Living and working in Norway

1. Hallgeir Jenssen, Eures adviser, Tromsø, Norway Living and working in Norway

2. Tromsø

3. Moskva

4. Tromsø

7. Work in the public employment office in Tromsø as an EURES ADVISER

8. Norway • The Norwegian currency is Norwegian kroner, NOK. 1 euro = 9,30 NOK • Norway is a monarchy.

9. Geography • 1750 km long • 430 km at the widest and 6 km at the most narrow • 25.148 km coastline • 4, million inhabitants incl. 459.000 ”foreigners” • Growth 64.000 in 2008 • Capital city: Oslo 560.000 inhabitants • Biggest cities: • Bergen: 248.000 • Trondheim: 165.000 • Stavanger: 120.000 • Kristiansand: 79.000 • Fredrikstad: 72.000 • Tromsø: 67.000

10. 218.000 Europeans in Norway more than 6 months per 1. January 2008 1. Poland 32069 2. Sweden 26244 3. Denmark 19220 4. Germany 17472 5. Bosnia-Hercegovina 15649 6. Turkey 15003 7. Russia 12823 8. United Kingdom 11784 9. Kosovo 11052 10.Finland 6528 11.The Netherlands 5998 12. Lithuania 5119 23. Spain 1789

11. 65000 foreigners less than 6 months • Nordic countries 24000 • Poland 15100 • Lithuania 4800 • West-Europe 8000

12. Norway

19. Population and language • Sami population in the north • Two official languages: • Bokmål • Nynorsk • + Sami language in certain municipalities • Many different dialects • Norwegian is closely related to Swedish and Danish • Most Norwegian people speak English quite well • ….. but most of the employers require that you speak Norwegian, or a Scandinavian language

20. Characteristic features • Climatic differences from – 40 to + 30 • Natural phenomena: Midnight sun and Northern Lights • Big variety in nature • Great outdoor life • High standard of living • Extensive welfare system • Safe working conditions

21. Norwegians from a foreigner’s perspective • Flat structure – Who is the boss? • Equality/No spesial treatment • Need of space, keep a little distance and privacy • Not the most impulsive ones – need time. • Boring, cold lunches • ”Unpolite” - Problems with saying ”hello” • Dress code

22. Dress code

23. The labour market Unemployment rate 1. December 2008: 1,8 % (45.000 people) 2,0 % for men, 1,6 % for women Higest in tourisme, transport and construction 2,7 % Lowest unemployement amongst:- teaching/education 0,5 % - Leaders,all kind off engineers and IT developers and programmers; 0,7 %

24. Lowest unemployment rate 11. Rogaland 1,1 % 14. Sogn og Fjordane 1,2 % 2. Akershus 1,3 % 15. Møre og Romsdal 1,4 % 14. Hordaland 1,6 % Higest 20. Finnmark 2,9 % 3. Oslo 2,3 % 9. Aust-Agder 2,3 % 8. Telemark 2,2 % 17. N-Trøndelag 2,2 %

25. Labour Market Statistics • The unemployment rate has increased in most regions due to the financial crisis • We expect an unemployment rate of 2,9% by 2010 • There are now a decreasing number of vacancies whithin all occupational groups. 56 % fewer vacancies in shop and sale compared with last December. • Big challenge: To find enough qualified people • Many companies still have recruitment problems. Especially those needing engineers • Recruitment from abroad is, and will still be crucial

26. Mechanical Industry • Part of the industry is experiencing increased unemployment • Still need for • Industrial Plumbers • Industrial mechanics • Machine Operator (CNC)

27. The petroleum sector • About 80.000 employees in this sector. 35% offshore • Norway is no 5 in oil/3 in gas • Safety course and medical certificate needed • Large competition for the jobs • Highly skilled personnel with long experience • Shortages: Petroleum engineers and specially skilled operators • Main source of recruitment from the Mechaqnical industry

28. Statoil/Hydro is ”in” the Russian oil and gas industry • Moskva

29. Building and construction • Up till now: Boom! • But now cooling down considerably • The unemployment rate 2,7 % has the highest increase in the construction industry and 48 % fewer vacancies since last December • Import of workers from abroad, particularly from Poland and Lithuania

30. IT • More than 60 % of all companies in this sector are expecting growth and need more people next year. • 2350 more programmers and system developers are needed.

31. Health • A lack of 6100 people within the health sector: • Doctor specialists • Doctors - rural areas • Dentists - public sector • Nurses – specialized, especially midwifes • Assistant nurses – future need • Personal assistants

32. Hotel and restaurant • A need for chefs and cooks • Also waiters, headwaiters and barkeepers. • Biggest need in and around Oslo • Increasing demand year round and particularly during summer season.

33. “Seasonal work” FISHING INDUSTRYStagnation, but optimism: research within farming of new species. Low demand for labour. All along the west coast, many small companies; most recruitment in the northern counties. Most work on land: Fish processing. Hard working conditions. Fish sent to China for processing TOURISM Cooks, waiters, cleaners, guides

34. Transport • Strong demand for taxidrivers • Bus drivers • Lorry drivers • Many of the recently unemployed people are able to fill some of these vacancies.

35. NORWAY NEEDS ENGINEERS! ARE YOU AN ENGINEER IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING FIELDS? OIL/GAS INDUSTRY, SHIPPING AND CONSTRUCTION

36. Norway needs also qualified technicians in many of these fields, and especially technical designers (Autocad) • The companies require: • engineer diploma OR solid work experience in the engineering field • young graduates can also apply • sound knowledge of English (written and spoken) • The companies offer: • good working conditions • long term contracts • opportunity to develop in a country with a booming oil and gas sector • Thank you for sending us your CV and a cover letter to engineers@nav.no • Please indicate: • - when you are available • - if there are any particular regions in Norway you would prefer to work in, • and we will do our best to place your CV in accordance with your wishes. • Your CV will be forwarded to employers, which will contact you if they find your CV relevant.

37. Result Engineer-project! • 15 Job Fairs for Engineers in 2008 • 140 engineers to 35 companies • From Portugal, Germany, Sweden and Poland • 180 companies are interestes in this project

38. About 800 engineers CV – Master’s level AutoCAD/design Materials Automation/mechatronics * Mechanics Chemistry Marine / naval arch. Construction Piping * Electricity Process (chemistry) * Electronics Safety / QA / QC Environment Structures Geo engineers Telecommunication Hydraulics Petroleum HVAC Water treatment IT

39. Work and residence permits • Norway is not a member of the Eurpean Union, but we are a member of the European Economic Area (EEA). • All EU and EEA citizens have the right to take up work in Norway (there are some restrictions for the new EU-member countries). • Spanish citizens do not need a work permit, but a residence permit. This must be applied for whithin three months after having started to work in Norway. • Apply to the local police station • An ID-number must be applied for at the Registartion Office. • NAV You do not have to register here, but only get informed about your rights. You apply for all kind of benefits at the NAV office ( child benefit, cash benefit, pensions etc)

40. NORMAL WORKING CONDITIONS • Work contract • 6 months trial period • Salary normally paid once a month. The employer deducts the taxes from your monthly pay. • Normal working hours are 37,5 hours per week. Shift workers have 35,5 hours. • Holliday: 25 working days per year. 30 days for employees over the age of 60. • Holliday pay 12% of gross pay for trade union members. 10,2% for non trade union members. • You have to earn your paid holliday by working the previous calendar year.

41. Salaries • The average wage in Norway is among the highest in Europe. • According to the statistics the average monthly salary is NOK 32,300 (about 3600 euro). • The 10% best paid wage earners receives in average NOK 62,300 ( 7000 euro) per month. • The 10% lowest paid wage earners receives in average NOK 18,600 (2100 euro) per month. • No minimum salaries in Norway. Normally according to collective agreements. • Wage negotiations once a year (in April-May) between the trade unions and the Norwegian Employers´Confederation

42. Wages for engineers • The wages for engineers will range from NOK 350,000 to 750,000 (Euro 39,000 to 74,000) per year, before taxes. • Service engineers, who travels a lot will have very high salaries. Senior engineers in the field of drilling, piping, petrolium, subsea will also have very high salaries. • An average salary for an engineer with 4-5 years of experience is about NOK 370,000 to 420,000 (Euro 41,000 to 47,000) per year. • The salaries offered in Oslo and Stavanger is normally higher than in other Norwegian regions. This is to compensate for the increased living costs in these towns.

43. TAX • Everybody who works in Norway for a Norwegian employer most pay income tax in Norway. • 10 % off income tax is free for foreigners the 2 first years - e.g: earn 300.000, then 30.000 is tax-free, pay tax of only 270.000 • Normal tax 33 % per month - June is tax-free - December is half tax-free = ca 25 % tax each year • Tax return form. Must be delivered before the end of April.

44. NATIONAL INSURANCE I What is covered through the National Insurance? • Sickness benefit. 100% pay first year, 66% of the pay the second year. • Benefits related to child birth. 12 months with 80% of ordinary pay or 10 months with 100% pay. Paternity leave 6 weeks. • Unemployment benefit. About 63% of pay for a maximum of 2 years.

45. NATIONAL INSURANCE II What is covered through the National Insurance? • Old-age pension. (Retirement age in Norway is 67 years) • Disablement benefit. • Free treatment in the hospital. • Free dental treatment for those under the age of 18.

46. NATIONAL INSURANCE III What is covered through the National Insurance? • Child benefit. The ages from 0 to 18. NOK 970 per month (about 107 Euro). • Benefits for single parents. • Cash benefit “Kontantstøtte”. From the age of 1 to 3. Maximum NOK 3657 per month (406 Euro). • You have to apply for these benefits at Nav Trygd if the child is not born in Norway.

47. What do you get for your wages? • Norway - fifth place in Europe for cheap food! • (Düsseldorf is the cheapest) • If you work 2 hours and 2 minutes, you have enough money to buy one week’s supply of food • Norwegians spending of their salary: -housing, light, heating - 25% -public transport, car - 20% -food - 12% -culture, leisure time - 12% • UN: Norway highest score for income, duration of life, and living conditions.

48. Costs • It is more expensive to be tourist in Norway, than to actually live there. • Food (except meat) and cloths are not so expensive. • Alcohol and cigarettes are very expensive. • Eating out in a restaurant is also expensive. • Cars are very expensive. • Petrol is also expensive, despite the fact that Norway is an oil producing nation. The prices will vary from day to day. On average it costs about 1,4 euro per litre.

49. Average prices in Norway

50. HOUSE/COSTS • Most Norwegian people own their own house. About 90% of couples who lives together own their own house/apartment. About 67% of young couples and single parents own their own house/apartment. • The average rent for a flat is • 1 room 470 euro, 2 room 540 euro , 3 room 610 euro per month. • Oslo and Stavanger is much more expensive • You can get your own house with a garden for about NOK 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 (170,000 euro to 220,000 euro). Prices vary. Exception Oslo and Stavanger. • Oslo is the most expensive town in the world.