Norway’s GDP per capita is the third largest in the world, although it is significantly reduced when calculating purchasing power in light of the high cost of living. In any case, the Norwegian economy is in good shape and that is why many are thinking of working in Norway.
To find a good job, you need a qualification, which is lacking in Norway. In this case, you have the opportunity to find employment from your country. This does not mean that you cannot find unskilled jobs.
To look for work in Norway, you have several options (depending on your country of origin):
- Arriving in Norway with a job you have found in your countryArriving in Norway and taking the opportunity of a free stay. For example, as an au pair or as part of an internship, which lasts one year and is paid in Norway
- Arriving without a job and look for one once you are in Norway. This is a race against time, because the money flies by (a bed in a youth hostel costs 50 € per night, a hamburger at Mc Donald’s 10 € and a bus ticket 4 €)
For EU/EFTA citizens, finding temporary and seasonal jobs can be an effective way to quickly enter the labor market. You can start searching as early as February, it is good to start in advance.
Another way to enter the job market is through an internship programme. You can find several on the norwegian internship guide, where you can also view the programmes. In Norway, an internship is only for young graduates, it is paid, lasts at least 12 months and guarantees a permanent position at the end.
Working in Norway
If you want to go to Norway to work, you need a residence permit
If you are an EU/EFTA citizen, you can look for a job in Norway. If you are not an EU citizen, you need to look for a job in your country and then you can move to Norway.
If you have completed higher education or vocational training, you can get a residence permit as a skilled worker
Work in Norway, useful resources
- EU report, about shortages in the labour market
- Living and Working in Norway, a small guide
- Study in Norway, information about studying in Norway
- Nokut, recognition of higher education
- Work in Norway, official guide, containing all information about working in Norway
Most In-demand jobs in Norway
Oil and gas industry
Norway is the largest oil producer in Europe, and this has ensured a considerable inflow of money into the country’s public coffers. This was the case until 2015, when investments in the oil sector fell by 25% and forty thousand jobs were destroyed. Until a few years ago, the country was constantly looking for engineers, geologists, technical personnel, workers, etc.
With the war between Russia and Ukraine, demand and prices for Norwegian oil are now rising,Here are some websites to search for jobs:
- Equinor, Norway’s largest player in the oil and gas industry, with over 20,000 employees worldwide
- Petro, website with information and job offers
- Seadrill,oil production company
- Dno, oil production company
- Dof, oil production company
- Petro Artic, oil production company
- Energi24.no, overview of companies and vacancies
Fishing industry
In Norway, the fishing industry has always played an important role in the country’s economy, both in sea fishing (cod) and fish farming (salmon). After the crisis in the oil sector, Norwegians have turned their attention more to fishing, a business that today is breaking all records. Norway produces almost 60% of Atlantic salmon and exports over one million tons per year.
In the fishing industry you can find both specialized and unskilled jobs. You can find temporary or permanent jobs in fish farms or processing plants scattered all along the Norwegian coast. Jobs are often found in small towns or villages.
For this reason, companies often offer shared housing for employees. For this type of work it is sufficient to know a little English. The salary is about € 18 / hour + overtime, holiday bonuses, etc.
Some companies require a stay of a year, in others it is possible to work even only 2 weeks in the summer. The biggest offers can be found in the area of Trondheim, Bergen and Vardo.
You can search for work through job search websites or contact the companies directly. You can find fishing companies in the Norwegian Yellow Pages _(Gule Sider), by entering ‘fiskebruk’.
Tourism and hospitality
The tourism industry is growing considerably, with employment opportunities in both the winter and summer seasons. Since most tourists are Norwegian (85%), it would be advisable to speak Norwegian to have more opportunities, in any case there are employment opportunities for English speakers as well.
Workers in demand are: Cooks, waiters, receptionists, entertainers, ski instructors, personnel for cruises in the fjords, etc. Guides are also in demand, but to work as a guide, you must speak at least two languages besides English (German, Spanish, Russian, French, Italian, etc.)
The demand for hospitality personnel in cities and mountain resorts is quite high in the southwestern regions. Even in the youth hostels you can find job offers for the summer season until September.
Even the cruise industry (which sails along the Norwegian coast) is looking for staff in various areas during the summer season: Kitchen, Bar, Cleaning, Entertainment and more. Shipping companies are looking for staff during the summer season, (e.g. on-board staff for ferries and cruise ships along the Norwegian fjords). The most requested language is English and German, but there are also good opportunities for other languages (Italian, Spanish, Russian, etc.)
The greatest employment opportunities are from early March to mid-August. For more information you can contact the leading Norwegian tourism organization: Artic Guide Service
The Norwegian Hospitality Association is the largest Norwegian hospitality association.
Other sectors where there is a good chance of finding work are:
- Construction
- Maritime industry
- IT sector
- Drivers
Working in Norway, finding a job
You have many options to find a job:
1.You can contact the companies you have found in:
- Norwegian yellow pages, where you can find Norwegian companies
- Europages, find Norwegian companies
- Kompass, companies database
Many job openings are not posted on job search websites, but on company websites. So you need to arm yourself with patience, check the websites of the companies you are interested in, and send out your CV. For example, these are some large companies in Norway that you can send your application to:
- Aker Solutions, engineering and energy sector
- Exxon Mobil, energy sector
- Norsk Hydro, aluminum sector
- Orkla, food trade
- Telenor Group, telecommunications sector
- Total E&P Norge, energy sector
- Total Norway, job offers and internships
- Yara International, environment, agriculture, food sectors
2.2.You can contact recruitment agencies (Vikarbyråer) in Norway, which you can find on the Internet.
3.Norwegian Agency for Labor and Welfare, (NAV) Institutional website of the Ministry of Labor, with job offers and information.
4.EURES, European labour mobility website.
5.UNG, with information and job opportunities.
6 Norwegian job search websites
- Finn, the most popular Norwegian job search website
- Arbeidsplassen, job listing in Norway
- Teknojob, IT sector
- Jobdirekte, job search website
- Jobsafari, job search website
- Jobbnorge, job search website
- Legejobber, jobs in the healthcare sector
- Nordea, internships and jobs for finance graduates
- The Local, job listing for English speakers
- iAgora, website for job search
- Jobs in, job search website in Oslo
- Bijobb, job vacancies in the automotive sector
- Jobbforalle, job search engine
- Jobreg, job search engine
- Dagens Naeringsliv, newspaper online
- Jucan, job search engine
- Karriereplassen, job search website
- Karrierestart, internship and job ads
- Kommunikasjon, telecommunications job listing
- Mediejobb, media jobs
- Jobb, job offers for engineers
- Framtidsfylket, internships and job vacancies
7 Recruitment agencies
- Adima, vacancies in many sector
- Solstad, Norway’s employment agency
- Ambiohelse, vacancies in the health sector
- Ambio, vacancies in many fields
- Back Up, vacancies in many fields
- The staffing, vacancies in many areas
- b2bsalg, job vacancies in marketing and trade
- Capus, job vacancies for professionals
- Christianiapersonell, vacancies in many fields
- Cruit, IT job vacancies
- Dreamwork, vacancies in many fields
- Experis, technical jobs
- Humanhit, vacancies in many fields
- Jobzone, vacancies in many areas
- Kelly, vacancies in many fields
- Lenas, health jobs
- Jobfinder, vacancies for nurse
- People, vacancies in many fields
- People4you, vacancies in many areas
- Personalhuset, vacancies in many fields
- Techconsult, job vacancies for engineers
- Temp-team, temporary jobs
- Toptemp, vacancies in many fields
- Venezuservices, vacancies for marketing and trade
