Living and working in Norway

Norway - up north

• Length 1750 km• 432 km at the widest• 6 km at the narrowest• Long coastline• 7th largest country in

Europe• 16 persons per km2

Geography

•Population 5 mill•Immigrants 500.000•Capital Oslo•612.000 inhabitants•19 counties•Biggest cities: •Bergen 250.000•Trondheim 170.000•Stavanger 121.000

Norway

• Currency: Norwegian kroner - NOK

• Constitutional monarchy King Harald V and Queen Sonja

Characteristics

• - 30° to + 30°C • Bright summer – dark winter• Nature variety• Outdoor activites• Hight standard of living• Extensive welfare system• Safe working conditions

Language

• Norwegian or a scandinavian language• Norwegian courses in most towns• You have to pay for the language course• Two official forms.

- Standard Norwegian and new Norwegian• Close to Swedish and Danish • Norwegians speak English well• Many regional dialects

Cultur

• Flat structure in the workplace • Conformity/Equality/No special treatment• Enjoying space, keeping distance, privacy• Cold lunch• ”Dugnad” – working for free• Dress code• Importance of nature

Nav EURes

• www.eures.europa.eu/ - felles europeisk database• www.nav.no - jobb i utlandet og i Norge• www.eures.no – informasjon om å jobbe og bo i

utlandet

The Labour market in Norway

• Current situation- 2,7 % unemployment- current supply of vacant positions pr.day approx. 1000

• Sector with highest unempolyment- Building and construction (3,7%)- Industry (3,6 %)

• Sectors with lowest unemployment- Education ( 1,1%)- Engineering and IT (1,2%)

Labour Market – shortages/demand

• Engineers mainly oil & gas• IT specialists (with experience)• Mechanical Industry (skilled workers)• Health sector ( doctors, dentists and specialised

nurses)• Hotel and tourism (sesonal chefs and waiters)• Preschool teachers• Construction sector (highly skilled workers only)• Transport (bus drivers and long-distance)• Agricultural workers (skilled)

Hotel and restaurant

• A need for chefs and cooks• Waiters, headwaiters and

barkeepers• Biggest need in and around Oslo• Mountain and fjord areas also • Particularly during summer season• Good language skills required

Working conditions

• Written contract is mandatory• 6 months probational period• Periode of notice – 3 months

- 2 weeks during probational period

• Salary paid one a month• Employer draw tax from your monthly pay• 37,5 working hours per week• Shift workers can have 35,5 hours working week• Maximum 40 hours per week• Membership in a trade union can be useful…

Working conditions

• Holiday leave is 25 working days per year• Holiday pay normally paid out in the month of June• Holiday pay 12% of gross pay for trade union members• 10,2% for non trade union members• Holiday pay is accumulated• Labour Inspection Authority: www.arbeidstilsynet.no

Recidence/registration

• Norway is an EEA (not EU) member• EU/EEA citizen have the right to work in Norway from

the first day of arrival• Job holders must register with UDI (Directorate of

Immigration): - register online or the nearest police station or Service Centre for Foreign workers (Oslo, Stavanger, Tromsø)

• Job seekers self-register only when staying longer than 3 months

• You will also need a National Identification number- Tax office/population register – www.skateetaten.no

Taxes

• Working in Norway for a Norwegian employer, you pay income tax and national insurance contribution in Norway

• Average income tax is 28%• National insurance contribution 7,8%• Deductions!

EU citizens are entitled to a deduction called ”standardfradrag” in the two first years (10% or max NOK 40.000 per year)

• House morgage, loans/debts increae your deductions• Tax return submitted every year in April

Is Norway expensive?

• Most Norwegians families have two incomes• Income tax is average for Europe• Housing is expensive (approx 35-45% of income)• Food (except meat) and clothes are not so expensive• Alcohol and cigarettes are very expensive• Eating out in a restaurant is also expensive • One beer will cost about 8 Euro and a glass of wine

about 10 Euro in a pub/restaurant. One coffee about 3,5 Euro

Jobbseeking

• Make a Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English• Europass v increasingly common• Application letter maximum 1 page• Use www.gulesider.no and company web sites • On-line CV registration very common• Contact employers directly• Use your personal network• Social media!

Jobbseeking – The CV

Personalia (name, address etc.) Education Work experience Courses Language skills Interests References (former employer + phone numbers) Photo (not required) 1-2 pages maximum

Useful websites

Job related• www.nav.no (Labour and Welfare organisation)• www.nav.no/eures (Nav Eures Norway)• www.eures.europa.eu

Study in Norway• www.studyinnorway.no• www.nokut.no (Recognition of higher education)

Useful web sites

New in Norway• www.norway.no (Gateway to public sector)• www.visitnorway.no (Travel)• www.nyinorge.no (New in Norway)

Official pages• www.skatteetaten.no (Tax card and personal number)• www.toll.no ( Customs)• www.udi.no ( Work and residence permits, registration)• www.mattilsynet.no (Import of animals and plants)

Thank You!

Hallgeir Johanseneures@nav.no