Immigration to Norway

The Kingdom of Norway is the western most country in the Scandinavian peninsula, made up mostly of mountainous terrain. Nearly all of its only 5.3 million inhabitants lives in the south, surrounding the capital, Oslo. Norway’s coastline is made up of thousands of miles of fjords, bays and island shores. The untouched nature and charming landscapes inspire every traveler.

In Norway, the proportion of foreigners in the total population at the beginning of 2018 was around 10.7 percent. The Norwegians are a rather reserved and calm people. In rural areas, it is not very easy to contact local residents  due to their mentality. Nevertheless, Norwegians are straightforward, even if they are initially skeptical about immigrants.

The Following Factors Speak For An Immigration To Norway

• Highly respected Citizenship
• High Quality of Life
• Very good for Green Living
• Very good for Raising Kids
• Very good for Women
• Open for Business
• Easy to Find a Job
• Good Entrepreneurship

Norway has low crime and high literacy rates. It is a safe country and no sooner you start residing here you will experience that this beautiful country is taking good care of you. Education and health care is free here. If you are an unskilled person and work hard to learn the Norwegian Language, you are paid well. 

Traveling information

The travel restrictions applied during COVID-19 has been lifted by the Norwegian government. All EU/EEA countries accept the COVID-19 certificate as a proof of vaccination or a negative test result while traveling to Norway, but except this other documents required may vary. 

You can reach Oslo by flight or by train. Oslo International Airport is the main central airport. Oslo is also the main railway station for all trains coming into the country. You can find regular trains till Oslo from neighboring countries like Sweden (Stockholm) and Denmark (Copenhagen). Norwegian State Railways (NSB) offers train service from most of the Norway and from Oslo to Gothenberg.

Information about the tickets and schedules like prices and services are available at the website vy.no, tel 61 05 19 10 and at the train stations in Oslo.  From outside Norway, call [+47] 61051910. 

There are several flights to Norway from cities around the world including places in Europe. You can also travel by boat, bus or car. All the larger cities and towns have airports offering international as well as domestic flights. Most of the train journeys are overnight. After arriving in Norway, it is easy to roam and experience the country further by train.

Norway has borders attached to Sweden, Russia and Finland. You can arrive here also by car. When you enter the country there are custom checks in place. Make sure passport and other essential document are with you while entering.

Full passport control checks are going on, on the Norweigan-Russian border between Borisoglebsky and Storskog. Roads to Norway include route E6 which goes through Helsingborg, Malmo and Gothenburg in Sweden & route E8 through Vaasa, Turku and Oulu in Finland. 

For more information please visit: www.visitnorway.com  or www.helsenorge.no

Residence Permits – Due to covid-19 pandemic government is trying to keep the right balance between infection control and opening. Still you want to come & work in Norway, you need a residence permit. And if you do not have residence permit already, you must apply for it for work.  Earlier they used to call it a work permit. People who can get residence permit on priority basis are employees in a humanitarian non profit or religious organization, skilled workers, ethnic cooks, seasonal workers, and self-employed persons.

Skilled Workers – First you have to complete your higher education like engineering or nursing. Or you have knowledge of vocational training like as a carpenter or health worker. If you want a residence permit then you also need a solid offer of employment from the company you are willing to work for.

Seasonal Workers – The first and basic requirement is you must be 18 years old. Works like forestry, agriculture and the fish processing industry or restaurant industry, tourism industry, you plan to work as a holiday stand in or carry out worker. Carpentry, painting or other likewise trades are not considered as seasonal works.  Application for residence permit for skilled or seasonal workers can be applied by employer on the behalf of the worker. This process needs written authorization from the worker.

A worker has to start work after been granted a residence permit. Before that he/she can’t start working. But some cases are exceptional like a worker can start working after receiving confirmation from the Police.  Residence permit has an expiry date. Most of them are renewable. One month before the permit expires; workers must apply for the renewal in order to retain their rights. Before 2-3 months applying for permit renewal will be the best option. For more information please visit: udi.no

Employee of Humanitarian, Non-Profit or religious Organization –  First of all application fees is required, as well as you must have received a solid, full time employment offer from a renowned or established organization. That organization purpose should be to carry out non-profit, religious or humanitarian work. Means the organization can make a profit but the main focus is not to make money.

You must be involved in that work too. It is possible for you to come to Norway if you are a part of an International exchange program or because foreign labor is needed here in Norway. If you are a religious leader or teacher you have to apply for that likewise. For more info please visit: udi.no.  If a family member is already in Norway: The Norwegian authorities have announced that those who are in a relationship or other family members from the countries outside European Union/European Economic Area will be eligible for entering Norway to join their loved ones. But those who are planning to travel to Norway need essential travel documents as visas, etc.

How to immigrate to Norway

There are different types of visas available depending on the purpose of your travel to Norway. If you are on a visit, work and reside permanently or study in Norway you have to apply for Norwegian Schengen Visa, accordingly.

Due to Covid-19 pandemic, Norway imposed an entry ban in mid March 2020. Only foreigners residing in Norway and all the citizens of Norway can enter in the country. Most people cannot travel to Norway such as:

• Tourists
• Family members not listed under exemption list
• Boyfriend / Girlfriend
• EU/EEA including Nordic country citizens who wants to work or study in Norway but do not belong to the exemption list
• A person who is not already a resident of Norway but have granted a residence permit for study and work
• Business travelers
• Foreigners who do not belong to exempted list but have granted a Schengen Visa
• A person who is not a resident of Norway but has leisure property here

But currently there are some exceptions and after entering into Norway they have to quarantine themselves for ten days. List is given below:

• If you are a Norwegian Citizen
• Foreigners residing in Norway
• A family immigration permit granted foreigners can enter
• Foreigners who are family members of an EEA/EU citizen who is going to settle in Norway or an EU/EEA citizen who is a family member of a Norwegian citizen who is settling in Norway
• A person who is above the above the age of 21 has parents or step-parent residing in Norway
• A person whose grandparents are residing in Norway and vice-versa
• Commuters like school/kindergarten children, health workers or other day commuters from Nordic countries like Sweden and Finland
• A person who is having a scheduled contact with his/her children
• A person with special reasons like special care responsibilities for persons in Norway or other strong welfare considerations
• Asylums seekers or refugees
• Some occupational groups like journalists, sailors and aviation workers, goods and passenger transport, Military and diplomats, sami people, researches and crew on marine research cruises
• Foreigner working in critical societal functions, etc.

For more information please visit: udi.no

Fill the visa application form (hard copy/electronic copy) sincerely then attach your 2 passport size recent photographs. Copies of your previous visas which are also valid for 3 months after your return date and your passport which has 2 blank pages are required.

Travel insurance confirmation and a cover letter stating the reason of your visit to Norway and itinerary. Flight reservations specifying entry and exit from Norway especially with dates and flight numbers are important. Proof of civil status like marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, rations card, etc).  If you are a student then proof of enrollment is needed. Proof of sufficient financial means for the period you want to stay in Norway. A foreigner needs to attest to the Embassy or Consulate when applying for Visa owning at least 50 NOK which is 53.34€. This amount is not fixed and every time it is decided on a case to case basis.

Signed application with the above mentioned documents should be handed personally at the appropriate embassy/consulate or its representative in your home country. For more information please visit: schengenvisainfo.com.  Foreigners have to apply for residence permit for living and working in Norway, Nordic country citizens are excluded from this process. Immigration to Norway is possible easily and is accepted lawfully are employment, education, protection and family reunification. You must find a job then what residence permit you will apply for depends on the competence and your work type you want to do in Norway.

As you know, Norway is an EEA member state and  immigration for European Union national is easy to move in. That means Norway is also bounded by the equal freedom of movement regulations as European Union countries.  Citizens from outside countries must have a permanent job offer first to get a residence permit. Usually permit is available for job seekers in Norway but with some restrictions. Most skilled worker can easily get permit. People who have completed their higher education and using their qualification in the job will also get the permit. For more information please visit: lifeinnorway.net

People

North Germanic Ethnic Group Native to Norway is called Norwegian. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Most of Norwegian people follow Christianity. Norwegians are friendly and polite. Helping others is considered in Norway. They don’t bother other people and don’t ask for help unless they really need it.

They commonly greet each other by shaking hands. It is common in Norway to give hugs to a person who is very friendly with them and of the same gender. For fun Norwegians like calm leisure activities like reading book in front of a fire place, doing some needle work or playing board games with the family. They also enjoy music a lot, especially folk. Norway has a strong folk music tradition which is popular till date. Modern music is also enjoyed by them. People are happy that’s why Norway is called one of the happiest countries.

Work permit, Job offers, unemployment rate, economy

To apply for visa for working in Norwegian, you need a residence permit which was earlier used to be called as work permit. There are different types of visas like Student visas, family reunification visas, skilled worker visas, etc.

Highly skilled worker can find work easily in Norway. You can find jobs in IT sector or in healthcare system, etc. If you want to get a job there, first you ensure to meet the eligibility and requirements for work. Resume should be limited in maximum one or two pages.

More than 70% population of Norway is in labor force, that’s why its job market is able to provide plenty of jobs. In this country working is five days a week, eight hours a day and 40 hours a week. For job you will need a resume and a cover letter along in which you have to mention your marital status and children. The average annual salary in Norway is 636,690 NOK. For more information please visit: internations.org

Before COVID-19 outbreak the unemployment rate was 3.4% and as of February 2021 the rate has got up till 13.6%. Mostly employees of the tourism and transportation sector have lost their jobs. Other than this, other industries have lost half of the percentage.  Norway’s economy is a highly developed mixed economy. It has shown strong growth since the start of the industrial era. Norway has a very high standard of living compared with other European countries and has a strong integrated welfare system. Earlier Norway’s economy was base on agriculture, timber and fishing. Now Norway’s modern manufacturing and welfare system is depended on a financial reserve produced by natural resources like North Sea Oil.

Renting and buying of real estates for foreigners

Prices for renting or buying apartments, detached or semi-detached homes, etc. may vary. When it comes to high quality rentals one can experience shortages as it is always in demand. Apartments and houses for rent are furnished, semi furnished and unfurnished. There are no restrictions for foreigners purchasing property in the Norway.

For rental apartments you can ask people around you. Ask your colleagues or friends for any recommendations or if they know of any leads. A lot of homes in this country can be found simply through the word of mouth. If you are a student here in Norway, university in which you are studying will help you to find a place for accommodation. May be they will provide you a list of local landlords and housing options available for students.

If you are a foreigner you should be aware of that there is general shortage of high/good quality rental properties in Norway as landlords do not want to return every call they receive. That means one should act quickly because offers are limited. First contact the landlord and set up a viewing. If you like the place, inform the landlord that you are interested. It is good to be prepared with the documents needed for renting like guarantors details and information and deposition amount and first month’s rent. Minimum house rent in Norway starts from 4000 NOK but it may vary. For more information please visit: internations.org

Climate

The climate of Norway is like summer in central Norway starts from late June to early August and has long warm days and low humidity. Temperature can reach at 80˚F. Winters in central Norway starts from November till April. The annual temperature on the west coast is 45˚F (7˚C) – 54˚F (30˚C).

Norway is in direct path of the North Atlantic Cyclones which brings change in weather. Western Norway has comparatively cool summers, mild winters. Eastern Norway has warm summers and cold winters. If you are used to four equal seasons, Norway has dark clouds, wind, rain and sometimes flood also. Weather here is predictable like cold and snow fall for most of the time. For more information please visit: lifeinnorway.net

Languages

There are 2 main official languages of Norway – Norwegian and Sami. Norwegian language is spoken by most of the people in Norway like Swedish, Danish, Icelandic. But Norwegian people can also speak and understand English.

If you know Norwegian language you can communicate with Swedish and Danish people. The languages of the three countries are similar and you can speak in Norwegian to Danes and Swedes. On the other hand Sami languages are different from Norwegian language. Northern Sami is an official language and is equal to Norwegian. It is used by the indigenous Sami people in two regions of Norway, Troms and Finnmark. For more information please visit: studyinnorway.no

Traffic

Roads in Norway are narrow and slow because of low traffic and difficult weather condition. Months like November to April have rough weather, therefore travelling by road for example from Oslo to Bergen becomes difficult. Roads are well maintained and are of high standards. Norwegians drive from the right side of the road.

Roads in rural particularly in mountain areas have two lanes and are narrow and windy. You have to share the road with cyclists and pedestrians also. Traveling can be expensive because country like Norway is expensive comparative to lot of other places, but most people can afford to live in an expensive way. For more information visit: norway.nordicvisitor.com

Currency

Currency used in Norway and its dependent territories is Krone (NOK), plural Kroner. It is sub divided into 100 øre. Øre is the centesimal subdivision of the Norwegian krones. Krone note comes in denominations are 50 NOK, 100 NOK, 200 NOK, 500 NOK, 1000 NOK and coins in ø1, ø5, ø10, ø20.

Payment Transaction:

Online banking is the most popular way used by most of the people in the market. Transactions can be done by cash or by card in Norway. There are three online payment methods consists of online bank transfers – Trustly, BankAxepts, Vipps, MasterCard and VISA. BankAxepts and Vipps are popular among youngsters in Norway. For more information visit: about-payments.com

Cost of living of Norway

Average living cost in Norway depends upon the lifestyle you live. It also depends on the area in which you want to stay. Generally you need 20,000 – 40,000 NOK per month to live in this country. Cost of living varies from cities to cities and number of people staying together or just a single person. 

Expensive cities are Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim. Cities like Hedmark, Oppland, Telemark and Østfold are considered as most affordable to live in. If you want to live alone in expensive cities, it will cost more than 20,000 NOK including rent and if you have a family of four people then you need more than 40,000 NOK excluding rent. Food is expensive as it is imported in the Scandinavian Country. For more info visit: internations.org

Apartment Rent

Rent for one bedroom apartment in main city will cost you 10,119.38 kr & rent for the same but outside of the main city is 7,904.14 kr. 3 bedroom apartments are for 16,390 kr in main city; comparatively apartment outside main city of 3 bedrooms apartment will cost you less than this (12,844 kr).

Taxes

You must pay tax on income that you have earned during the whole year if you are a tax resident of Norway. Taxation here is carried by the central government, county municipality and municipality. Many direct and indirect taxes are applicable in Norway.

Direct taxes are collected by the Norwegian Tax Administration and indirect taxes are collected by the Norwegian Customs and Excise Authorities. The Norwegian word for tax is ‘skatt’. And for indirect tax work ‘avgift’ is used. Income tax rate is 22% and it is calculated on general income. Persons who have less or high income, pays taxes accordingly. For more information please visit: skatteetaten.no

Health Insurance

Health insurance in Norway is not free of cost for all age group people as there are in some of European countries. Although all the hospitals are funded by the national budget and person below sixteen years is eligible for free medical treatment for free of cost.

Residents who are adult have to pay for all, consultation and treatments they get until they become eligible for an exemption cards. It is important to check the warranties and limits while taking out an insurance policy. By this way you will be able to choose the right travel and medical insurance. For more information visit: axa-schengen.com

European Union Residents

Children under the age of sixteen and several other groups such as nurses and retire persons are provided with free health care regardless the coverage they may had in previous situations. All the other citizens are otherwise responsible for an annual deductible 1 (NOK 2460 in 2020) and deductible 2 (NOK 2176 in 2020).

A deductible is an amount of money that you are responsible for paying toward an insured loss like you pay it out from your pocket when you make a claim. You have to become a member of Norwegian National Insurance Scheme then you are entitled to a European Health Insurance Card.

Non European Students

In Norway students staying for more than 3 months are eligible to become members of the National Insurance Scheme. All the students from outside should keep a private or public health insurance. This means coverage under the health section like if you get ill and need medical treatment, the insurance will cover this within Norway. For more information please visit: uio.no

Important addresses

Oslo Airport (OSL)
Edvard Munchs veg,
2061 Gardermoen,
Norway
Website: https://avinor.no/flyplass/oslo/

Sandefjord Airport
Torpveien 130,
TORP (TRF) 3241 Sandefjord,
Norway
Website: https://torp.no/

Rygge Airport (RYG)
Terminalveien 100
(Moss Airport) 1580 Rygge,
Norway

Oslo Central Station
Jernbanetorget 1,
(Railway) 0154 Oslo,
Norway
Website: https://www.banenor.no/en/

Bergen Rail Station
5015 Bergen,
Norway
Website: https://www.vy.no/

Voss Rail Station
Stasjonsvegen 5,
5700 Voss,
Norway

United States Embassy
Morgedalsvegen 36,
0378 Oslo,
Norway
Ph: +47 21308540
Website: https://no.usembassy.gov/

Embassy of India
Niels Juels Gate 30,
0244 Oslo,
Norway
Ph: +47 24115910
Website: https://www.indianembassyoslo.gov.in/

British Embassy
Thomas Heftyges g. 8,
0244 Oslo,
Norway
Ph: +47 23132700
Website: https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-oslo

Embassy of Saudi Arabia
Frøyas Gate 11,
0273 Oslo,
Norway
Ph: +47 22049010

For more information visit: nordea.com

Summary

Norway is a happy and beautiful country with a good income. It has better jobs and education system & a good health care for all. Norway has its natural beauty and cleanliness, fresh air. After comparing with the other European countries Norway is more expensive. It also costs you according to the lifestyle you choose to live. It is a task to find a good or high quality accommodation. Still it is worth living in Norway because of the beautiful fjords and landscapes. For more information please visit on above given links.