You work like a professional. Why should you still have to wait for recognition of qualifications? This question becomes particularly important when an experienced worker passes an exam, receives a Polish journeyman's certificate and tries to sort out their professional situation in Norway. They expect their documents to be checked and a clear decision. Meanwhile, our newsroom has received information about the suspension of some such proceedings at HK-dir.
Radio Wataha and Twoja Norwegia sent inquiries regarding this case. We are awaiting responses. At this stage we do not know the confirmed number of suspended applications nor the full justification of the agency. However, we know public documents that show where the dispute came from - and why workers have the right to demand explanations.
Skilled worker on the job, unqualified on the payroll?
Consider the situation: a worker has for years carried out independent tasks in their profession. The company uses their experience, expects quality and timeliness. When the discussion about salary comes, the lack of recognized qualifications may be decisive.
If an employer entrusts a person with a tradesman's tasks, is it fair to treat them at pay solely as cheap labor?
The legal answer depends on the industry, the contract, the collective agreement and the documents. Merely performing skilled tasks does not in every case give an automatic right to the rate intended for a person with a fagbrev. However, this does not remove the question of the system's fairness, especially when the worker has made the effort to formally confirm their competencies.
In construction the difference is concrete. Arbeidstilsynet publishes the following generally applicable minima, checked 13 October 2026:
Worker categoryGross minimum per hourSkilled worker - fagarbeider 264,32 NOKWorker without formal qualifications, with at least one year of industry experience 249,00 NOKWorker without qualifications and industry experience 239,61 NOK
Between the first two categories there is 15,32 NOK per hour. For an example of 162,5 hours per month that is 2 489,50 NOK gross. This is an illustration of the difference between the minima, not proof of loss for every person waiting for a decision. The proper contract or collective agreement may provide higher rates. Arbeidstilsynet
The rules are specified by § 4 of the regulation concerning wages on construction sites. An experienced worker without a recognized certificate cannot automatically be classified as someone without experience. arbeidstilsynet.no
Obtaining qualifications through experience is not circumventing the law
The Polish system allows one to sit the journeyman's exam without completing vocational school. Chamber of Crafts and Small Business in Radom lists, among other routes, a path based on appropriate basic education and at least three years of work experience in the trade. The exam tests practical skills and theoretical knowledge. izbarzemiosla.radom.pl
Norway also has the practice candidate scheme: the possibility to sit the vocational exam on the basis of appropriately documented practice, without the standard education in a school or training establishment. In the typical four-year pathway, essentially five years of comprehensive practice are required. udir.no
The requirements of both systems are not identical. Therefore automatic equivalence cannot be promised. It is, however, reasonable to expect the authority to explain which specific differences matter for the recognition of qualifications.
Is the problem an actual lack of competence, the scope of the exam, the documentation of practical experience, or the very place and method of obtaining the certificate? The candidate should know which of these questions they must answer.
D&A: solving the language barrier and questions about scale
D&A Spesialistene organises Polish-language journeyman's exams in Norway in cooperation with the chamber in Radom. The chamber is responsible for administering the exams and issuing certificates. For people whose professional skills exceed their knowledge of Norwegian, such a route may facilitate formal confirmation of their expertise.
The company declares on the site “1000+” nostrifications carried out. That is the organiser's claim, not an independently verified agency statistic. It should not be equated with the number of exams or the number of people affected by the current delays. We have requested detailed data in an editorial inquiry. D&ASpesialistene
Is not making the effort to pass the exam and obtain recognition of qualifications precisely the behaviour we expect from an employee who wants to develop and adapt to the requirements of the Norwegian market?
The right to use a legal route does not exempt one from verification. However, verification should lead to an understandable outcome: recognition, a justified refusal, or the identification of specific shortcomings.
There are industry concerns. What conclusions follow from them?
NHO Byggenæringen i Fellesforbundet publicly requested a review of Polish exams organized in Norway, pointing to a practice related to D&A. They cite the quality of qualifications, safety and the credibility of the system as reasons. nhobyggenaringen.no
This is not merely a dispute in the media. Minutes of the vocational council for construction from 24 February 2026 note that HK-dir observed the Polish exam. The council pointed out differences compared to Norwegian tests in duration and complexity and asked for further observations. files.nettsteder.regjeringen.no
These concerns require a factual investigation. The shorter exam alone, however, does not determine that a candidate lacks the required knowledge. A comparison of what was actually tested is needed.
What irregularities have been confirmed? Which occupations do they concern? Can they be attributed to specific exams? Why should potential doubts about one practice burden every candidate using that pathway?
A public intervention by industry organizations is a fact. Its influence on the authority's decisions requires clarification. We have no basis to attribute to these organizations an intent to keep Poles on lower wages.
HK-dir is also subject to the law. A refusal can be challenged
§ 23-3 of the Norwegian Education Act provides an obligation to recognize qualifications that meet the requirements of level, scope and a number of essential elements of a given occupation. The validity of a Polish certificate does not automatically mean these are met, but the authority's assessment must fall within the bounds of the law. udir.no
This is shown by case 2026/0720. In the decision of 11 September 2026 the appeals committee overturned the refusal concerning the Polish qualification of mechanic–assembler of machines and equipment. It explained that the law does not require coverage of all essential elements of the Norwegian programme. The case was sent back for reconsideration. klagenemndssekretariatet.no
This is a different case, related to a Polish school, and not a ruling concerning D&A exams. However it is an important reminder: the worker has the right to challenge HK-dir's assessment, and the authority cannot arbitrarily tighten the statutory criteria.
Who pays for the time the authority needs?
HK-dir currently states 2–3 months from receipt of complete documentation, subject to longer waiting in some cases. We have not yet independently confirmed the scope of the reported suspension of proceedings. HK-dir
If the authority is waiting for the ministry's interpretation, the worker should receive an explanation of what the problem concerns and what the expected further course of their case is. Sivilombudet reminds of the obligation to conduct proceedings without undue delay and to inform about prolonged waiting. Sivilombudet
Should the person who submitted a complete set of documents bear the economic consequences of institutions only now agreeing on the interpretation of the applied system?
We also ask whether individual consideration of cases and protection of people who took the exams has been considered, based on the previous practice of recognizing qualifications.
Bills are rising. Does Norway want to retain experienced workers?
According to SSB consumer prices in September 2026 were 3.4 percent higher than a year earlier. With unchanged wages this means reduced purchasing power. the exchange rate of the krone against the zloty is a separate issue; the inflation data alone do not prove its weakening. SSB
We are not claiming either that, based on this case, one can announce a collapse of interest in working in Norway. However, we raise the question of its attractiveness for an experienced worker.
Does the prospect of months-long uncertainty help retain people who want to develop, work legally and validate their skills? What signal does a skilled worker receive when his work is needed, but the path to formal recognition remains unclear?
Professional integration requires effort from the employee. It also requires predictable rules on the part of the institutions.
We sent questions. We are awaiting answers
Editorial inquiries covered the following institutions and organizations:
HK-dir and the Ministry of Education and Research: whether cases were suspended, on what basis, how many candidates are affected and when a decision can be expected.
D&A, the Chamber of Crafts and Small Business in Radom and the Association of Polish Crafts: documents, statistics, legal bases, the method of verifying practical experience and supervision of exams.
NHO Byggenæringen and Fellesforbundet: specific evidence of objections, proposed changes and the way to protect workers awaiting a decision.
Arbeidstilsynet: principles of wage classification and possible consequences of a later recognition of the certificate.
LDO: criteria for assessing possible indirect discrimination.
Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Oslo: knowledge of the problem and possible actions towards Norwegian institutions.
We also requested documents relating to the office's correspondence with the ministry and the grounds for any possible suspension. At the time of preparing the material, we are awaiting responses.
A skilled worker has the duty to demonstrate competence. The office has the duty to clearly explain its assessment. Are both parties being held equally accountable for these obligations today?
We will present responses and new documents in subsequent publications.
