Your guide on jobs & finding work in Norway

Jump right in:

• How to get a job in Norway
• Minimum wage & average salary
• Self-employment
• Social security & benefits
• Maternity & paternity leave

If you want to work in Norway as a foreigner, you must first ensure you meet the requirements and eligibility for working in Norway. Depending on your nationality, you may need a visa and must meet certain income criteria to get it. You may also need to meet a certain level of education to be considered a skilled worker in this country and to be hired over a local candidate. For detailed information on this and more, visit our Visas and Work Permits section.

Resume tips

You will first want to tweak your resume and create a Norway-style CV. This will better your chances when applying to different jobs in the Nordic country. With the following tips, you will be sure to catch the attention of recruiters and HR personnel in Norway.

• Make sure you are tailoring each resume you send out to the position and company you are applying to.
• Limit your CV to one or two pages maximum.
• Personal information to include: name, address, e-mail address, cell phone, date of birth, marital status, and children.
• Following your personal information, highlight your key qualifications at the top.
• Next, include your education history in reverse chronological order.
• Then do the same for your work history, presented in reverse chronological order.
• After, you will want to add courses, workshops, and certifications you have completed.
• If you have any additional, useful language skills, add those too.
• You will also want to add any important experience with industry-related projects and the role you played.
• Include any leisure activities, interests, and hobbies.

Job search portals in Norway

Most jobs in Norway are advertised online, so job portals are the main place to start your search. The most popular sites are:

• NAV Arbeidsplassen
• Finn.no
• Jobbnorge
• LinkedIn

Check them regularly, set alerts, and apply quickly since many positions close once enough candidates apply.

Required references & qualifications

In your CV, you can conclude by explaining that your references and any diplomas necessary are available upon request. References can be professors, people who have trained you, and colleagues. Certificates and other qualifications may be required for your new potential employer. If so, always send copies, never originals. If you need your qualifications recognized in Norway, such as foreign vocational education and training certificates and diplomas, contact the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in education (NOKUT). They assess foreign higher education degrees and, through a special vocational recognition scheme, some trade certificates from countries like Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.

They will accept for the following jobs:

• bricklayer
• butcher
• cabinet maker
• carpenter
• cook, institutional cook
• cosmetologist
• glazier
• hairdresser
• industrial machinery mechanic
• industrial concrete worker
• meat cutter
• motor vehicle mechanic, light and/or heavy vehicles
• retail butcher
• plumber
• roofer
• tinsmith
• waiter
• sausage maker
• upholsterer
• wood products carpenter

More countries and professions are gradually becoming more common. Keep in mind that regulated professions like teachers, doctors, or health workers have separate authorization requirements beyond NOKUT.

For more details and to check if your qualifications can be recognized, visit NOKUT’s website.

English-speaking job market

Many jobs in Norway, especially in IT, tech, research, and international companies, are open to English-speaking candidates. Cities like Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, and Trondheim have the most opportunities. While some sectors require Norwegian, even basic language skills (B1/B2) can improve your chances and show initiative to employers.

Work Culture

Norway has a flat hierarchy, meaning everyone’s opinion is valued regardless of title. Punctuality is important, and communication is usually direct and honest. Employers also value work-life balance, so showing that you respect personal time is seen positively. The dress code in Norway is relaxed. Business casual is standard in most offices, think smart trousers or a skirt with a nice shirt.

Networking tips

Norwegians value sharing your experiences over exchanging business cards and prefer talking directly rather than small talk. Be open to speaking with anyone, regardless of their position, and remember that in-person conversations leave a stronger impression. Networking over coffee or a meal is also a great way to make meaningful connections. To network in Norway, join online groups like InterNations and check out local industry events, conferences, or co-working meetups.

Here's something that surprises many people looking for work in Norway: there's no universal national minimum wage that applies to everyone. If you do manage to secure a job in this Nordic country, you should get familiar with what the average salary is. The gross average annual salary in Norway is 636,690 NOK (approx. 69,150 USD). Instead, Norway has legal minimum wage rules for specific sectors.

Important things to know

Overtime pays: If you work extra hours beyond your regular schedule, you‘ll earn at least 40% more per hour and in some jobs like electrical work, you can earn 50 – 100% more depending on when you work. What counts as wages: Your paycheck can include things like bonuses and commissions as part of your minimum wage, but money your employer gives you back for expenses like travel or meals doesn't count. Your rights are protected: Whether you're Norwegian or come from another country, you have the exact same wage protections, and the government takes violations seriously with fines and even criminal penalties for employers who break the rules.

The most in-demand jobs & how much they pay

The following are the average annual salaries for top jobs in Norway:

Norwegian self-employment is possible with the correct skilled worker visa. You will need to meet certain criteria in order to be eligible for one, such as meeting particular education requirements. You must have a detailed business plan and your company must make a certain amount of profit each year NOK 325,400 (approx. 33,400 USD) per year minimum. To learn more about this, read our Self-Employment Visas section.

How to be self-employed in Norway

To successfully be self-employed in Norway, you will need to do your market research and make sure there is space in the marketplace for the product or service your business will offer. There are a few avenues you can take when it comes to registering you and your business under self-employment in this country. The most common forms are:

• sole proprietorship
• private limited company
• general partnership
• Norwegian branch of a foreign company

Sole proprietorship

This is the simplest way to register through Brønnøysundregistrene via the Altinn portal is fast and often digital as a self-employed person in Norway by paying a registration fee in the range of 2,683 – 3,925 NOK (approx. 280 — 410 USD). You will personally be liable for your enterprise’s finances and obligations. You, as the owner, cannot be employed in the company, but you can hire employees.

Private limited company

To set up a private limited company in Norway, you need to have a share capital of at least 30,000 NOK (approx. 2,750 USD). This will act as collateral for the company’s creditors.

General partnership

This option must involve at least two people regardless of their citizenship or residency who each have a Norwegian ID or D-number and a physical business address within the country. There are two types of general partnerships:

• general partnership with shared liability
• general partnership with joint and several liability

Norwegian branch of a foreign company

This applies if you have a company abroad and want to do business in the Nordic country. You will need to obtain a Norwegian organization number. To do this, you will need to set up a separate Norwegian company or a Norwegian branch. You will also need to register with the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises (Foretaksregisteret).

Freelancers

There is an entirely different way to be “self-employed” in this country (so to speak) without having to run your own enterprise and that is by freelancing. But there is a distinction made in this country between a freelancer and a self-employed person. Unlike a “self-employed person,” as a freelancer, you will not need to have an organization number or a responsibility to keep accounts. You are also not liable to VAT if turnover exceeds NOK 50,000 (approx. 5230 USD) and you submit your tax return as a typical salaried employee/recipient.

Self-employed benefits in Norway

You are eligible for certain tax deductions as a self-employed person in Norway. For detailed information on what these are, see our Self-Employed Taxes section. You are also entitled to sickness cash benefits. They correspond to 65% of the income from the 17th day of sickness for a period of 248 days. If they voluntarily pay higher in social security contributions, self-employed people are entitled to either 100% of the income starting from the first day of sickness, 100% from the 17th day or 65% of the income starting on the first day of sickness. Self-employed pregnant women are given a cash pregnancy benefit which entitles them to paid leave from the time they stop working, but only if they need to due to hazardous or dangerous conditions. Self-employed fishermen are entitled to benefits with respect to accidents at work and occupational diseases. If you are a “freelancer” you are entitled to the minimum standard deduction as a salary recipient. Under certain conditions, freelancers are entitled to unemployment benefits.

If you're working and paying taxes in Norway, you're automatically covered by the National Insurance Scheme, which is funded through social security contributions. As a self-employed person, you'll pay a contribution rate of 11– 11.4% based on your income. When you arrive in Norway, you'll receive either a Norwegian social security number or a D-number (a temporary number), depending on how long you plan to stay. If you fall ill, your daily cash benefit is calculated based on your income, so the more you earn, the more support you'll receive.

What is a social security number in Norway?

This is a personal identification number which identifies you via an 11-digit number. This number is used to prove your identity to public authorities and other official parties in Norway. D-numbers are also 11 digits given to people who live in Norway for less than six months or who have a residence permit but don't meet the conditions for a national identity number. You need to have a social security or D-number in order to access certain services in this country including opening a bank account.

How to Get a Social Security Number in Norway

Applying for a social security number in Norway is done in conjunction when you apply for a residence permit. Two to six weeks after you receive your residence permit you will receive your social security number in a letter from the Tax Administration. If you are from the EU/EEA, you will be issued your number after you have registered with the police.

Social Security Benefits in Norway

Social security benefits in this country include:

• family benefits;
  • child benefit
  • cash benefit for families with small children
  • transitional benefit
• benefits for pregnancy, birth, and adoption (see following section);
  • parental benefit
  • lump-sum grant
• care services;
  • care in a private home or place in a nursing home
  • attendance benefit
• health care services;
  • acute illness/injury (admission to hospital)
  • medicines on prescription
  • regular GP
  • vaccinations
  • dental health
• sickness benefits;
  • attendance allowance
• occupational injury and illness benefit;
  • occupational injury insurance
• disability benefit;
• work assessment allowance;
• benefits for survivors;
  • survivor’s pension
  • children’s pension
  • funeral grant
• retirement pension;
  • old retirement pension
  • basic pension
  • supplementary pension
  • minimum pension level
  • new retirement pension
  • guarantee pension
  • earnings-related pension
• financial assistance and supplementary allowance;
• unemployment benefit.

Norway really looks after new parents! If you've been working for at least 6 out of the last 10 months, you'll get paid parental leave and you can choose between 49 weeks at full pay, or if you want more time with your little one, 61 weeks at 80% pay.

How long are maternity leave in Norway?

Here's how it works; the time is divided into three parts.

• 15–19 weeks reserved just for the mother
• the father gets his own 15–19 weeks (and if he doesn't use it, you lose it)
• a shared chunk of time that you and your partner can split up

Maternity Benefits in Norway

Maternity benefits in Norway are managed by the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) provide financial security and time off for mothers during pregnancy and after birth. If you have a job, you can get up to 19 weeks of dedicated maternity leave with your salary covered. Everyone entitled to maternity leave is usually entitled to a parental benefit which is financial assistance to help parents after giving birth or adopting a child. You are eligible for this benefit if you have been employed for at least six of the ten months prior to the benefits start date. What you will receive is usually calculated based on your income.

Along with this, when you have a baby, you are automatically granted a child benefits but does not automatically become a Norwegian citizen. Even if you haven't worked enough to qualify for monthly payments, you are still entitled to a tax-free grant of over 90,000 NOK (approx. 9,480 USD) to help with costs. On top of the paid time off, the law protects your job and even gives you paid breastfeeding breaks once you return to work.