The number of foreign workers in Norway is increasing. The majority who applies for work in the country are Swedes. In some industries, the majority of employees are foreign workers. What is it that attracts so many foreign workers to Norway?
Norway is a country that has managed the crisis relatively well, and wages differ greatly in comparison to many other countries.
The reason that so many Swedes have entered the market is the supply of labor and the geographic location. If you live in western Sweden, it's extremely close to Oslo where most jobs are offered. However, there are important factors to keep in mind.
You need to have a Norwegian personal identity number in order to obtain a tax card which you need in order to be able to work in Norway. This cannot be issued if you do not have a job.
According to a survey by the Norwegian Employment Service released this year, the unemployment rate is only 3.2 percent in Norway.
The report also shows that unemployment is the lowest within education where it is at 0.7 percent followed by health and welfare at 1.2 percent.
There is a great need for customer service, IT and for truck drivers. Jobs within health care are also highly prioritized. A suggestion is to contact the Norwegian employment office or to contact a company that helps international job seekers to enter the Norwegian market.
Cecilia Helland