Economic situation in Norway today
A high standard of living is achieved through decent wages. Every working person can afford to buy real estate and live a decent living. Citizens are issued mortgage loans at low interest rates. Work in Norway is decently paid regardless of the presence or absence of higher education. This also explains the low level of corruption in the country.
Citizens of the state are provided with free medical services and education. Students are issued loans for renting housing, since the concept of “dormitory” does not exist. Loans have flexible repayment terms. If there is no work, loan repayment is postponed.
Norway has a strict tax system. Every month, every worker contributes up to 30% of his income to the state treasury. With an average annual salary of 60,000 euros, the remainder is enough for a decent living.
Why are salaries high in Norway?
The country's economy is stable. For 10 years, the inflation rate has been at 1.2%. In a country with a long polar night, energy resources are not saved. Industrial production of metals, oil and gas allows us to maintain stability, which has a beneficial effect on the standard of living.
Land and minerals are the property of citizens. From the moment of birth, an account is opened for everyone where dividends are accumulated. Due to the state's social programs, the standard of living of the population does not decrease.
How much labor migrants from the CIS countries receive in Norway depends on the field of activity. Local residents rarely work physically. These places are occupied by migrant workers. Salaries in the oil industry reach 20 thousand crowns per month. The highest paid professions remain related to IT technologies.
Pension size in Norway in 2019
The size of pensions in Norway is determined by the Storting, the local parliament. The average pension in Norway in 2021 includes basic, special payments and entitlement benefits. The Pension Fund is responsible for transferring material resources to the population.
It is possible to receive a full pension along with all required benefits only if you have 40 full years of work experience in the country. In addition, marital status is also taken into account in the calculations, which is why single Norwegian elderly people receive fewer financial benefits.
The average size
The average pension in Norway in 2021, according to the Norwegian Pensioners Association, is 250,000 per year, or 21,000 kroner per month . At the moment, at the rates of National Banks, this figure will be equal to 161,000 rubles .
Minimum size
The minimum annual pension in Norway in 2021 is 170,000 kroner - in rubles it will be equal to 1.306 million rubles. It is intended for those who were unable to work the required period, as well as people with low wages.
Salary rates
The country has a low unemployment rate among the local population, and enterprises also employ migrants from neighboring countries. Salaries in Norway are calculated the same, regardless of whether you are a local resident or a visitor. Material well-being depends on the field of activity.
Migrants have the opportunity to get a job as a programmer, where the salary is 52 thousand crowns. In the media you can get 46,000, and tax workers - 58,000. In mining - from 65,000 crowns. Service sector workers receive 30,000 kroons.
Minimum
The country has a law establishing a procedure for determining the minimum wage in production. The agreement is concluded between the employer, government representatives and the trade union. The minimum wage in Norway per hour is 17.42 euros. Such prices are common in unskilled labor. Hourly rationing in payment leads to the fact that local residents and visitors do not differ. This attracts migrant workers, whose share reaches 65%. The minimum wage is increased by going to work after school hours, on holidays and weekends.
Average
An average family can live on an income of 5,000 crowns. An amount of 4,000 or more allows a migrant to bring his family. The average monthly salary in Norway is 4,600 kroner. In the previous year, household incomes grew by 2%. The standard of living is constantly improving. Information on population income is provided by the Statistics Office.
Maximum
The country is sensitive to its own reputation, so employees must constantly improve. Overtime and work on holidays are not encouraged. Employees must be well rested in order to perform their functional duties efficiently. It is believed that the maximum salary starts from 50,000 crowns. These rates apply to both private businesses and government jobs.
Unemployment rate and integration policy
At the beginning of 2021, the unemployment rate in Norway hovers around 3.9%. The integration policy allows both labor migrants and students to enter the country. It is possible to obtain refugee status. Arrivals are required to master a program that allows them to live in the country and become a full-fledged member of society, attend Norwegian language courses and study social sciences.
The attitude of Norwegians towards visitors is good. Local authorities organize training for the unemployed. Having confirmed his knowledge, a foreigner has the right to obtain a residence permit or citizenship and can establish his own business. However, migrant workers or EU citizens are not covered by this law.
But conflicts with migrants apparently still exist. It is especially difficult sometimes in schools. A live documentary from 7 years ago showed classroom relationships between Norwegian students and visiting children from other countries. The difference in mentality and different culture present difficulties in communication, but the government is trying to solve these problems.
In the country, children and adolescents are monitored by representatives of juvenile justice; they act as guarantors of proper child upbringing, which should be carried out under parental supervision. The Barnevarn social service, based on the 1992 Child Protection Law, considers statements from the police or social protection services and takes action.
Any person, relative and the child himself has the right to file a regular complaint. Volunteers provide assistance to families, and consultants work with parents and children. If the official investigation makes an appropriate conclusion and the court approves it, the baby or teenager may be taken away from the mother. Similar cases of confiscation of children from foreigners have occurred many times in Norway.
Salaries by profession in 2021
The income level for people with and without higher education is different. Salaries in Norway are calculated and paid by profession. Among the migrants there are many programmers, IT specialists, workers on oil rigs, and specialists in the service sector. Students work as nannies, cleaners, maids and porters to earn money for housing and food. Qualified specialists receive salaries many times higher.
Field of activity | Average salary in euros per month | Average salary in CZK per month |
Architecture | 4500 | 42000 |
Accounting | 4000 | 38000 |
Transportation | 3000 | 29000 |
Medical activity | 4500 | 43500 |
Guide and tour guide | 4000 | 38000 |
Hotel service | 3000 | 29000 |
Loaders | 3000 | 29000 |
Engineer | 5000 | 46000 |
Cashier | 2600 | 24500 |
Driver | 4400 | 41000 |
Junior medical staff | 3500 | 32200 |
Nanny and nurse | 3200 | 31000 |
Security guard | 2900 | 27500 |
Teaching activities at the university | 5000 | 46000 |
IT specialist | 6000 | 55000 |
Police | 4600 | 43500 |
Fire protection | 4700 | 44500 |
Cook | 3100 | 28800 |
Retail | 2700 | 25500 |
Working specialties | 2900 | 27500 |
Welding work | 3900 | 36000 |
Dentist | 5000 | 48000 |
Construction specialties | 4500 | 42000 |
Transportation | 3200 | 31000 |
Cleaning | 3000 | 27500 |
Teacher | 4500 | 42000 |
Surgeon | 5000 | 46000 |
Electrician | 4200 | 40000 |
Jurisprudence | 4700 | 44000 |
The salary of a doctor in Norway depends on his specialization. The place of work is also important - a private medical center or a public clinic. A general practitioner earns from 5,000 euros. Dentistry in the country is paid, and a specialist in this field receives from 5,100 per month. A highly qualified surgeon can count on 5500 and above. A beginner specialist earns 4800 euros.
The salary of a teacher in Norway is not much different from the salary of a university teacher. If the first one has 4400 euros, then the second one has 4800. A teacher’s salary depends on the number of working hours per week. Education in the country is free, but a specialist must constantly improve in order to meet the high requirements placed on him.
Salary by city and region
A common world practice is the difference in wages between agricultural workers and residents of megacities. It is believed that life “on land” is cheaper, and the income from food production is less. The monthly salary in Norway for a city dweller and an agricultural worker is almost identical. Large cities such as:
- Oslo - 4500 euros;
- Stavanger - 3200 euros;
- Drammen - 4100 euros;
- Trondheim - 3800 euros.
In rural areas, migrant workers earn from 2,500 euros per month. The most popular among visitors is employment in fish production. The work is paid at the rate of 20-22 euros per hour.
Video: Salary in Norway
Paying income tax
To ensure government programs in the country, a third of the earnings are deducted from each worker. Everyone is united before the law: public sector employees and self-employed citizens. Income tax is calculated at 24%. Self-employed citizens must independently submit a declaration to the relevant authorities.
Other fees
In addition to income tax, each person pays a social contribution. Its rate is 8.2%. The amount received covers pensions, medical and social insurance. Norway has a flexible tax system, and many categories of citizens are exempt from paying taxes:
- people with earnings below 55 thousand crowns;
- single-parent and large families;
- sailors;
- guardians of disabled relatives;
- mortgage program participants;
- the youth.
In Norway, all income is taxed, be it lottery winnings or hard-earned money. The only exceptions are:
- land leased for agriculture in the north of the country;
- inheritance under a gift agreement;
- prizes and awards from the state.
To find out exactly the amount of payments if you receive a large sum, you need to contact a lawyer who knows Norwegian laws.
Life in Norway through the eyes of Russians
Russians in Norway live in large cities, small villages and towns. Relatives of some emigrated to the country after the war. In the town of Kirkenes, which is located 8 km from the Russian-Norwegian border, our compatriots live together with Ukrainians; their number is 10% of the total population (about 650 people). Therefore, the settlement received another unofficial name - Little Murmansk. Russian festivals are organized here, and the Samovar Theater stages its performances.
In the village of Barentsburg, on Spitsbergen, there is also a group of Russian-speaking miners who work in the Russian state.
There is no organized Russian diaspora in Norway, but there are several Russian-speaking associations. The most famous of them are considered to be:
- Norwegian-Russian society in the country's capital Oslo;
- Norwegian-Russian cultural center with branches in the cities of Oslo and Drammen;
- Russian society in Kirkenes;
- "Fairy Tale" in the city of Trondheim;
- "Kalina" in Vestfold district.
Many of them organize courses in Russian and Norwegian languages. The newspaper "Russian Boulevard" is published. The magazine “Compatriot in Scandinavia” is published four times a year. Many Russians in Norway, who have immigrated for a long time, consider themselves wealthy people and are no longer very different from the natives. These are successful managers, sailors, teachers, doctors, ordinary fishery workers, whose salaries are the same as those of native Norwegians.
Barentsburg village, Norway
Peculiarities of migrant employment in Norway
To get a profitable job, you need to carefully read all the vacancies. The most in-demand professions in Norway for expats:
- fishery worker;
- builder;
- service personnel in the hotel business;
- programmer;
- University professor.
In order for an employer to hire a foreign citizen, he must prove his indispensability and the absence of a similar professional in his homeland. It is better to search for a vacancy on your own.
Working in fish factories in Norway is very popular. It consists of a number of manipulations with the seafood product, from cleaning and loading, to laying semi-finished products and packaging of finished products.
The applicant must first wait for an agreement with the employer and a work permit, then apply for a visa. The mutually signed contract specifies working conditions, social guarantees, safety, and wages.
The conditions for employees in Norway are favorable. On average they work 27 hours a week. Employees are offered a social package. Many businesses pay for housing and food for employees.
Salary to living expenses ratio in 2021
Despite the fact that every job in Norway is paid according to its merits, accommodation and food are quite expensive. Meals for two people per month are 600 euros. You can prepare food yourself, which makes it cheaper. The basic diet of labor migrants includes the simplest products (in rubles):
- potatoes - 130;
- meat - 1200;
- milk - 120.
Developed fish production does not guarantee low prices. A kilogram of trout costs about 50 euros. Agricultural production is twice the European average. The consolation is that in Norway they do not grow vegetables with GMOs and closely monitor the cleanliness of the environment.
The main expenses of migrants are related to housing rent. Salaries and prices in Norway correspond to a stable standard of living. Rent of a small apartment with utilities is 1100 euros. The list of costs also includes:
- travel around the city by public transport - 160 euros;
- if you have a car, about 400 euros for gasoline;
- Internet connection services - 100 euros.
Treatment and education in the country are provided free of charge. To live comfortably in Norway and save for the future, you need to earn more than 3,000 euros.
Summing up
Migrant workers realize the benefits of working in Norway, so their flow does not stop. To be able to earn money freely, you need to formally draw up documents - obtain a work permit and visa. Law-abiding citizens live in Norway, so no one will talk to unofficial migrants. The salary guaranteed by the employer is enough to live in the country and make savings. Higher incomes are received by holders of higher education with knowledge of the local language.
Requirements for an applicant to obtain a work permit
Work in Norway for Ukrainians and Russians with qualifications implies the following requirements for applicants:
- availability of a job offer from an employer;
- having a diploma of higher or secondary education;
- compliance of the diploma with the vacancy the applicant wishes to fill;
- confirmation of qualifications (if necessary);
- compliance of working conditions and wages with Norwegian standards.
A contract with a qualified employee is concluded for 1-3 years with the possibility of extension. After the expiration of the three-year period, the employee has the right to apply for permanent residence.
If a foreign citizen arrived in the country as a seasonal employee, i.e. for a period of up to 3 months, then it is subject to slightly different requirements:
- Job offer from the employer company.
- Stay in the country for a period of no more than six months, after which the migrant worker must return to his homeland. The next contract can be concluded no earlier than in 6 months.
- A document from local authorities confirming the labor shortage in the industry in which the candidate intends to work. The exception is the agricultural and forestry industries.
- Confirmation of salary (not lower than the established minimum).
Seasonal workers are more often employed in travel agencies, restaurants, fish factories, forestry and agricultural enterprises. Unlike qualified employees, they cannot bring their family with them and apply for permanent residence.