Norway immigration question: Can you apply for a job seeker permit after holding a Skilled Worker permit?

Hi everyone, I’m hoping to get clarification from people familiar with Norwegian immigration law or who have been in a similar (unique) situation.

My situation is as follows:

I was a student in Norway (Msc) until August 2025. Before my student permit expired, I successfully transitioned to a Skilled Worker residence permit, valid on the card from August 2025 to August 2028. Unfortunately, the company lost a big contract in July 2025 and I was laid off from my job before I even started (along with all graduate engineers who were due to start that year so it's nothing personal). This triggered the standard six month job search period allowed under the Skilled Worker rules.

I have been unable to secure a new qualifying job within the five months that have since passed and have no serious opportunities that are coming up. As of now, my residence card is still physically valid, but I understand that the underlying conditions of the permit may no longer be met by the end of February 2026 so I am beginning to explore alternative options like applying for a job seekers' visa (based on my former student status).

When I tried to see if this is possible, I saw very conflicting interpretations of the rules (there is no specific rule to my unique situation as far as I can tell), including from AI tools and online discussions:

• Some sources say that once you switch from a student permit to a Skilled Worker permit, the post study job seeker permit is permanently closed and cannot be applied for later.
• Other sources suggest that there may still be a possibility to apply for a job seeker permit for skilled workers, even after job loss, provided the application is made while still legally present and with sufficient funds.

Because of this, I’m struggling to understand what is actually feasible in practice versus what exists only theoretically in the regulations.

So my concrete questions are:

1. Is the student related job seeker permit definitively closed once you move to a Skilled Worker permit, even if the Skilled Worker permit was obtained directly after studies?
2. Is there any realistic pathway to apply for a job seeker permit at this stage, or is the six month period after job loss effectively the only job seeking window?
3. Has anyone here successfully applied for a job seeker permit after holding a Skilled Worker permit, or is that essentially not granted in practice?

I am not trying to bend the rules or overstay, just trying to understand my options clearly so I can make the right decision. Thanks in advance to anyone who can share experience or insight.