Norway : Job market

What are my chances of getting a job?

The Norwegian authorities are currently trying to make it as easy as possible for foreigners to get work in Norway. This is because it helps the development of the Norwegian society and so they are happy to accept skilled workers. Norway suffered from the economic crisis in 2008/09 and as such unemployment increased. Employment is on the rise again but recruitment is still slower than in recent years before the economic downturn. 

• Typical problems encountered: networking and personal recommendations aid job searches in Norway, so it may be more difficult for graduates without Norwegian connections to penetrate the job market. The majority of jobs in Norway require knowledge of the Norwegian language or another Scandinavian language. Some jobs do accept those who just speak English but these are usually seasonal agriculture jobs or roles in hospitality. Not knowing Norwegian will dramatically limit your job options. 
• How to improve your chances: consider taking on casual work in Norway while you learn Norwegian and build a network of contacts.
• Language requirements: English is taught in school and many Norwegians will have quite good knowledge of the language. However, it is still advisable to learn some Norwegian either before moving to Norway or once you get there. You can find information about learning Norwegian both in Norway and in the UK at Study in Norway or Norway. Alternatively, if you apply for a postgraduate study course you could see if it is possible to add on a first year of learning Norwegian. Distance learning programmes are available from Eurotalk Interactive.

Where can I work?

• Major industries: oil and gas, fishing, ship building.
• Recent growth areas: ICT
• Shortage occupations: health care, nursing, teaching.
• Major companies: Statoil, Norsk Hydro, Telenor, Aker, Orkla, Total E&P Norge, ExxonMobil, Yara International, Esso.
• Search for more companies: Kompass, a worldwide business directory searchable by country and product/service, Norwegian Yellow Pages (in Norwegian), British-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, Randburg.com - Norway.
• Major cities: Oslo (capital and largest city), Bergen.

What’s it like working in Norway?

• Average working hours: a typical working week consists of 40 hours and by law anything exceeding this is classed as overtime.
• Holidays: average holiday entitlement is 21-25 days per year depending on the industry. There are ten public holidays on top of this allowance.
• Tax rates: if you work for a Norwegian employer for six months or longer you must pay tax in Norway. You will be issued with a tax deduction card and the local tax office will inform you of how much tax you will have to pay. This is usually around a third of your salary but this varies slightly depending on how much you earn. The National Insurance amount is 7.8% and is included in the tax you pay.
• Working practices and customs: similar to the UK, with an emphasis on prior arranged meetings, punctuality, handshake-style greetings and a direct style of negotiation. Business dress tends to be rather casual. Business is usually conducted in Norwegian with the exception of multinational corporations and the oil industry, which often use English.