Can I work in Norway?

The theme of this week was most decidedly trying to solve the puzzle of working in Norway and ultimately getting a reality check that has changed my course.

Fortunately, it was also filled with many highlights yet again.

On Tuesday I enjoyed coffee with a Norwegian engineer who is working on a solution to the catastrophic environmental damage caused by fish farming. I learned that Norway is responsible for 50% of the world’s farmed salmon. Last summer I witnessed all the farming operations lining the fjords. His company has designed a giant enclosed tank that sits in the ocean like a fishing bob. It pulls ocean water from down deep where there are fewer parasites and diseases. As a result, the fish don’t need all the antibiotics. It also collects all the waste before the water is returned to the ocean. The waste is then used to make electricity.

I also broke my brain at language meet-ups, one day opting for two separate events. In the evening at the Sosialkveld for Voksne (Social night for adults) we played a form of Catch Phrase! By the end, my brain was busy trying to figure out how I would say anything that came to mind in Norwegian. It is equally thrilling and mentally debilitating!

Yet, the majority of my energy this week went to finalizing my career documents, beginning my work search, and networking in person and online. Ultimately I have come to the conclusion that trying to attain a job/visa in Norway while switching careers is unwise. Over the past three weeks, my priority has become to stay in the country so I have made the decision to sacrifice a career change for at least three years.

There are two types of visas in Norway for Americans, a skilled worker visa is good for one year, at which time it must be renewed. After three years, Americans can apply for a permanent resident visa which automatically comes with permission to work in Norway, without all the paperwork.

To attain a skilled worker visa you have to first get a job, then apply for a visa. Herein lies my issue. The Norwegian government will not greenlight a visa for an American without a paper trail of qualifications. This should include degrees, work experience, etc. Without the paperwork, the visa will be denied. I have no paper trail for adventure tourism. It is not realistic that I would be successful at getting a visa.

The view of Bergen from Fløyen, another of the seven mountains that surround Bergen.

The other type of visa is a seasonal work visa which is good for six months but then I would have to leave the country for six months. The six months in the county would not count towards the three-year obligation to apply for a permanent resident visa so it is not aligned with my long-term goal.

Compounding the situation, I have learned that the adventure tourism industry is not as well developed as it is in Iceland for example. The vast majority of the jobs are seasonal and with tiny companies.

To me the obvious solution, if I want to stay in Norway, is to try to find a job in event planning or content production, utilizing my degree, resume, and work experience to try to snap up that visa. If successful, after three years I can make a career change.

The way I see it, I came to Norway to see what would happen. This is what is happening and I am going with it!

View of Ulriken, which I hiked last Sunday, from Fløyen, which I hiked this Sunday!

Lessons from: Can I work in Norway?

Another challenge for Americans trying to work in Norway is that for any job offer, the employer has to confirm to the government that there are no qualified citizens from the EU or Norway who could do the job. It all makes sense of course but puts me at the bottom of the list!
The Norwegian immigration system is designed to take care of its own (Europeans) before catering to foreigners, especially those from countries with good job opportunities. But for those who want it bad enough, there is a way!

Something Interesting: Why is fish farming so damaging?

It was quite timely that I had this conversation over coffee about fish farming, as I had only the prior day watched a YouTube video about the very same issue.

There are obviously pros and cons to ocean fish farms.

The pros are less stock taken from the ocean and plenty of fish for consumption.

Unfortunately, the cons are pretty dire, including massive amounts of dense waste sinking to the bottom of the ocean, which creates dead zones, high levels of diseases due to fish overcrowding, which requires antibiotics, and the occasional net breaking, which causes the fish to escape and breed with, infect, and otherwise harm native fish populations.

For all of these reasons, the contained and filtered ocean bob is a fantastic solution!

A look behind the curtain.

What is it really like to learn a foreign language?

It is a mental disaster.

On a positive note, I have learned that my brain has retained much more Spanish than I ever could have imagined. Nearly every time I try to think of a word in Norwegian, I get the Spanish word instead. And if I say y (“and” in Spanish) instead of og (“and” in Norwegian) or sí instead of ja one more time, I might have a mental breakdown. But, apparently, this foreign language mix-up is all too common. My Icelandic host had the same issue when learning Norwegian, except she kept getting the English word!

Also, English is starting to baffle me. The other night I was messaging and texted, “I am off to reading and then bed”. As I was brushing my teeth, I thought, Wait, is that right? Is that how you would say that? No, it is just “to read”. I think? 🤯 I have also met many in the language classes who speak English, but it is not their native language. I often get questions about how something is said. Sometimes I can’t remember!

But there are times when it can also be incredibly funny! I was at the movies Saturday night. My Ukrainian date and I handed our tickets over to the attendant, who proceeded to tell us where the theater was in Norwegian. We nodded as if we understood, though neither one of us picked up more than a few words. Despite that, we began walking down the hall he had pointed to. After a bit, it occurred to me that we actually needed to know what he said and had no idea where we were going! After the movie was over, we were baffled by the signs and almost got stuck in a stairwell at 11:30 at night. I was laughing so hard I was almost crying. The absurdity of it all is so wonderful in so many ways. How can one help but laugh at oneself to the point of tears?!