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Did you ever go to Norway to work?

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  • 16-02-2012 9:43pm
    #1
    phonejacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭


    I'd like to hear your experience of Norway


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    #2
    Gavin Saturday
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11 ✭Gavin Saturday


    planning on going this summer
    oslo, for 6 months


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    #3
    phonejacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭phonejacker


    Gavin Saturday wrote: »
    planning on going this summer
    oslo, for 6 months

    did u get a job offer yet and hows your norwegian?


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    #4
    tbaymusicman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,029 ✭✭✭tbaymusicman


    I was going to go over there sparking but the lad i was going with pulled out so i was too much off a pussy to go it alone back in the day.


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    #5
    Chinafoot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,894 ✭✭✭Chinafoot


    A friend of mine recently left Oslo after a year and a half there. He was mostly doing bar work which he found easy enough, but that was due to him having 10+ years experience and his crazy ability to pick up languages. He's from New Zealand and is now fluent in French, Norwegian and Swedish.

    He said that, while a lot of Norwegians do speak English, having at least a basic grasp of Norwegian will be a plus.

    The cost of living is extremely high and if you're a big drinker you'd better get used to drinking at home as alcohol is very expensive.

    If you have anything specific you want to know i can ask him.


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    #6
    Xcellor
    Registered Users Posts: 2,803 ✭✭✭Xcellor


    Never offer to buy a round of drinks. It will cripple you.


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    #7
    Davidian_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 312 ✭✭Davidian_ie


    Not trying to put a dampener on the subject but read this article a few weeks ago.

    http://www.newsinenglish.no/2012/01/23/broke-immigrants-told-to-go-home/


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    #8
    phonejacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭phonejacker


    Davidian_ie wrote: »
    Not trying to put a dampener on the subject but read this article a few weeks ago.

    http://www.newsinenglish.no/2012/01/23/broke-immigrants-told-to-go-home/

    From my understanding of the article young Spanish people are going to Norway with little English and no Norwegian which is understandable if they don't get jobs because of that. English is my second language (Irish being my first) and am learning Norwegian at the moment. So maybe id have a better change (maybe im wrong). i still have another 2 years to do in college (id say the country is still going to b f**ked in 2 years time)


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    #9
    Irishrossoblu
    Registered Users Posts: 366 ✭✭Irishrossoblu


    What sort of work would you be looking for Op?


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    #10
    phonejacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭phonejacker


    Irishrossoblu wrote: »
    What sort of work would you be looking for Op?

    well my degree would be business with i.t. when i finish


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    #11
    haven27
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭haven27


    phonejacker wrote: »
    well my degree would be business with i.t. when i finish

    If you have no work experience in the area I would say it would be pretty tough to get started in Norway for your first role. Even if you managed to get good at Norwegian a native Norwegian will get first preference. Everyone I know who moved here without a job offer in advance looking for a skilled role took months to find one, I would say about six months is about average. If you are prepared to take on a less skilled role while hunting there are some around but they are not as easy to come by as in some other countries. Also you need quite a good buffer money wise if you want to move here even the basics are expensive without even factoring in the extra cost of fun stuff like going out.


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    #12
    phonejacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭phonejacker


    haven27 wrote: »
    If you have no work experience in the area I would say it would be pretty tough to get started in Norway for your first role. Even if you managed to get good at Norwegian a native Norwegian will get first preference. Everyone I know who moved here without a job offer in advance looking for a skilled role took months to find one, I would say about six months is about average. If you are prepared to take on a less skilled role while hunting there are some around but they are not as easy to come by as in some other countries. Also you need quite a good buffer money wise if you want to move here even the basics are expensive without even factoring in the extra cost of fun stuff like going out.

    so if u were me would i be better trying in the likes of Australia or canada than trying norway


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    #13
    haven27
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭haven27


    phonejacker wrote: »
    so if u were me would i be better trying in the likes of Australia or canada than trying norway

    I think if Norway is the dream then it's doable but would take time and effort. You need to be skilled and and get lucky to find a company requiring that skill set. Australia and Canada would be cheaper I guess in terms of cost of living and how much you would need to get setup there. I have no clue about the work opportunities though.


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    #14
    phonejacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭phonejacker


    why is there no Aldi or Lidi in Norway? is that they have there own version of Aldi and Lidi


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    #15
    Irishrossoblu
    Registered Users Posts: 366 ✭✭Irishrossoblu


    phonejacker wrote: »
    so if u were me would i be better trying in the likes of Australia or canada than trying norway

    You would probably need to do a Masters in Norway, thus showing that you can speak the language and have experience of business systems here etc. As pointed out already it takes a good while to find a job as a professional here, more than 6 months.
    phonejacker wrote: »
    why is there no Aldi or Lidi in Norway? is that they have there own version of Aldi and Lidi

    Lidl was here, but they left after 2 years as they couldnt win any market share. Norwegians do not buy brands they do not know, and dont really like 'cheap' things. Also very high import tariffs on meat, dairy products etc meant that there was not a huge price difference between Norwegian shops.


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    #16
    phonejacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭phonejacker


    Irishrossoblu wrote: »
    You would probably need to do a Masters in Norway, thus showing that you can speak the language and have experience of business systems here etc. As pointed out already it takes a good while to find a job as a professional here, more than 6 months.



    Lidl was here, but they left after 2 years as they couldnt win any market share. Norwegians do not buy brands they do not know, and dont really like 'cheap' things. Also very high import tariffs on meat, dairy products etc meant that there was not a huge price difference between Norwegian shops.

    Would it be difficult even to get an unskilled job with leaving cert standard of norwegian, and then after a year or two when you know the language better and the country then to try and look for professional job?


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    #17
    JustinDee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,684 ✭✭✭JustinDee


    I lived five years in Oslo, Norway.

    To work there and despite most people speaking English quite well, it helps to speak Norwegian. Government sponsors language courses for non-nationals free-of-charge. Go to one. I was almost fluent after only a year (you should speak it at home in addition as well though).

    Entry-level work in pubs/restaurants possible once your residency card is sorted at relevant office in Police station. Once this happens, you then proceed for your 'personnummer' at the Likningskontoret (in my part of town it was in Tøyen for example), which is akin to a PPS number here.

    Regarding Lidl and Aldi, they were squeezed out by the cartel of Norwegian supermarket chains that the Norwegian government tolerates.


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    #18
    phonejacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭phonejacker


    Irishrossoblu wrote: »
    You would probably need to do a Masters in Norway, thus showing that you can speak the language and have experience of business systems here etc. As pointed out already it takes a good while to find a job as a professional here, more than 6 months.



    Lidl was here, but they left after 2 years as they couldnt win any market share. Norwegians do not buy brands they do not know, and dont really like 'cheap' things. Also very high import tariffs on meat, dairy products etc meant that there was not a huge price difference between Norwegian shops.

    Why did you go to Norway and did you go by yourself?


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    #19
    Irishrossoblu
    Registered Users Posts: 366 ✭✭Irishrossoblu


    phonejacker wrote: »
    Would it be difficult even to get an unskilled job with leaving cert standard of norwegian, and then after a year or two when you know the language better and the country then to try and look for professional job?

    Not that difficult. You could work in a 7 Eleven or something if you wanted. Wouldnt be a great job but it would pay the bills, just.
    JustinDee wrote: »
    To work there and despite most people speaking English quite well, it helps to speak Norwegian. Government sponsors language courses for non-nationals free-of-charge. Go to one. I was almost fluent after only a year (you should speak it at home in addition as well though).

    Free Norwegian Classes are no longer available to EU/EEA citizens. You can pay yourself, and they cost about €250 a week.
    phonejacker wrote: »
    Why did you go to Norway and did you go by yourself?

    My wife is Norwegian.


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    #20
    JustinDee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,684 ✭✭✭JustinDee


    Irishrossoblu wrote: »
    Free Norwegian Classes are no longer available to EU/EEA citizens. You can pay yourself, and they cost about €250 a week

    I heard that since posting when discussing this thread with a friend back in Oslo.
    One can do far better than €250 per lesson though! Who charges that?? A 50 hr evening course in Oslo at one of the tech schools can cost around €600.
    Otherwise, if with a Norwegian spouse, speak it at home and do a linguaphone or Berlitz course (the cheaper option and done in your own time).
    Myself, I used to speak as much at home and when I'd watch an American show like Seinfeld on TV, I'd read the subtitles seeing the words I'd hear during the week up on screen and learn to associate them.

    Its worth the effort to learn the language. Too many ex-pats are too lazy to even bother their keysters to give it a whirl or keep it up.


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    #21
    Irishrossoblu
    Registered Users Posts: 366 ✭✭Irishrossoblu


    JustinDee wrote: »
    One can do far better than €250 per lesson though! Who charges that?? A 50 hr evening course in Oslo at one of the tech schools can cost around €600.

    I think you will find I said €250 per week, not per lesson. That is an intensive week with books included etc.
    JustinDee wrote: »
    Otherwise, if with a Norwegian spouse, speak it at home and do a linguaphone or Berlitz course (the cheaper option and done in your own time).

    I dont think the Op has a Norwegian Spouse.


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    #22
    JustinDee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,684 ✭✭✭JustinDee


    Irishrossoblu wrote: »
    I think you will find I said €250 per week, not per lesson. That is an intensive week with books included etc
    Ok doke.
    Couldn't tell from the post. I used to do twice a week when I first arrived.
    Irishrossoblu wrote: »
    I dont think the Op has a Norwegian Spouse.
    Easily rectified lol


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    #23
    phonejacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭phonejacker


    JustinDee wrote: »
    Ok doke.
    Couldn't tell from the post. I used to do twice a week when I first arrived.


    Easily rectified lol

    very funny:D, i dont have a norwegian spouse

    can native Norwegians get jobs very easily because Norway's unemployment is at 3.2%


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    #24
    JustinDee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,684 ✭✭✭JustinDee


    Well there's work there, if that's what you mean.


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