Can You Receive Dagpenger and Look for Work in Poland? PD U2 Rules
Have you lost your job in Norway and are considering returning to Poland, but still want to receive Norwegian unemployment benefits? Travelling abroad affects your entitlement to benefits, so you need to complete the relevant procedure with NAV beforehand.
In this article, we explain how the PD U2 form works, who can use it, how long you can receive benefits in Poland, and which deadlines you need to meet before leaving and after arriving.
Can You Receive Dagpenger While Looking for Work in Poland?
You can receive Norwegian dagpenger (unemployment benefits) and look for work in Poland if NAV approves the export of your benefits and issues a PD U2 document. Norway allows this transfer for a maximum of 3 months within one benefit period.
PD U2 does not grant entitlement to benefits. You must first be awarded dagpenger and then obtain permission to temporarily continue receiving payments while looking for work in Poland.
The general rule is set out in Section 4-2 of the National Insurance Act:
For å ha rett til dagpenger må medlemmet oppholde seg i Norge. Departementet kan gi forskrifter om unntak fra kravet om opphold i Norge.
This means that a person receiving dagpenger should stay in Norway. Travelling to Poland while keeping your benefits is an exception that must be approved by NAV in advance. You will find the approved export period and its dates in the PD U2 document.
The weeks used in Poland count towards your Norwegian benefit period. Leaving Norway does not open a new payment period or extend your entitlement to benefits.
Who Can Receive PD U2?
To transfer your dagpenger payments to Poland, you must meet all of the following conditions:
- have been granted entitlement to Norwegian dagpenger,
- be fully unemployed on the day you leave,
- generally remain registered with NAV as a jobseeker for at least 4 weeks before leaving,
- travel to Poland to genuinely and actively look for work,
- submit an application for PD U2 before leaving Norway,
- remain available for work and fulfil your obligations to NAV and the Polish employment office.
Export under PD U2 is not intended for people who are partially unemployed. If you are only applying for benefits, we discuss the general eligibility requirements in the article Unemployment benefits in Norway - what are the rules?
NAV may waive the requirement for a full 4-week registration period, including when:
- you are travelling to Poland for a documented job interview,
- you are leaving together with a spouse or partner who has started work in Poland.
You must then provide a document confirming the job interview or your spouse's or partner's employment. The remaining conditions for entitlement to benefits and their export still apply.
How Do You Obtain PD U2 Before Leaving?
An application for PD U2 is a separate matter. Being granted dagpenger does not automatically mean you are allowed to receive benefits in Poland.
First, it is worth distinguishing between two documents that are often confused:
| Document | What is it for? | Who pays the benefit? |
|---|---|---|
| PD U2 | Allows you to temporarily keep already granted Norwegian dagpenger while looking for work in Poland | NAV |
| PD U1 | Confirms Norwegian periods of work and insurance when applying for Polish benefits | The institution processing the Polish application |
PD U1 does not transfer Norwegian benefits. If you need confirmation of your work periods for a Polish application, we can order the PD U1 form for you.
NAV recommends submitting your application no later than 4 weeks before your planned departure. The estimated processing time in 2026 is 4 weeks, and the decision is usually made available about one week before the stated departure date.
An application submitted only after leaving Norway may be rejected. If you need support with your benefit case, we will be happy to help through our Dagpenger/temporary layoff unemployment benefit service.
Obligations in Poland and the End of the Export Period
Registration with the Employment Office
After arriving, you must register as a jobseeker with the district employment office responsible for your place of residence. The standard deadline is 7 days from the date you leave or cease to be available to NAV. Above all, follow the specific date entered in section 2.3 of your PD U2 document.
Present your PD U2 when registering. If the document has not yet reached you, the Polish office may accept a declaration containing your Norwegian identification number and the name and address of the institution paying the benefit. Not having the paper document is not a reason to miss the registration deadline.
The district employment office forwards the case to the relevant regional employment office. The regional office then sends NAV confirmation of your registration.
NAV suspends payments from the day you leave. Once it receives confirmation from Poland, it resumes the benefit:
| Situation | Effect on payments |
|---|---|
| Registration within the deadline stated in PD U2 | NAV pays arrears from the date you left Norway |
| Registration after the deadline | Arrears are generally due from the actual registration date |
| No registration in Poland | NAV has no basis to continue exporting the benefit |
The money is still paid directly by NAV, not by the Polish district or regional employment office.
Meldekort and Contact with the Authorities
Throughout your stay in Poland, you must:
- remain registered with the Polish employment office,
- attend scheduled meetings and checks,
- actively look for work and be ready to start work,
- send meldekort (reporting cards) to NAV every 14 days,
- respond to messages from NAV,
- notify NAV and the Polish office about work, illness, returning to Norway, or losing the ability to look for employment.
If you want to avoid reporting errors, we can help you send your meldekort to NAV.
Starting Work in Poland
You must report all hours worked in Poland on your meldekort. What matters is how these hours compare with the normal working hours applied in your case:
| Amount of work during a 14-day period | Effect on dagpenger |
|---|---|
| Up to 50% of normal working hours | The benefit is reduced accordingly |
| More than 50% of normal working hours | You will not receive payment for that meldekort period |
| More than 50% in three consecutive meldekort periods | NAV may close your case, and applying for benefits again will require a new application |
Returning to Norway
If you do not find work, you must return to Norway no later than on the date stated in PD U2. Returning late may result in losing the unused part of your entitlement to dagpenger.
After using the export period and returning, NAV requires a new application for benefits and confirmation of your return date, such as tickets. If you return earlier, you can apply to continue receiving the unused part of your Norwegian benefit period.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Summary
- You can receive Norwegian dagpenger while looking for work in Poland only after NAV has approved the export and you have received PD U2.
- The export lasts a maximum of 3 months, and it is best to submit your application at least 4 weeks before leaving.
- After arriving, you must register with the Polish employment office by the deadline stated in PD U2, generally within 7 days.
- During your stay, you must still submit a meldekort every 14 days, report work and return no later than the date stated in the document.
If you need help obtaining PD U2 and keeping your dagpenger while looking for work in Poland, call us: +47 21 38 38 21. We help Polish people sort out their cases with NAV.
Article author: Marcin - marcin@efirma.no
