LivingandWorkinginNorway

ErikJrgensen/InnovationNorway

NilsErikBjrholt/InnovationNorway

EliSkaugSyvertsen
NAVEURES
JohanWildhagen/InnovationNorway

Norway

NAVEURES
LabourandWelfareAdministration JobCentre NationalInsurance Welfareoffice EURopeanEmploymentServices Advisorsin31countries Jobmarketandjobsearch Livingandworking Recruitmentassistance www.nav.no www.eures.no

UpNorth

Norway
CurrencyNorwegiankroner,NOK Constitutionalmonarchy,KingHaraldV PrimeMinisterJensStoltenberg CentreLeftCoalitiongovernment

1=NOK8

Characteristics
30 to+30C Brightsummers/MidnightSun Darkwinters/PolarNight
NorthernLights (auroraborealis)

Naturalvariety Outdoorculture Highstandardofliving Extensivewelfaresystem Safeworkingconditions

Geography
Population4,920,300(Jan.2011) 600,922immigrants(12,2%)
(Poland,Pakistan,Sweden,Irak, Somalia,DenmarkandGermany)

19counties CapitalOslo 586,560inhabitants

Trondheim173,221

Biggestcities:

Bergen260,392

Stavanger

126,021 Kristiansand82,394

Norway

Length1750km 432kmatthewidest, 6kmatthenarrowest 25,148kmsofcoastline 7thlargestinEurope 16personsperkm2

Language
Twoofficialforms:
StandardNorwegian(bokml) NewNorwegian(nynorsk)

Regionaldialects ClosetoSwedishandDanish NorwegiansspeakEnglishwell MostemployersrequireNorwegianoraScandinavianlanguage Norwegiancoursesheldinmosttowns Freelanguagecoursesnot offered,butisnotexpensive

Language
Dictionariesandelearningtoolsavailable: www.migranorsk.no (webbasedcourse) www.lexin.no (dictionary) www.dialang.org (languagetest) http://steinpastein.cappelen.no (languagequestionpaper) www.nyinorge.no (Norwayhandbook) Book/CDcoursesavailablefromFNAC www.fagbokforlaget.no (webbasedcoursecalledMinVei).Gives NorwegiantuitionuptothelevelofB1.Formoreinformationcontact eli.skaug.syvertsen@nav.no

HowtounderstandaNorwegian
Flatstructure Whoistheboss? Conformity/Equality/Nospecial treatment Enjoyingspace,keepingdistance, privacy Notthemostimpulsiveones needtime Coldlunches Rude? Dresscode

Dress code

LabourMarketStatistics
Unemployment:2.5%(September11);65,254persons(lowestinRogaland with1,9% andhighestinOsloandFinmark with3,2%) Companiesandinstitutionsneed:
Engineers(especiallymechanical,electro,automation,hydraulic,pipingengineers) Preschooleducatorsandassistants Teachers(especiallyinsciencesubjectsandmaths) Medicaldoctors,nurses Clinicalpsychologists Busdrivers(incertainregions) Hairdressers,cooks
InSeptember17,530vacancieswereadvertised Another15,00020,000jobsnot advertised

COMPANIESNEEDINGENGINEERS
www.oilcareers.com http://offshore.no/international/ AkerSolutions(akersolutions.com) FMCTechnologies(fmctechnologies.com) Statoil(www.statoil.com) NationalOilwell Varco(www.nov.com) Grenland Group(www.grenlandgroup.com) KongsbergGruppen (www.kongsberg.com) Aibel (www.aibel.com) Fabricom (www.fabricom.no) Bandak (www.bandak.no) Subsea7(www.subsea7.com) IKMConsultants(www.ikm.no) Roxar (www.roxar.no)

Mostneededengineers
Petroliumengineers Subseaengineers Drillingengineers Pipingengineers Mechanicalengineers Hydraulicengineers NavalArchitects Structuralengineers Machinedesignengineers Electricalengineers Stressanalysts Steelcalculation Electronicandcomputer engineers Instrumentengineers Automationengineers Mechatronics/robotics

WorkingConditions
Writtencontract 6monthsprobationaryperiod Salarypaidonceamonth Employerdrawstaxfromyourmonthlypay 37,5workinghoursperweek Shiftworkershave35,5hoursworkingweek. Maximum40hoursperweek.

WorkingConditions
Holiday:25workingdaysperyear 30daysforemployeesovertheageof60 HolidaypaynormallypaidoutinthemonthofJune Holidaypay12%ofgrosspayfortradeunionmembers 10,2%fornontradeunionmembers. Holidaypayisaccumulated Theworkingenvironmentact.www.arbeidstilsynet.no (availablein English)

Taxes
IfyouworkinNorwayforaNorwegianemployer,youpayincome taxtoNorway Averageincometaxis28%(24.5%) TheNationalInsurancecontributionis7.8%. Deductions!
EUcitizensareentitledtoadeductioncalledstandardfradrag inthe twofirstyears(10%ormaxNOK40,000peryear) Housemortgageordebtsetc.increaseyourdeductions

TaxreturnformsubmittedeveryyearinApril

NationalInsuranceI
WhatiscoveredthroughtheNationalInsurance? SicknessBenefit
100%payfirstyear 66%secondyearifstillinactivetreatment

UnemploymentBenefit
About63%ofpayforamaximumof2years

Childbirthbenefit
12monthswith80%payor10months,100%pay Paternityleave10weeks

NationalInsuranceII
WhatiscoveredthroughtheNationalInsurance? Oldagepension
RetirementageinNorwayis67years

Disabilitybenefit Freehospitaltreatment Freedentaltreatmentforunder18s Freeofchargeschoolsanduniversities

NationalInsuranceIII
WhatiscoveredthroughtheNationalInsurance? Childbenefit
Ages0to18:NOK970(121,25)permonth

Singleparentbenefits CashbenefitKontantsttte
Ages1to3:UptoNOK3303(413)permonth.

YouhavetoapplyforthesebenefitsatNAV,unlessthechildis borninNorway.

COSTS
Food(exceptmeat)andclothsarenotsoexpensive. Alcoholandcigarettesareveryexpensive. Eatingoutinarestaurantisalsoexpensive. Onebeerwillcostabout8euroandaglassofwinewillcostabout10 euroinapub/restaurant.Onecoffeewillcostabout2,50euro Carsareveryexpensive. Petrolisalsoexpensive,despitethefactthatNorwayisanoil producing country.Thepriceswillvaryfromdaytoday.Onaverageitcostsabout 1,5europerliter. ItisexpensivetovisitNorwayasatourist.

Whatdoyougetforyourwages?
Pricesforfoodstuffsareonaverage62%higherinNorwaycompared withtheaveragepricesinEUcountries.Milk,cheese,eggsandmeatare 65%moreexpensiveinNorwaycomparedwiththeaverageinEurope. Fishandotherseafoodarenotsoexpensive. 6hours work=1weekssupplyoffood HowNorwegiansspendtheirsalary: housing,electricetc. 27% publictransport,car 20% food&householdgoods18% culture,leisure 12% UNDP:Norwayhighestscoreforincome,durationoflife,andliving conditions.

AveragePrices
NOK Bread,750g 20 Milk,1l 14 Butter,250g 17 Cheese,1kg 84 Beer,0,33l 19 Coffee,250g 16 Potatoes,1kg 14 CocaCola,1,5l 23 Beef,1kg200 200 Sausage,1kg 100 Salmon,1kg 80 FreshShrimps,1kg 80 EUR 2,50 1,75 2,13 10,5 2,38 2 1,75 2,85 25 12,50 10 10 NOK Big Mac menu, large CD Cinema ticket Newspaper Magazine Chocolate, Mars Hair cut, women Hair cut, men Bus ticket, Oslo Cigarettes, 1 pack 85 170 90 15 59 12,50 450 400 25 85 EUR 10,63 21,25 11,25 1,88 7,38 1,56 56,25 50 3,13 10,63

Accommodation
MostNorwegianpeopleowntheirownhouse.About90%ofcouples livingtogetherowntheirownhouse/apartment.About67%ofyoung couplesandsingleparentsowntheirownhouse/apartment.

Theaveragerentforahouse/apartmentisNOK5500( 687)per month.OsloandStavangeraremoreexpensive.

YoucangetyourownhousewithagardenforaboutNOK2,000,000 to3,000,000( 250,000375,000).Pricesvarydependingonlocation andsize.ExceptionOsloandStavanger.

Homes
HomesontheInternet www.finn.no www.net.no/boligpriser www.eiendomsnett.no www.bolignorge.no www.meglernett.no www.bolignett.no www.zett.no
www.ssb.no (Nationalstatisticsbureau)

Homes

Salaries
TheaveragewageinNorwayisamongthehighestinEurope AveragemonthlysalaryNOK36,700( 4588) The10%bestpaidaverageNOK71,400( 8925)permonth The10%leastpaidaverageNOK20,600( 2575)permonth TheaveragesalaryintheoilandgassectorisNOK59,700(7436)per month Nominimumsalaries,butcollectiveagreementsbysector Wagenegotiationsonceayear(inAprilMay)betweenthetrade unionsandtheNorwegianEmployersConfederation

Wheretofindjobs
www.nav.no (Norwegian) www.nav.no/english (jobspostedinEnglish) www.eures.no www.finnjobb.no www.stillinger.no NAVServiceCentrePhone:+4780033166 (MonFri08:0018:00) ContacttheEURESAdviserinyourarea

Work/Residencepermits
Norwayisnot amemberoftheEuropeanUnion,butamemberofthe EuropeanEconomicArea(EEA).

AllEU/EEAcitizenshavetherighttotakeupworkinNorway RestrictionsapplyforcitizensofRumaniaandBulgaria

Portuguesecitizensdonot needaworkpermitandcanbeginworkthe daytheyarriveinNorway

Work/Residencepermits
Registrationrequiredwithin3monthsatthelocalpolicestation,or assoonasyouhavereceivedajobcontract.
Thisisaformality

YoucanstayinNorwayfor6monthsasajobseeker. Whenyouhaveajobcontractyoumustregisterat https://selfservice.udi.no/,printoutandbringitwithyoutothelocal policestaion.Alsobring:

IDcard/passport Acertificateofresidence(lease) Jobcontract

ArrivinginNorway
Police(Politiet) www.politi.no TaxOffice/NationalRegistry www.skatteetaten.no Bank NAV www.nav.no Childbenefit Familydoctor Callcentre+4781033810 SUA(www.sua.no) ServiceCentreforforeignworkers(OsloandStavanger)

Websitesofinterest
www.eures.no Portal livingandworkinginNorway www.nav.no Jobdatabase,nationalinsurance www.udi.no DirectorateofImmigration www.skatteetaten.no Taxoffice www.arbeidstilsynet.no LabourInspectionAuthority www.toll.no Customs www.nokut.no TheNorwegianAgencyforQualityAssuranceinEducation www.safh.no TheNorwegianRegistrationAuthorityforHealthPersonnel

Contact

EliSkaugSyvertsen EURESadviser NAVEURESAustAgder eli.skaug.syvertsen@nav.no eures@nav.no CVscanberegisteredintheEURESNorwayCVbase: https://www.webcruiter.no/wcmain/cvlogin.aspx?company_id=213140