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Work permits, property and living costs: 12 essential articles for life in Norway

The process of getting a residence permit, the lowdown on the property market, the social norms foreigners struggle with most and how much money you'll need to earn to call Norway home. Here are 12 must-read articles about life in Norway. 

Published: 10 February 2023 15:42 CET
Updated: 28 July 2023 16:12 CEST
Pictured is a hiker in Norway.
These 12 articles are essential for life in Norway. Pictured is a hiker in Norway. Photo by Filip Toroński on Unsplash

If you are not a national of the EEA or a family member of one, you will need a residence card to live, work and study in Norway legally. 

The two most common types of residence permits are for workers’ or family immigration reasons. Work permits are primarily handed to skilled workers and seasonal workers. Meanwhile, you will need to either be the partner, spouse or close family member of someone living in Norway legally to be granted a family residence permit. 

READ MORE: How to get a work permit in Norway

Permits aren’t typically granted for extended family members like cousins, aunts, uncles or grandparents. Additionally, the rules make it difficult for parents to join adult children or adult children to join their parents. 

You can read more on the specifics of permits in much more detail below. 

Whether you are in the process of obtaining a residence permit or are a long-term resident with an eye on your next move, then you’ll need to have one eye on the Norwegian property market to avoid missing out on your dream home or being ripped off. 

You’ll also need to know what to do in the event of any unforeseen problems cropping up, be that a difficult landlord or a noisy neighbour. 

Norway often tops, or features at the business end, of lists ranking citizens’ happiness and their overall quality of life. However, while some of the best things in life are free, only some things come for cheap in Norway. 

This leaves many questioning how big of a pay packet they need to enjoy this fabled quality of life in Norway. It also begs the question of how much money you need to get by in each of Norway’s biggest cities like Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim and whether there is much difference between them. 

How much money do you need to earn for a good life in Norway?

While these articles cover living in Norway legally, finding a place to call home and how much cash you’ll need to live a decent life, they don’t offer any insight on fitting in socially. Gelling and fitting in socially are necessary to get the most out of life in Norway. 

Furthermore, no matter how well you prepare, there will be culture shocks, both big and small, waiting for you and social norms that may leave you scratching your head. 

READ MORE: Five Norwegian social norms that may be strange to newcomers

Learning the local language can also help you feel much more gelled and comfortable in your new surroundings, even if it is expensive. Finding out how much it will cost you is essential. However, finding cheap hacks on how to learn the language on a budget is perhaps even more important. 

READ MORE: What are the cheapest ways to learn Norwegian?

If you settle in Norway, you may even end up thinking about the possibility of becoming a permanent resident or even a citizen. Should you have kids, you’ll also probably wonder what the rules are for them becoming citizens. 

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Home repairs in Norway: When are you legally required to call out a professional?

In Norway homeowners are frequently drawn to taking repairs into their own hands due to the costs. However, some jobs require expertise to ensure they're completed safely and in line with the rules.

Published: 2 May 2024 16:59 CEST
Home repairs in Norway: When are you legally required to call out a professional?

If you have friends or acquaintances in Norway who are homeowners, it probably won’t take long before you start hearing (horror) stories about the astronomical costs of hiring professionals to carry out any sort of repair work.

READ MORE: Why the cost of home renovations in Norway is rising

Replacing a fence on your family home property with a garden? Upwards of 200,000 kroner.

a Small bathroom upgrade? Around 300,000 kroner.

Replacing the wooden façade and isolation for a house? Up to 1,000,000 kroner.

All of the prices quoted above are real-life 2023 examples shared by a family living in a terraced house in the Laksevåg borough in Bergen, western Norway.

So, with the potential to save substantial sums by sidestepping high professional fees, is it any wonder that people in Norway are attracted to DIY repairs?

Key considerations before taking up a renovation by yourself

Yes, the prospect of overhauling your home without breaking the bank holds significant appeal in a country as expensive as Norway.

However, you must be aware of a wide range of regulations, safety considerations, and legal requirements before you start a renovation project.

The first reason why you should engage tradespeople in more ambitious fix-up projects is safety.

READ MORE: How does home buyer and seller insurance in Norway work?

A faulty bathroom or electrical installation can cause costly damages or even pose safety risks, such as leaks or fires.

Always remember that the stakes are also high when it comes to a home’s structural integrity, and that’s why complex projects should be left to professionals.

The second is compliance. Norwegian regulations mandate the construction and adaptation of certain rooms, such as bathrooms, which must adhere to strict standards (for example, they need special waterproof membranes).

You can find more information on the relevant building laws and regulations in Norway on the Building Authority’s (Direktoratet for byggkvalitet) webpage.

Last but not least, know that having work done on your property by yourself or an unlicensed worker can negatively affect the sale price of the home down the line – and even shield you from lawsuits.

There are multiple court cases each year where the buyers of a property sue the old owners over unqualified work that has been done on a property that wasn’t reported as such (in 2023, there was a case in Bergen where a homeowner made changes to a load-bearing wall by himself but claimed that professionals did the work… In the end, an inspection revealed that the job wasn’t done properly and negatively affected the house’s structural integrity; the old owner didn’t have documentation to prove that a licensed operator did the work, and he ended up being sued for millions of kroner).

That’s why most homeowners in Norway insist on having professional documentation of the work performed – the sales benefits are apparent, but it can also be very useful in the event of any unforeseen issues.

When to opt for professional services

From complicated plumbing installations and full-on construction to demanding electrical work, the stakes are high when it comes to home safety.

Therefore, it’s recommended to call upon the expertise of licensed tradespeople, particularly plumbers and electricians, when you need to opt for home maintenance and renovations that involve bathroom construction, electrical work, and construction that might affect the structural integrity of your home.

Bathrooms in particular can be quite tricky, as they need to have waterproof membranes and are often equipped with underfloor heating.

When it comes to electrical work, basic tasks like installing plug-in appliances and switching cover plates are permitted. Still, anything involving wiring, such as installing electric heaters or changing light fixtures, requires the expertise of a licensed electrician.

If you’re residing in cooperatively-owned apartment buildings (borettslag in Norwegian), the cooperative must approve any renovations or maintenance that may impact neighbouring units. This includes work affecting shared walls, floors, or ceilings.

READ MORE: The hidden extra costs when buying property in Norway

So, ultimately, while there may be some tasks homeowners can tackle themselves, such as minor electrical adjustments or cosmetic updates, complex projects involving construction, plumbing, or electrical systems require the expertise of trained professionals.

While expensive, their services will bring you peace of mind, and you won’t need to concern yourself with the “what ifs” associated with DIY solutions that might not stand the test of time – or professional scrutiny.

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