:
- planning, risk assessment and managing a diving operation
- handling a diving accident, including accident site management
- brief and debrief
- included a theoretical examination, which covered:
- relevant diving regulations
- basic diving medicine
- use of diving tables
- reporting requirements
You may upload other documentation that could be relevant for your application.
As an example, you may upload documentation of completed two-week training course in public safety diving, if relevant.
You may also include other information that is relevant for your application.
If you have submitted an application to the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority in the past, please add the case reference (vår referanse) from that application.
How do we process your application?
Once you have submitted your application, the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority will review it. We will consider if you fulfil the requirements for a permit to use your foreign diving certificate for inshore commercial diving in Norway.
We may request additional information to be able to process your application.
Processing time
For applications for establishment, the processing time is up to three months from the time we receive a complete application. This period may be extended by one month. If your application is incomplete, we will inform you of what is missing and request the missing documentation within one month of receiving your application.
For applications for temporary work, the processing time is one month from the time we receive the application. The prosessing time may be extended by one month. If we extend the processing time, we will notify you and inform you of the reason for the delay. If we do not decide on your case within the time limits for temporary work applications, you have the right to practice your occupation.
We normally process applications for establishment and temporary work within one month of receiving them.
You will receive the response as a letter from the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority in Altinn.
We will notify you via Altinn (by SMS and e-mail) that you need to log in to Altinn to read the letter from us.
What kind of response can you expect?
If you meet all the requirements, you will be granted a permit to work as an inshore commercial diver in Norway. The decision will be sent to you in Altinn.
Depending on your application, the permit will either be for temporary work as an inshore commercial diver in Norway or for establishment as an inshore commercial diver in Norway.
A permit for temporary work will be valid for up to 12 months. A permit to establish as an inshore commercial diver is not time-limited.
The permit is only valid for commercial diving covered by the Norwegian diving certificate you have your qualifications recognised as. The recognition of your professional qualifications only applies if your foreign diving certificate is still valid.
The decision letter is your documentation on the work site
You must bring the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority’s decision and your valid foreign diving certificate with you to the workplace when you are diving.
You must present the decision and the valid foreign diving certificate if the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority or other authorities request to see them.
No conversion of the foreign diving certificate
A permit from the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority is not a conversion of your foreign diving certificate into a Norwegian diving certificate.
If you want a Norwegian diving certificate, you have to complete the appropriate training at a Norwegian commercial diving school.
Norwegian regulations require all commercial divers to be familiar with the Norwegian regulations concerning inshore commercial diving. If you have no training in Norwegian regulations, we could require you to take an aptitude test.
If you must take an aptitude test, you will receive this decision through Altinn. The letter will state who to contact to take this test.
An aptitude test must be taken at a Norwegian commercial diving school. You must cover the cost of the test yourself.
The diving school will send us the test result. We will continue to process your application once we receive your test result.
If your professional qualifications do not fulfil training requirements for inshore commercial diving in Norway, your application will be denied.
If you have to pass an aptitude test and you have not passed this test by the date specified in the decision, your application will be denied (see below).
If your application is denied, you cannot work as an inshore commercial diver in Norway.
Right of appeal
You have the right to appeal if your application is rejected. Your employer may appeal on your behalf if you have given them power of attorney to do so.
More information about how to appeal a decision (in Norwegian).
We may reject an application if we do not receive all the documentation and information we need to process it. If this happens, you will be notified in Altinn.
If we reject your application, you may apply again. In your new application you must include the missing documentation.
Right of appeal
You have the right to appeal if your application is rejected. Your employer may appeal on your behalf if you have given them a power of attorney to do so.
More information about how to appeal a decision (in Norwegian).
Offshore commercial diving
This application form is for the recognition of foreign diving certificates for commercial inshore diving activities under the jurisdiction of the Labour Inspection Authority. The use of foreign diving certificates in offshore commercial diving falls under the jurisdiction of the Ocean Industry Authority (havtil.no).