Start work
You do not need to wait for a residence permit. Keep your passport/national ID and employment contract available.
TurnusGo worker guide · Norway · Sweden · DenmarkGot the job.
Got the job.
What happens next?
For most EU/EEA citizens, working in the Nordics is straightforward — but you still need to get the local registration and tax steps right. Start here, then confirm your situation with the official authority.
Before you travel
Keep these documents ready.
Passport / national IDSigned job contractHome-country tax IDBank details / IBAN
This guide is for EU/EEA citizens taking employment with an employer in the destination country. Posted workers, self-employed people, family members and non-EU/EEA citizens can have different rules.
01NO
Working in Norway as an EU/EEA citizen1 2 3 4
Norway
You can move to Norway and start working immediately. If you will live and work there for more than three months, you normally have to register under the EU/EEA scheme.
Get a Norwegian ID number and tax deduction card
Most foreign workers need a D number or national identity number and a tax deduction card. An ID check is normally required. Your employer can also apply for the tax card on your behalf.
Register if you stay more than 3 months
EU/EEA employees staying longer than three months must normally register with the police. Registration is free. Nordic citizens follow a separate, simpler population-registration route.
Check your tax scheme
Many new foreign workers enter Norway's PAYE scheme automatically, but eligibility depends on your situation. Check the tax card you receive rather than assuming a tax rate.
02SE
Working in Sweden as an EU/EEA citizen1 2 3 4
Sweden
EU/EEA citizens can start working in Sweden immediately without a residence permit. If you stay longer, your tax and population-registration route depends mainly on how long you will live there.
Start work
You may start working as soon as you arrive if you have the legal right to work as an EU/EEA citizen.
Arrange Swedish tax registration
You generally need either preliminary A-tax or SINK for non-residents. You can start work before Skatteverket has made its decision, but apply as soon as possible.
Get the right identification number
If you plan to stay for less than one year, you may need a coordination number. If you plan to live in Sweden for at least one year and meet the conditions, report your move and you will normally receive a personal identity number.
More than 3 months
To stay beyond three months as an EU/EEA citizen, you need right of residence — for example through genuine employment. If you have right of residence, you do not normally need to contact the Migration Agency just to register that right.
03DK
Working in Denmark as an EU/EEA citizen1 2 3 4
Denmark
EU/EEA citizens have the right to work in Denmark. For a longer stay, the usual path is an EU residence document followed by the relevant Danish registrations.
Start work
If you meet the EU worker rules, you have the right to reside and work while your EU residence-document application is being processed.
EU residence document for a longer stay
EU/EEA workers can apply to SIRI using an employment contract or employer declaration. The application has no fee. Follow SIRI's current instructions for when the document is required in your situation.
Get CPR/tax number and tax card
Foreign employees need a digital tax card and a Danish personal tax number/CPR number as applicable. You can normally apply from one month before the job starts.
Set up NemKonto when needed
Denmark uses NemKonto for payments from public authorities, including tax refunds. A foreign bank account can be registered as your NemKonto.
Getting paid
Do you need a local bank account?
Not necessarily on day one. Many employers can pay salary to a foreign European account or an account from a service such as Revolut, but payroll routines differ between employers and countries. Ask the employer which account details they accept before you travel or open a new account.
Government payments can have separate rules. Denmark, for example, uses NemKonto, but an eligible foreign account can be registered. In every country, make sure your employer has the exact IBAN/account details and account-holder name they require.
Ask payroll before opening another accountIBAN · account holder · currency · payment date
Protect yourself
Before accepting a job.
Ask for a written employment contract showing employer, workplace, pay, hours, duration and any deductions.
If accommodation is provided, confirm the price, what is included and whether it is deducted from salary.
Pay, working-time and sector requirements vary. Use the destination country's official labour authority if anything is unclear.
This is a practical starting guide, not immigration, tax or legal advice. Rules depend on citizenship, residence, duration, employer and whether you are directly employed or posted by a foreign company. We deliberately keep this guide short. Always use the official links above for the current rule that applies to you.
Information reviewed: 14 September 2026.