Apply for autorisation as a Physiotherapist (fysioterapeut) – educated in the EU/EEA

To work as a physiotherapist in Norway, you must obtain authorisation from the Norwegian Directorate of Health.

This page provides a step-by-step overview of what you need to do.

The path to authorisation

To obtain authorisation as a physiotherapist in Norway, you must:

1. Apply for authorisation through Altinn
2. Have your education assessed
3. Complete practical training or internship service (turnustjeneste), if required by a decision from the Norwegian Directorate of Health.
4. Reapply for authorisation after completing the internship or practical training
5. Receive final authorisation

Application for authorisation

You must submit the following documents when applying:

1. Diploma / Degree Certificate
2. Transcript of Records / Academic Transcript

In some cases, you may also be required to provide documentation of the following:

1. Curriculum / Program Description
   • A curriculum is a detailed description of the content and scope of the education, including learning outcomes, theoretical and practical components, and clinical/practical training periods.
   • The curriculum must be issued by the educational institution, apply to the period during which you completed your education, and include the institution’s contact information.
2. Proof of passing the national licensing examination
   • If passing a national licensing examination is a requirement in your country of education.
3. Professional License / Registration
   • Documentation showing that you are authorized to practise the profession in your country of education and/or another country.
4. Reading list and course syllabus 
   • An overview of the literature and course syllabus included in the education program, as well as any digital learning resources with source references.
   • The overview must be issued by the educational institution and be valid for the years during which the education was completed.
5. Employment Certificate(s)
   To document relevant professional experience. The certificate(s) must include:
   • Information about the type of position held and the duties performed.
   • The employer’s letterhead and official stamp.
   • The signature of a manager/supervisor, including their name and position.
   • Contact information for the workplace.
   • Do not submit employment agreements or employment contracts. Submit only employment certificate(s).

Please note the following regarding your documents

• All documents must be scanned as PDF-copies of the original documents. If the original documents are in colour, the scanned copies attached to the application must also be in colour. Photographs of documents will not be accepted.
• If an original document has multiple pages, all scanned pages must be assemled into one document, in the correct order and correctly oriented
• All original documents that are not in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English must be translated into one of these languages by a authorised translator. The translation must be scanned/submitted in the same file as the original document
• If you send a physical document, a digital copy of the document will be stored. The physical document will be retained for three months before being securely shredded.

Any attempt to obtain recognition with fraudulent documents will be reported to the police.

Internship service (turnustjeneste) or practical training?

Have you received a decision from the Norwegian Directorate of Health stating that you may complete either practical training or internship service (turnustjeneste)?

Option A: Completing norwegian internship service (turnustjeneste)

Step 1: Apply for enrolment in Norwegian internship service

If you have received a decision allowing you to complete either internship service or practical training and choose internship service, you must first apply for enrolment in Norwegian internship service through Altinn.

Select the profession Physiotherapist in Altinn and choose «turnustjeneste», followed by «Oppmelding til norsk turnustjeneste».

In your application, you must document language skills equivalent to B2 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Information about the language requirement can be found on the page turnus for fysioterapeuter.

After your enrolment application has been approved, you will be entered into the allocation process for internship placements.

If your application for internship service is approved, you must commit to completing the entire internship period (one year) as a condition for approval.

The rules regarding selection and completion of internship service are the same as those applied to physiotherapists educated in Norway.

Step 2: Apply for an internship licence (turnuslisens)

Once you accept an internship placement, you must apply for a turnuslisens through Altinn.

You are responsible for verifying that your licence is registered in the Norwegian Register of Health Personnel before commencing internship service.

Option B: Completing practical training with a practice licence

If you choose practical training instead of internship service, you must apply for prakslisens through Altinn.

The application must include:

• An employment contract
• The period covered by the practical training
• Information about your supervisor

The supervisor must hold Norwegian authorisation as a physiotherapist.

The application must also demonstrate that the practical training will fulfil the objectives of internship service as described in Circular IS-1/2018.

Application for authorisation after completing internship service

After completing internship service in Norway, you must apply for authorisation through Altinn.

Select the approval type «Autorisasjon etter gjennomført turnus i Norge».

Required documents:

1. Diploma/Degree Certificate
2. The form Bevitnelse på gjennomført turnustjeneste for fysioterapeuter (DOC), completed and signed after each internship period.

Please note that advance confirmation signed before completion of the internship is generally not accepted.

This means that signatures from managers and/or supervisors cannot be dated before you have formally completed your internship service on 14 August of the relevant year.

However, if you are taking statutory annual leave immediately before the end date, signatures dated up to one week before the leave period begins may be accepted as an exception.

Signatures dated earlier than this will not be accepted, and you will be asked to submit new documentation.

Application for authorisation after completing practical training

After completing practical training in Norway, you must apply for authorisation through Altinn.

Select the approval type «Autorisasjon etter gjennomført gjennomført kvalifiseringstiltak».

Required documents:

1. Diploma/Degree Certificate
2. Employer's certificate confirming completion of the practical training period

You pay the processing fee when you apply

You must pay a processing fee of NOK 1.665,-

You pay the fee in Altinn when you register your application.

Processing times

• Application for authorisation: up to 3 months
• Application for an internship licence (turnuslisens) or practice licence (praksislisens): up to 4 weeks
• Application for authorisation after completing internship service or practical training: up to 3 months

Note: Missing or incomplete documentation will result in longer processing times.