About the recognition

Who needs recognition?

To qualify for the professions in Norway, it is mandatory to have a kindergarten teacher's education or an equivalent qualification in kindergarten/pre-school pedagogy and kindergarten management. A Norwegian kindergarten teacher’s education qualifies for both professions and we give a joint recognition for both head of kindergarten/educational supervisor.

It is only head of supervisor and educational supervisor that are regulated professions in kindergarten, and only these professions require recognition.

There may still be a requirement for recognition if the position is to help fulfil the requirement for pedagogical staffing in kindergarten, even if the position has another name than educational supervisor. The kindergarten should at least have one educational supervisor per seven children under three years of age, and at least one educational supervisor per fourteen children above three years of age. If your position is to contribute to fulfil the requirement for pedagogical staffing, you need to have the recognition as head of supervisor/educational supervisor.

Can I work in kindergarten without recognition?

If you do not have recognition, you can work as head of kindergarten or educational supervisor in kindergarten if your municipality gives you a dispensation from the education requirement. If you apply for a job as educational supervisor in kindergarten, it is up to the employer to apply for dispensation from the municipality. In other words, you can apply for all types of positions in Norwegian kindergartens, also before you receive a recognition.

You can also work as kindergarten teacher or educational supervisor without recognition if the kindergarten has covered the minimum criteria for the number of educational supervisors and your position comes in addition to this.

If you have a kindergarten teacher’s education or similar education from abroad, it can be a good idea to apply and see if you meet the requirements.

If you wish to apply for other positions in Norway, you do not need a recognition of your professional qualifications from abroad. It is up to the employer to assess if you have the necessary qualifications for positions that are not regulated by Norwegian law.

What you need to obtain recognition

To get a recognition as head of kindergarten and educational supervisor, you need a professional qualification from abroad that is equivalent to the education requirements for both professions, and/or foreign education that is comparable to the Norwegian kindergarten teacher’s education.

We assess if your professional qualification fulfils the requirements to level, scope, subject competency, pedagogical competency, and knowledge, skills and insight into Norwegian societal conditions and kindergarten conditions.

We require that the educational program is within kindergarten/pre-school pedagogy and management in kindergarten, and that the education contains:

• equivalent to 30 Norwegian credits in pedagogy towards children in kindergarten age (0-6)
• supervised teaching practice in kindergarten or pre-school during your education
• social studies, general religious and ethical education
• aesthetic, practical, and social training such as theatre and drama, physical training, and music.
• science subjects such as natural science/environmental studies and mathematics

The requirements for level and scope vary depending on whether or not you have rights through EU’s Professional Qualifications Directive. Normally, this applies for people with teaching qualifications from an EEA-country or Switzerland.

Knowledge about Norwegian societal conditions and kindergarten conditions

In addition to the requirements above, there is a requirement for knowledge, skills, and insight into Norwegian societal conditions and kindergarten conditions. You can meet this requirement by documenting 6 months work experience from a kindergarten in Norway, for example as a substitute or assistant.

This requirement does not apply for applicants who have Norwegian, Sami, Swedish, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish or Faeroese as their first language.

Regulations

• Requirements for head of kindergarten or educational supervisor in kindergarten is regulated in the Kindergarten Act §§ 24 and 25 (lovdata.no) (in Norwegian).
• Requirements for recognition is regulated in forskrift om godkjenning av yrkeskvalifikasjoner for styrer og pedagogisk leder i barnehage fra annen stat (lovdata.no) (in Norwegian).
• General rules for recognition of professional qualifications is regulated in the Professional Qualifications Act and forskrift om godkjenning av yrkeskvalifikasjoner (lovdata.no) (in Norwegian).
• Rules for the recognition of professional qualifications is regulated in the Professional Qualifications Directive: Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (eur-lex.europa.eu).
• Requirements for educational personell is regulated in forskrift om pedagogisk bemanning og dispensasjon i barnehager (lovdata.no) (in Norwegian).
• Requirements for Norwegian language skills is regulated in the Kindergarten Act §§ 27 og 28 (lovdata.no) (in Norwegian)
• Rules for appeals is regulated in the Public Administration Act chapter VI (lovdata.no).