Do I need formal qualifications to get a self-employed permit in Norway?

The self-employed route is aimed at skilled people running their own business, not at any kind of self-employment. You generally need either completed higher education or a completed vocational training programme, comparable to the skilled worker requirement.

The activity in your business must also genuinely require that level of qualification. If the work could be done without skilled training, it usually will not qualify under this permit, so be ready to show how your education connects to what your company actually does.