20 Jobs That May Open Doors to a Norwegian Work Visa

Norway is grappling with a lack of workers in 193 professions, as revealed by the 2023 EURES report on shortages and surpluses.

Shortages are distributed among many sectors, including cleaning, food preparation, hospitality, personal services, IT, healthcare, construction, and engineering, Schengen.News reports.

Moreover, Norway emerged among the six EU countries with the highest number of occupations in shortage.

The Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Romania, Slovenia, and France together accounted for more than half (53 per cent) of all the identified shortage occupations.

This implies that foreigners who belong to most in-demand occupations and wish to move to Norway may have a higher chance of securing employment and a Norwegian work visa.

Furthermore, foreigners might find it noteworthy that the Norwegian language is considered one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.

Some of the roles facing shortages in Norway, as per the latest EURES report, include:

1. Garbage and recycling collectors
2. Kitchen helpers
3. Crane, hoist and related plant operators
4. Butchers, fishmongers and related food preparers
5. Structural metal preparers and erectors
6. Floor layers and tile setters
7. Security guards
8. Service station attendants
9. Waiters
10. Contact centre information clerks
11. Religious associate professionals
12. Veterinary technicians and assistants
13. Musicians, singers and composers
14. Systems administrators
15. Personnel and career professionals
16. Special needs teachers
17. Specialist medical practitioners
18. Mechanical engineers
19. Education managers
20. Policy and planning managers

On the other hand, Norway has reported seven surplus occupations, such as freight handlers, vehicle cleaners, building caretakers, beauticians and related workers, stock clerks, receptionists, and graphic and multimedia designers.

This means that getting employment in these occupations may be difficult due to the high competition.

Norway Highly Relies on Foreign Doctors

Among other things, Norway emerged as one of the EURES countries with the highest reliance on foreign doctors.

In addition to specialist/generalist medical practitioners, Norway has reported other healthcare-related occupations, including midwifery professionals and nursing professionals.

Among the EURES countries, Ireland, Norway, and Switzerland show the highest dependency on foreign-trained doctors, and Ireland, Switzerland, and Austria show the highest dependency on foreign-trained nurses.

How Much Does It Cost to Live in Norway?

According to Numbeo, the monthly living costs for a single person in Norway are estimated to be about €1,100 (NOK 12,981) without including the rent. Meanwhile, the monthly rent for a one-room apartment in Norway is estimated at €812 (NOK 9,570) outside the city centre and €1,112 (NOK 13106) in the city centre.

Consequently, living costs are higher for families, depending on the number of family members, the size of the apartment and location.