Work insurance

This is required by law. This site from altinn.no holds information about what work insurance covers and different insurances.

How to find a job

Work in Norway with their “official guide” which is made in collaboration with several agencies from the government, is a good starting point if you are feeling lost on where to begin when searching for a job. It follows a “three-step plan” that differs slightly depending on which country you are a citizen in, but the gist of it is this: Finding a job, finding a place to live, registering your move to Norway. It also has information regarding worker rights, tenant rights, identification numbers, family immigration, taxes, registering your stay, and more.

Here you will find a guide provided by Work in Norway and other agencies for job searching. 

Here is a list of some relevant keywords for job listing sites Norwegian to English before further delving into the sites:

• Jobb = Job 
• Stilling = Position 
• Stillingsannonser / Jobbannonser = Job ads/listings 
• Ledige stillinger / Ledige jobber = Available positions/jobs 
• Jobbsøker = Job seeker
• Arbeidsgiver = Employer

As a side note, don’t be afraid to apply to a job if a requirement listed is Norwegian even if you don’t know it yet or are not proficient with it.

Finn.no is the largest and most popular site for all ads (not work exclusive) in Norway. You can filter jobs specifically for Halden at the left-hand side below “Område --> Østfold --> Halden”. Ads are mostly in Norwegian, but there are some in English. 

While many prefer to use Finn.no, here are some other alternatives:

Arbeidsplassen.no is in Norwegian, but the job listings should include an English explanation of the position under the Norwegian explanation.

Jobbnorge.no has an english version of the site.

Oslopolitan is has an english version of the site.

There are also recruitment agencies that can help you find work:

Manpower.no

Adecco.no

Work culture

Norway strives for a good work-life balance for its people. Norway is among the top countries in the world when it comes to work-life balance, gender equality and the use of trade unions. For a more thorough description of each topic, please have a look at the following link that takes you to Oslo’s website for expats, Welcome to Oslo. It sums up the work culture in Norway very well.

Arbeidstilsynet has excellent information about work. Explore the teal-colored tabs or the read more button under “Working in Norway: Your rights and obligations”. You can read about payment, working hours, contracts, the working environment, and more. You can also submit questions related to laws and regulations here. 

Safety and health is very important in the work culture. It is regulated by laws and restrictions. Read more about it here at arbeidstilsynet.no. 

At Norden.org you can read more about trade unions, affiliated unions and central organizations.

CV and permits

This will help you refine your CV and figure out what permits you need to obtain. There may be differences in how each work culture write their CV's and job applications. Here you will find tips on how to write them for the work culture in Norway.

A guide to write a good CV.

A guide to write a good job application.

Here you can find information about work and residence permits from Norden.org.

In the case that your profession needs a European Professional Card (EPC, a document that your home state has confirmed your professional qualifications), look at the link here to see how you can apply for one. Professions can be found here too. 

Start your own business

Do you want to start your own business in Norway? This will help you get started.

Here you will find a helpful “guide/checklist” on how to start and run a business by Altinn.

If you plan to start a business on your own, see their page about Sole proprietorships. If you would like to look at other legal structures, you can find them by clicking “Choosing Legal Structure” near the top of the page.