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:: Hot Topics |
Working
in Norway:
What to Know Before You Go Part 1
By Louise Rankin
Work Permits
If you have come to Norway on a work assignment with your company, you will
be issued a work and temporary residence permit (usually valid for three
years). If you are a trailing partner in Norway, you will normally have
a temporary residence permit and no work permit. If you are a national from
a member-country of the EEA (European Economic Area/E¯S), however, you will
have access to the Norwegian free market for employment.
If you
come to Norway on your own, without a job, but as an EEA national, you have
a period of three months where you can seek work without a work permit or
residence permit. The police (Aliens Office/ Utlendingskontoret) may extend
your right to stay in Norway for up to six months, on the condition that
you are actively seeking work. This has to be confirmed by the Employment
Office. Information is available in English
on this site.
As an EEA member, you are allowed to set up your own business
in Norway if your qualifications are recognized in your field (see below).
You will be liable to the same rules and regulations as local Norwegians.
You will still need the necessary work and residence permits, and you will
need to prove that you have sufficient means to finance your stay in Norway.
The nature of the business must be long-term. If you want to work in Norway
and provide services, you won't need to start a company. Most services are
liable to Value Added Tax (MOMS), with the exclusion of teaching.
Before you start work, you will need to register with the National Register
(Folkeregisteret), which will give you an ID number. A tax card based on
your ID number can be obtained from the local tax office (Ligningskontoret).
This tax card must be presented to your employer when you start work, otherwise
50 percent of your income will be deducted in tax. Many companies will have
already sorted this out for you if you are arriving on an assignment.
Finding Work
Non-EEA nationals will need to consult their national advisory bureau
for the correct information concerning work and residence permits in Norway.
Contact the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration at +4723351600 for information.
The Norwegian Employment Office is also a good resource; call them toll-free
at 800 33 166, or go to their website.
As an EEA national, EURES (the European Employment Services, which play a key role in the Norwegian Employment Services) is your best advisory bureau. Prior to coming to Norway, it is advisable to contact your nearest Euroadviser linked to your local Employment Office.
There are also many private job-seeking organizations in Norway, such as Manpower, KellyÕs, N¿kkel Personnel, Adecco, and Top Service. Look in the local Yellow Pages catalog under Vikarbryå (Temporary Staff Recruitment). In fact, the Norwegian Employment Office often recommends that you start with private companies, and then seek their help; they have job placement and retraining programs that may be useful.
Higher-level head hunters in Norway often use professional networks and some well-hidden agencies, which new jobseekers may find difficult to access.
Qualifications for Work
You may also encounter problems using your home country qualifications to help you find a job. Many well-qualified foreign professionals seeking work in Norway have found it necessary to learn Norwegian, and/or undergo a rigorous re-training/re-qualification period in their chosen profession. This can last up to two years, especially for health professionals.
Although nearly everyone in the country speaks English, learning Norwegian is a prerequisite for most work. There are two national languages: Nynorsk, the older language, and Bokmål, the more modern and widely spoken. If you have your work permits in order, you will be entitled to 850 hours of free Norwegian language instruction.
If you seek work that requires proficiency in Norwegian, you will have to pass one of three different tests: The Bergens Test; Level 3 (Nivå 3); or Vidergåendeskole. The latter is the most comprehensive, difficult and of the longest duration (up to three years). You can approach the state employment office (Arbeidskontoret or Aetat depending on your area) to seek guidance on enrollment on such courses. Excluding some specialists, most job-seekers donÕt need to register with the employment office until they have learned Norwegian.
General information on the approval of higher-level qualifications can be obtained from the National Academic Information Centre (NAIC in Oslo, tel: 4722858860) or the Education Board (StatensUtdanningskontoret) in each country.
Useful Sources of Information
Aetat Employement Office website
or tel: 815 59 800/800 33 166
Manpower website
or tel +47 51858470
The Directorate of Immigration website
Stavanger Partners Information Network website
About Louise Rankin
Louise Rankin has provided consulting and training communication services
to international business executives for over twenty years. She works with
almost every major international oil business in Stavanger (the oil capital
of Norway) through her company, Communication Skills Consultancy.
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