HARSH TRUTH... ARE YOU COMING TO NORWAY??

"To make it here you need to invest in Norway, learn its culture, learn its language, try to make friends and network to find work. It can be soul sucking having no friends, work, social life. "

Well, that is what has to be done in every country. And I think its all right, integration means learning, learning and more learning.

I have heard many people express the same problems. I think a lot of people have a very unrealistic expectations about Norway. They would certainly benefit from thinking about moving here if that is something they are considering. I would never have considered coming here if I didn't have a job sorted out first.

David

Everything you have mentioned is very true.

Great advice for expatriating to ANY country, not just Norway!

The part about learning the local language is ESSENTIAL if you are immigrating to any non-English speaking nation. Don't fall for the self-serving propaganda of English Language Schools that with English you can communicate anywhere in the world. Not always true if you're talking about anything other than a short vacation.

For work, the local language is absolutely indispensable, you need it to communicate with your superiors, co-workers, clients and customers. You also need it for day-to-day living, shopping, etc.

Cheers,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team

I do agree that the reality of what Norway is really like and what people think it is really like are 2 different things. I must also add that the Norwegians are not in tune as to what foreigners really think of the country and work culture.

I must say that I have been lucky in that I have gotten a break to get a job when I barely knew the language 17 years ago and have worked my way up. I am now looking for a job in Kristiansand and will see if I will get a call back for any interviews. Since I already have a good stable job in Arendal, I am not in a rush and the commute is plain sailing what with the highway between home and work.

I am  of the more 'independant' asian wife and have seen expression of shock when I say  a) I own my own car, mine not shared car with spouce b) I can speak Norwegian c) I have a job d) I have an office job and is not a waitress . The point is if you put in hard work and is willing to ignore the ignorant, Norway can be a country that you live comfortably. I cannot for the life of me think of returning to Singapore and live the rat race eventhough I will be closer with my family.

Dear ainasamad,

have you been back to Singapore recently? I am a working for a production house and we are looking for profiles of overseas Singaporean who has been away from home for a considerable time, it is for a tv series that document the lives of Singaporeans abroad and their return home for a visit. Possible to get in touch with you to find out more?

Thanks!

cheers,
Foon

Sure. Email me at ***

I am going back in July and its the first time my second hubby and son will experience Hari Raya.

Hi ainasamad, I am from Singapore too!

I got a job before I moved to Norway.  Based on my own personal experience living in Norway, even though Norway has lots of immigrants, it is not really an "internationally exposed" country.  It is still stuck in many of its old ways and resistant to change despite its changing environment.  This is good as well as bad.

In many ways, I agree that there are still some norwegians who seem to behave like a "frog living in a well" who think that the sky is as big as they can see from the bottom of the well.  They like to think that all immigrants are from third world countries, leeching on their welfare benefits.  They do not seem to appreciate the fact that there are highly skilled immigrants from FIRST world countries who are contributing more in their society than they think.

I do not agree Norwegians are unfriendly towards foreigners, they are just a bit shy to make contact.

As a native Norwegian myself I am now moving back after living in Asia for 10 years. I hope to find a job but if not the social welfare system will kick in and save me from poverty.  So easier for Norwegians to wait until the "dream job" comes along.

Total BS. I came to Norway because of my job, learned Norwegian in 6 months and easily integrated with Norway. They do not really have a specific culture and it is just a western culture like in the US.
I came with my wife and we both got Norwegians passports.
It pisses me off when people like you guys, who never saw problems say like that. What do you mean, Norway is good only for Norwegians? Are you nuts? From day one, when I got my residence permit I had exactly the same rights as other white Norwegians. Unbelievable

hello everyone > This is an old topic and it is inactive since 2015!!

Yes many old topics here but lets keep them alive.Not many to choose from.

stevemartinov wrote:

Total BS. I came to Norway because of my job, learned Norwegian in 6 months and easily integrated with Norway. They do not really have a specific culture and it is just a western culture like in the US.
I came with my wife and we both got Norwegians passports.
It pisses me off when people like you guys, who never saw problems say like that. What do you mean, Norway is good only for Norwegians? Are you nuts? From day one, when I got my residence permit I had exactly the same rights as other white Norwegians. Unbelievable

You are not us....so how can you judge if you have never encountered the problems that some of us encountered.

Do you know that there are also certain parts of the areas in US where people acts like frog living in a well too?  This is comment coming from Americans themselves.  Same in Canada.

Norwegians do have a specific culture and they are very proud of it.  Just because you are oblivious about it does not mean it does not exist.

What do you mean I am not one of you? I am immigrant too.

Regarding the culture, read my message properly. What I am saying is that their culture is very similar to Western European culture and complaining that you cannot get into their society because of that means a tota BS. Omg, this is not Japan or Mexico, if you can live ok in the UK you can live the same in Norway as their culture is similar, called EUROPEAN.

And yes, unfortunately their culture is not that rich as italians or chinese and this is the truth, so it does not make be oblivious. Great argument you have there by putting a label straight after the first message.

Same rights?  Can you vote in the norwegian parliamentary elections?  no.  What residence permit do you have?  Skilled worker residence permit holders do not have the same right as norwegians.  When norwegians are unemployed, they can get unemployment benefits from NAV while slowly trying to find another job.  But not skilled worker residence permit holders. 

I know that for a fact because our company hired a professional company to advise our staff when we were undergoing retrenchment exercise.  I was a skilled worker residence permit holder at that time.  That means at that time, if I was retrenched, despite the fact that I was working for almost 5 years PAYING TAXES, I would be left by myself to find a job within 3 months.  If I do not have a job within 3 months, I lost my right to stay in the country and has to leave.

Now if immigrant wish to take maternity cash benefits, they need to live at least 5 years in norway PAYING TAXES before they can claim it.   A norwegian can live overseas and come back to Norway to give birth to claim the cash benefits.  Same rights huh?

Yes I can vote, I have a Norwegian passport... 5 years? Well that is your own fault, after 3 years you could have applied for a residence permit and obtain benefits if needed.

stevemartinov wrote:

From day one, when I got my residence permit I had exactly the same rights as other white Norwegians. Unbelievable

That was not what you wrote in your post.  You said residence permit and not norwegian passport.

My passport is much more powerful than norwegian passport. It is in fact one of the most powerful passports in the world for 2019 based on residence and citizenship consultancy Henley & Partners report.

Why should I apply for their passport?  You seem to like to assume that everyone is in the same situation as you.

stevemartinov wrote:

Yes I can vote, I have a Norwegian passport... 5 years? Well that is your own fault, after 3 years you could have applied for a residence permit and obtain benefits if needed.

I have a permanent residence permit now.   and even with permanent residency, I still don't have voting rights to parlimentary elections.

What do you mean it is my own fault?  I had not decided that i will stay in Norway permanently so why should I change my permit?  In addition, my work takes me round the world and I travelled a lot so I don't get enough days to fulfill the permanent residency to apply at that time.  Again, you like to assume that you know my situation and able to comment as if you know everything.  I am not from EU, so we have other criterias to fulfil in order to apply for pemanent residency.  Still I pay taxes to norwegian government to pay for the benefits to people like you. 

This is  my last post on this topic to you.  I wasted enough time.

Hello everyone,

Just to make it clear here, @ stevemartinov there were some misunderstandings right from the beginning when you posted. Could you please post in a more friendly way ?

Thanks in advance,
Bhavna