MovingtoNorwayFrequentlyAskedQuestionsbyDavidNikelwww.lifeinnorway.net

SoyouwanttomovetoNorway?I'mnotsurprised!Norwayisawonderfulcountrytomakeahomeandraiseafamily.OriginallyfromtheUK,ImovedtoOsloin2011andnowliveinTrondheimworkingasafreelancejournalistandblogger.IlaunchedLifeinNorwaytochroniclemymovetoforeignlands.Asreadershipgrew,itquicklybecameobvioustherewasaneedforfarmoreonlineinformationforpeoplewhowantedtoknowmoreaboutlivinghere.Peoplejustlikeyou!Istartedtoreceiveemailsonadailybasisaskingallsortsofquestions:

DoIneedavisa? HowdoIgetaworkpermit? HowcanIfindajobinNorway? IsitfreetostudyinNorway? WillIhavetolearnNorwegian?

Theemailsweretakingupmoreandmoreofmytime,soIdecidedtoproducethisfreeguideansweringthemostcommonquestions.FollowingonfromthisguidewillbeaseriesofblogpostsaboutmovingtoNorwayinmuchmoredetail.Watchoutforthem!Ihopeyouenjoyit.David

Whatistheweatherlike?AhtheNorwegianclimate!Ibetyoureusedtoseeingpicturepostcardviewsofthefjords,right?Well,thetruthistheydoexist,butdayslikethataretheexception,nottherule.Theweathervariesalotaroundthecountry,withthecitiesonthewestcoasttypicallycoolerandwetter,butwithmilderwinters.Asageneralrule,thefurtherinlandyougo,theharsherthewinterswillbe.

Expectcoolsummerswithacoupleofdaysofsunshineeverycoupleofweeks,andcoldharshwinterswithtemperaturesdroppingbelow20C(4F)inOsloandevencolderinruralareas.Butmostofall,expectwindandrainallyearround.Onaverage,thecityofBergenexperiencesrainfallon220dayseveryyear.Ifyou'recomingfromCanada,thenorthernUSstatesorScotland,thenitshouldn'tbeaproblem.Butifyoulivesomewherewithlittleornosnow,iceandwind,oryou'reasunworshipper,beprepared.Readmore:Theresnosuchthingasbadweather,onlybadclothesDoesthesuneversetinthesummer?IfyouliveabovetheArcticCircle,youwillexperiencetheMidnightSun,wherethesundoesnotdipbelowthehorizonatnight.Thefurthernorthyougo,themorenightsofthephenomenonyouwillexperience.Butevenatlowerlatitudes,thedayslastwellintotheeveningandtwilightmaybeasdarkasitgets.Ittakessomegettingusedto.Blackoutcurtainsand/oreyemasksareessential!Readmore:JuneTheMonthofEndlessDaysIsNorwayreallythatexpensive?Theshortanswerisyes.Norwayisoneofthemostexpensivecountriesintheworld.Oilwealthandasocialistviewofsocietyhasitsprice!

Thewaytodealwiththestickershockissimple:stopconvertingtoyournativecurrencyinyourheadeverytimeyoubuysomething,andstartearninginNorwegianKronerassoonaspossible.Someitemsaremoreexpensivethanothers.Alcohol,freshmeat,dairy,fruit,vegetablesandanythingwithaserviceelement,suchaseatinginarestaurant,willappearexpensivetoalmosteveryonewhomovestoNorway.AnotherfactorinfluencingpricesinNorwayisMVA(theequivalentofVATorsalestax)whichis25%onmostgoodsandservices.UnlikeintheUSA,thisisincludedinthepricesyouseeinstores.ImanEUcitizen(British,Spanish,Greek,etc)canImovetoNorway?Theshortanswerisyes.AlthoughNorwayisnotamemberoftheEuropeanUnion,itisamemberoftheEuropeanEconomicArea(EEA)andisthereforeboundbythesamefreedomofmovementrulesastherestofEurope.

Therefore,citizensofanyEUorEEAcountrydonotrequirearesidencepermittoliveinNorway.Sothat'sgoodnewsforcitizensofAustria,Belgium,Bulgaria,Cyprus,CzechRepublic,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,France,Germany,Greece,Hungary,Iceland,Ireland,Italy,Latvia,Liechtenstein,Lithuania,Luxembourg,Malta,Netherlands,Poland,Portugal,Romania,Slovakia,Slovenia,Spain,SwitzerlandandtheUnitedKingdom.However,therearesomeconditions.AnyonefromtheabovecountriesisentitledtobeinNorwayforaperiodofuptothreemonths.Afterthatpoint,youmustregisterwiththePoliceinoneofthefollowingcategoriesforyourrighttoresideinNorway:

Employee Student(arecognisededucationalinstitution) Personwithownfunds Employeeofforeignenterprise Selfemployedperson FamilymemberofEU/EEAnationalwithresidence(spouse,registeredpartner,

cohabitantorchildundertheageof21)

Thismeans,forexample,youcancometoNorwaytolookforworkfornomorethanthreemonths.ImnotanEUcitizen(American,Canadian,etc)canImovetoNorway?Thisoneismuchmoredifficulttoanswer.Generally,unlessyouareinNorwaytostudythenyouwillrequireaworkpermit.Gettingaworkpermitcantaketime,andNorwegiancompaniesareoftenreluctanttohireforeignerswhoarenotalreadyinthecountry.Thefollowingcategoriesofpermitareavailable:

Familyimmigrationintendedforspouses,registeredpartners,thosewhoare

gettingmarried,andchildrenofthosemovingtoNorway.AlsoavailableforthosewithaNorwegianparent,withrestrictions.

Workimmigrationyoumustnormallyhavereceivedajobofferfirst Studypermitavailableforuniversitystudents,alsoallowsyoutoworkupto20

hoursperweektosupportyourselfduringyourstudies PermanentresidenceonceyouhaveresidedinNorwayforthreeyears,youmight

beabletoapplyforthis,dependingonyourpermit Visitupto90days Aupairforthosebetween18and30.Lowpaybutavaluableexperience.

Formoreinformation,seethewebsiteoftheUtlendingsdirektoratet(UDI)atwww.udi.no.Thewebsiteisavailableinseverallanguages.WhatjobsareavailableinNorway?UnderstandthatNorwayisasmallcountryinpopulationterms,thereforetherangeandchoiceofavailablejobsmaybemorelimitedthanyouareusedto,especiallyifyouarecomingfromtheUKorUSA.TheNorwegianeconomyisbuiltonoil&gas,engineeringservicesandtourism,soalargepercentageofjobsareinthoseindustries. ThereisashortageofskilledengineersinNorwayandIwouldgoasfartosaythatwithprofessionalengineeringqualificationsandsomequalityworkexperience,youshouldhavelittleproblemfindingasuitablewellpaidjob.

Outsideofengineeringandtourism,thepublicsectordominates,buttofindemploymentthereyouwillneedadvancedlanguageskillsandlikelysomepriorexperienceintheNorwegianworkplace.Ofcourse,therearemanyotherpossibilitiesforemploymentinNorway,forexampleinagriculture,ICT,finance,theservicesectorandgeneralofficeadministration.Butasstatedpreviously,languageislikelytobeabarrierinallareasoutsideoil&gas,research,andtourism&hospitality.HowcanIfindajob?Firstthingsfirst,therumoursaretrue.OverhalfofallNorwegianvacanciesarenotadvertised.Youhavethreemainoptionstoapplyforadvertisedpositions:

Onlinejobboards(e.g.www.finn.no) Recruitmentcompanies(e.g.www.manpower.no) Companydirect(e.g.www.statoil.com/en/careers/)

Forunadvertisedpositions,youmustlearntheartofnetworkingandmeetinfluentialpeopleinyourpreferredindustry.Assuch,beinginthecountryisabsolutelyessential.Itishardtogivemanyconcretetipsontheunadvertisedjobsmarket,butit'sthereandyou'llonlybeabletoaccessitthroughhardworkandtime.HowmuchholidaydoNorwegiansget?Rulesarecomplicated,especiallyaboutholidaypay,butthebasicruleisthatallemployeesareentitledto25workingdaysholidayperyear.Everyemployeeisentitledtotakethreecontinuousweeksduringthesummerperiod(definedas1Juneto30September)Holidaypayisaccruedtheyearbeforeitispaid,sothefirstyearyouworkinNorwayyouwillnotbepaidfortheholidays,eventhoughyouareentitledtothetimeoff.Differentrulesapplyifyoubeginworkingpartwaythroughayear.WhataretheworkinghoursinNorway?

Againtherulesarecomplicated,butthemaximumweeklyamountofworkinghoursistypically40.However,manycompaniesoperateflexiblearrangementsanditisnotuncommontowork3537hoursduringaweek,leavingearlyonFridayandstartinglateronMonday.ThereislessofafocusontheamountoftimeyouarestuckbehindyourdeskinNorway,aslongasyougetyourworkdone.DoIreallyneedtolearnNorwegian?AlmosteveryNorwegianunderstandsEnglishperfectlyandmostalsospeakitfluently.However,mostjobsrequireatleastaworkingknowledgeofNorwegian.Andmostofall,ifyoureallywanttorelocateandcreateanewlifeforyouandyourfamilyinNorway,whywouldntyoulearnNorwegian?Iadviselearningatleastthebasicsbeforeyouarrive.Manyonlinetoolscanhelpwiththis,includingNorwegianClass101.Pleasenote,ifyoudon'tspeakNorwegian,thenfluentEnglishisabsolutelyessential.Ishealthcarereallyfree?Absolutelynot!Norwayheavilysubsidisesitshealthcaresystem,butyoustillpayatthepointofaccess.IfyouvisityourGPjustafewtimesayear,youwillpayasetamountoneachvisit.Onceyoureachanannuallimit,youpaynomore,whetheritsforaGPvisitorsubstantialtreatment.Soyoupayifyourealittlebitsick,butdontpaymuchmoreifyougetseriouslysick.Howmuchdoesitcosttorentahome?Thecostofrentedaccommodationvariesenormouslybetweencitiesandthecountryside.Generallytheclosertothecitycentreyouare,themoreyouwillpay.OsloandStavangertendtocommandthehighestrents,butothercitiesarenotfarbehind.TherearetwoimportantpointstonoteabouthousinginNorway.Firstly,accommodationwillprobablybesmallerthanyouareusedto.Ifyouaremovingfromafourbedroom

detachedhomewithramblinggardens,dontexpecttofindsomethingsimilarinNorway.Youmayhavetosettleforatwobedroomapartment.Secondly,almostallrentalagreementsrequirealargedeposit,typicallythreemonths,tobepaidwiththefirstmonthsrent,allbeforeyouevenmovein.Thissurprisesalotofnewarrivals,butitisjustthewaythingsworkhereyouarenotbeingrippedoff!HowmuchincometaxwillIpay?Norwayoperatesaprogressivetaxsystem,wherebythemoreyouearn,themoretaxyoupayasapercentageofyourincome.Therateyoupayincludesincometaxandsocialsecuritycontributions.Itsimpossibleformetogiveyouataxestimateasitdependsonsomanyvariables,butyoucanexpecttopayintheregionof3035%infulltimeemployment,butveryhighearnerscouldpayasmuchas40%ormore.IsitreallyfreetostudyinNorway?Yes,allpublicuniversitiesandcollegesdemandnotuitionfees,evenforforeignstudents.However,bearinmindthecostoflivingishigh,soalmostallstudentswillrequiresomeformofincomeorparttimeemployment.Thefreetuitionalsoattractsahighnumberofapplicants.Internationalmasterdegrees(taughtinEnglish)areheavilyoversubscribed,soyourapplicationreallyneedstoimpressinorderforyoutobeconsidered.Pleasenotetherearesomeprivateuniversities(e.g.www.bi.edu)thatdochargetuitionfees.AreNorwegiansunfriendly?Ah,stereotypes!Norwegiansarenotunfriendlyperse,buttheycanbeinsular,creaturesofhabitanddifficulttogettoknow.Thistakestime.IfyoudomanagetogettoknowsomeNorwegians(forexample,beinvitedtotheirhome),yourstayinNorwaywillbefarmorerewarding.