Norway jobs: a guide for expats

Frequently ranked as one of the best countries in the world to live and work, Norway offers stunning outdoor activities, advanced city living, a thriving cultural scene — and a work life balance that lets you enjoy all the country has to offer. With a range of English speaking jobs available in Norway, excellent infrastructure and healthcare, and a welcoming community, Norway is a popular destination for Americans moving abroad.

If you’re intrigued by what life might be like to live and work in Norway you’re in the right place. As well as looking at some great jobs in Norway for foreigners, we’ll touch on the practical matter of managing your money across currencies with the Wise Multi-currency Account.

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Getting a job in Norway

Getting a job before you head to Norway is usually required so you can get your residence permit all lined up before departure. You’ll need to think carefully about where in Norway you’d like to live, and research the opportunities, available salaries and top employers to get started. It’s also worth noting up front that many jobs in Norway are shared by word of mouth — which means that having local connections, and speaking the language will give you a headstart on the job hunt.

Here’s a rundown of some key information to help you figure out where your dream job in Norway may be.

How can foreigners find a job in Norway?

Getting a job in Norway won’t be much different from the process you’d use at home — tapping into your personal network is ideal, sending out speculative applications is possible, and starting with an employment website is pretty much essential. Here are a few smart recruitment sites to begin with:

• Nav.no: one of the largest sites available for advice and job adverts — some content is in Norwegian only so use Google translate if you’re not confident in the language yet
• The Local: specialist in English language jobs, searchable by sector
• Career Jet: in Norwegian, but good place to upload your resume as well as search for live roles
• LinkedIn: build your network and job hunt in Norway
• Jobs in Oslo: recruitment site specifically offering Oslo jobs for English speakers

Major industries and skills in demand

Norway is famous as an oil and gas producer, and there are many jobs available in this sector for qualified and experienced individuals. However, as you’d expect of a developed country with an advanced economy, there are also positions in finance, tech, startups and more. Here are some key industries to look out for when you’re looking for jobs for foreigners in Norway:

• Oil and gas
• Tech and development
• Finance
• Natural resources: timber, mining and metals
• Shipping and shipbuilding
• Fisheries
• Tourism and service industries

It’s worth mentioning that wherever there are large numbers of expats, there’s also a demand for support services which tend to offer jobs which suit other expats. That may be in international schools which teach the US curriculum, helping with relocation services for newcomers, real estate and so on. If you’re planning on living in Oslo or another big city, niche expat services could be an employment area worth exploring.

Leading employers for foreign workers in Norway

Norway has large numbers of smaller businesses which may not be the perfect fit for many expat new arrivals. However, there are also local and regional giants, particularly in finance, oil and gas — and a good presence of American and global companies in the big cities. Here are a few big employers to take a look at:

Types of job available

The sort of role you can get will be dictated by your experience and career stage. Unemployment is low, but finding a position won’t necessarily be easy as you’ll be competing against a highly skilled local workforce. Here are some positions to consider looking for:

Shortage occupations

As an expat you’re more likely to find opportunities in shortage occupations, where local employees are few and far between. Shortage sectors do change over time, and tend to be similar to the positions which are in demand in other countries, such as:

• Health and social care
• Tourism and hospitality
• Manufacturing and engineering
• IT, development and web services
• Construction and forestry

Jobs for English speakers

Norwegian is the business language for most companies in Norway — so learning the language is a definite bonus if you can. However, jobs which you can do with English alone do exist — they’re just predominantly in the large cities, and in niche areas like education, hospitality and technology. Use some of the recruitment sites highlighted above which offer English speaking job ads, to get a feel for what’s available which may suit you.

Visa options for foreigners working in Norway

US citizens who want to work in Norway — or who plan to stay more than 90 days — need to apply for a residence permit first¹. Applications are processed in Norway by the UDI — the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration — although you still need to visit a visa application centre in the US to present your documents and application forms.

Application process

Here’s how to apply for a Norwegian residence permit:

Necessary documentation

There are helpful documentation checklists by application type, over on the UDI website³. Check out the paperwork needed based on whether you’re applying for professional work, a seasonal job or other activities. To give an example, if you’re a professional and have already secured a job in Norway you must collect the following paperwork³:

Language requirements for working in Norway

Before you get too far in your job search you’ll need to decide if you’re willing to learn Norwegian to maximize your possible employment chances. While some global businesses use English in the office, and there are jobs available where English native speakers are welcome, Norwegian is spoken in most local businesses, making it a distinct advantage if you learn.

Quick facts about living in Norway

Moving to Norway: save on payments to and from NOK with Wise

If you’re planning your next adventure overseas, you’ll be able to save money on currency exchange, international payments and spending all over the world with a Wise Multi-currency Account.

Send money to Norway

Finding an expat job in Norway may not be easy — but getting to live your international dream will make it all worthwhile. Use this guide to get started, and don’t forget to open your Wise Multi-currency Account to save on international transactions and have more left to spend on yourself.