Life in Norway

Approximately 4.7 million people live in Norway, and most people live in the big towns and cities. Oslo is the capital, and has a population of about 550,000 people. In Norway there are around 415,000 immigrants from over 200 countries. The biggest immigrant populations come from Pakistan, Sweden, Denmark, Iraq, Vietnam, Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Turkey and Serbia. There are about 130,000 immigrants in Oslo.

A. Working and Living in Norway

Working hours in Norway are up to 40 hours per week, with an average of eight hours per day (usually 8am to 4pm) five days a week. Any work over the 40 hours is considered overtime, and is payable by at least an additional 40%. However, there are no legal requirements for overtime pay for staff in senior positions.

The majority of employees, who have worked a full year in the country, enjoy 25 days paid holiday each year, although legal requirements only stipulate 21 days. The amount of time you are entitled will be stated in your employment contract.

Working life in Norway is fairly relaxed, most employees ‘dress-up’ to go out in the evening and ‘dress-down’ to go to work!

B. Health

If you are registered in the National Registry (folkeregister) as a resident of a Norwegian municipality you will be assigned a regular GP (fastlege) by your local 'NAV' office.When you are admitted to hospital and are a member of the National Insurance Scheme, you do not pay for treatment, medication or hospital accommodation. Expectant mothers do not pay for any pregnancy check-ups. Children under the age of 12 do not pay any medical user fees, and anyone under the age of 18 who requires psychological help does not have to pay any treatment fees. Fees required for children under the age of 16 may be added to the fees of a parent. If the total amount of fees exceeds the annual upper limit, the child and parent are entitled to a fee exemption card (frikort).

C. Housing

The cost of housing varies a great deal in Norway and has risen sharply in recent years. The highest prices are in Oslo and other cities, and this trend is expected to continue. In rural areas the prices are generally lower than in the cities and Greater Oslo.

In Norway it is normal to buy a flat or house rather than rent accommodation. Houses and flats for rent are usually advertised in local newspapers and in the national newspaper, Aftenposten. Some newspapers publish their housing advertisements on the Internet. You can also advertise for housing yourself.

If you want to rent a house or a flat, it is recommended to sign a tenancy agreement with the owner of the house/ flat. 

 D. Transport

To drive a motor vehicle in Norway you have to have a valid driver’s license. If you have a driver’s license from another country, you have to contact the Norwegian public roads administration (Vegvesenet). You will be given all the information you need on what to do in order to make your driving license valid in Norway. Generally, driving licenses from other EEA countries are generally valid in Norway. You can get more information about driving licenses and being a motorist in Norway at Norwegian Public Roads Administration or at your local traffic station.

Should you need further information please click here.

E. Tax

In Norway, both direct and indirect taxes apply. Income tax and property tax are direct taxes. The most important indirect tax is value-added tax, VAT, (merverdiavgift) of 12 to 25 per cent on most goods and services.

Norway complies with bilateral tax agreements with the other EEA member states to avoid double taxation. The tax system is comprehensive. When you work for a Norwegian employer you have to pay tax here. If you reside in Norway for less than six months, special tax rules apply. Your local tax office will provide further information.

The employer is obliged to deduct tax from your salary before you are paid. Your local tax office in Norway will, on request, issue you with a tax deduction card, which you should present to your employer as soon as possible. The tax deduction card states what percentage of your income your employer must deduct in tax.

If you start working without a tax deduction card, your employer is obliged to deduct 50% tax. This is normally more than you would pay based on your tax deduction card and the excess will be refunded to you in the following year. Your payslip tells you how much tax you have paid each month.

The amount of tax you have to pay depends on how much you earn and any tax allowances, but as a rule of thumb in Norway, tax amounts to around one third of your gross pay. Your contribution to the National Social Insurance Scheme is included in your tax.

Persons temporarily resident in Norway may be granted a standard tax-free allowance of 15 per cent. This means that 15% is deducted from your gross earnings before the tax rate is applied. To be eligible for this allowance, your residence in Norway must not exceed four years. If this applies to you, ask about this at your tax assessment office when you apply for your tax deduction card.

For updated tax and allowance rates and more information about taxation, contact a tax office.

NORWEGEN EMBASSY IN GERMANY

Königlich Norwegische Botschaft
Rauchstr. 1
10787 Berlin
T: 030 - 50 50 50
F: 030 - 50 50 55

Website of The Norwegian Embassy