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NORWAY EXPLAINED

What you need to know about Norway’s polar night phenomenon

The sun has set over large parts of Norway and won't rise again until well into January. This is what you need to know about the polar night, and a couple of myths that need busting.

Pictured are the Northern Lights above the Lofoten Archipelago in north Norway.
During the winter the sun sets over many places in Norway, and doesn't rise again for four to six weeks. Pictured are the Northern Lights above the Lofoten Archipelago in north Norway.Photo by Johannes Groll on Unsplash

The sun set in Tromsø for the last time for more than 40 days this week in a natural phenomenon known as the polar night. 

The polar night only happens within the polar circles. It occurs as the Earth is on an axis. Due to this axis, there are periods of no sunrise and no sunset at certain times of the year as the Earth rotates around the sun. It’s why the country also gets period where the sun doesn’t set

This also means that different areas experience the polar night at different times. On the archipelago of Svalbard, halfway between the north pole and the mainland, the polar night begins earlier and lasts for much longer. 

Tromsø sees a much shorter polar night where the sun sets in late November and doesn’t rise until mid-January. 

Lofoten has a Polar Night, which lasts about four weeks, while in Bodø, brief glimpses of sunlight appear, even if the sun doesn’t rise over the horizon. 

What is the polar night?

Your location dictates the type of polar night you will experience. At the borders of the Arctic Circle, there is a polar twilight, when what is known as a civil twilight occurs.

This means the sun is below the horizon by less than 6 degrees. This means that some light from the sun is visible, even if it doesn’t rise. 

Then, there is the civil polar night, where there is no civil twilight. Essentially, this means the sun is lower below the horizon, and there is less light. This is when the sun is between 6 and 12 degrees below the horizon. The civil polar night means only a faint glow is visible during midday. 

The nautical polar night occurs when the sun is 12 to 18 degrees below the horizon. Then, only the stars offer illumination in what is known as astronomical twilight. This happens on Svalbard between December 12th and December 30th. 

The most extreme is the astronomical polar night, where there is no astronomical twilight. Only a few dim stars will be visible to the naked eye at midday. This is only experienced at the North Pole and the South Pole. 

How dark does it get? 

As we’ve briefly explained, the darkness will depend on how far north you are and what type of polar night you experience. 

While called the polar night, everything isn’t pitch black. Instead, the landscape takes on more of a blue hue. As an example, we’ve included a picture of Tromsø during the polar night. 

Pictured is the city of Tromsø during the polar night.

Pictured is the city of Tromsø in the middle of the “day” during the polar night. Photo by Yevgeniya Tyumina on Unsplash

Streetlights will also be kept on, meaning people can do their daily business. People in the northern regions also stay social during the long winter nights, something that southerners could learn from. 

Ski slopes and cross-country courses will remain open and floodlit to keep people active. Other activities like dog sledging also remain popular. 

The long nights also offer an excellent opportunity to see the Northern Lights

Does the polar night cause a spike in depression and suicide? 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a condition where a lack of sufficient light triggers depression. For this reason, many assume the mental health of residents plummets. 

While many will feel fatigued during the winter months, a study in Tromsø found that the wellbeing of residents barely changed across the year – even if their sleep was worse during the polar night. 

Researcher Kari Leibowitz found that one factor that may be contributing to a steady level of wellbeing in areas with the polar night is how locals generally see the winter

READ ALSO: Five things you need to learn to love about winter in Norway

Her research found that the further north one lived, the more likely they were to have a favourable view of the winter. 

This made it easier for them to deal with the polar night. For example, those living on Svalbard had a more positive view of the winter than those living in Tromsø, and those living in Tromsø saw things more positively than those in Oslo who do not experience a polar night. 

As for suicides, many anecdotally will say that the Nordics have high suicide rates and that it must be due to the long winter nights. 

Around 650 people in Norway take their lives every year, according to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The suicide rate in Norway is roughly in line with Europe, North America and Australia. The suicide rate has decreased since the 1990s also. 

However, areas in northern Norway have typically been the areas with the highest suicide rates in recent years. Much lower populations in these areas means each suicide having a bigger impact on the overall rates. 

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NORWAY EXPLAINED

What parental benefits are you entitled to as a freelancer in Norway?

For newcomers to Norway, navigating the world of parental benefits can be complex, especially if you're a freelancer.

What parental benefits are you entitled to as a freelancer in Norway?

Navigating a foreign country’s administrative and social support systems can often feel overwhelming, particularly if you don’t fit the standard of a typical employee with a permanent contract.

This complexity is more pronounced for freelancers, who must contend with specific challenges – such as changing income levels and varying definitions of their work status.

READ MORE: What parents in Norway need to know before going on parental leave

The fact that Norway is a country renowned for its generous social benefits and high standard of living doesn’t make this situation different from other countries.

Understanding – and accessing – parental benefits as a freelancer can be confusing, especially when it comes to parental allowance.

Defining freelancers in Norway

While many freelancers in Norway operate as sole proprietors (ENK), the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) has a special definition in place for freelancers.

Under Norwegian regulations, freelancers are considered independent contractors who receive a salary fee (also called salaried freelancers).

In contrast, those running an ENK are classified as self-employed.

This distinction can be confusing because most freelancers in Norway are, in fact, self-employed and call themselves freelancers.

That’s why, when consulting NAV’s information on parental allowance or using their online site, those with an ENK should view and declare themselves as “self-employed” rather than “freelancers.”

So, if you contact NAV to inquire about your rights, explain your business arrangement in detail.

Psst! If you are considering setting up as a freelancer in Norway, make sure to read The Local’s in-depth guide on the options at your disposal.

Understanding your social rights as a freelancer

As a freelancer in Norway, your social rights differ from those of traditional employees.

Unlike employees, freelancers are not entitled to sick pay from their clients. However, they are eligible for sick pay from the NAV starting from the 17th day of illness.

READ MORE: What are the rules for foreigners accessing welfare in Norway

To enhance their coverage, they can also opt for voluntary supplementary insurance.

Furthermore, freelancers do not benefit from a pension scheme provided by clients, so they need to look into a personal pension plan to ensure financial security in retirement.

Under certain conditions, freelancers may be eligible for unemployment benefits.

If you need clarification on whether you qualify, contact the NAV and share the specifics of your case with them.

Parental benefits for freelancers

Parents in Norway, including freelancers, are entitled to 12 months’ leave in connection with a birth of their child.

This leave period includes the mother’s right to up to 12 weeks’ leave during pregnancy and six weeks’ leave that can only be taken by the mother after the birth.

Furthermore, all welfare benefits for freelancers and the self-employed in the country are based on the profit of their businesses.

This profit is the amount remaining after deducting business expenses.

For instance, if you invoice 600,000 kroner annually and have 150,000 kroner in expenses (such as office space, travel, and equipment), NAV will use your profit of 450,000 kroner to calculate your benefits, including parental allowance.

The maximum benefit amount is capped at six times the National Insurance basic amount (1G), which, as of May 1st, 2023, is 118,620 kroner.

This cap applies to freelancers, wage earners, and others eligible for benefits.

Calculating parental allowance

For self-employed individuals, parental allowance is typically calculated based on the average income over the last three years, with the NAV obtaining this data from the Tax Agency.

Note: If your profits have fluctuated significantly over the period or if you have been in business for less than three years, you will need to provide the NAV with a detailed description of how your business operates and makes money.

Based on that information, they will conduct an individual assessment and make a discretionary decision regarding the amount you will be paid for parental allowance.

On the other hand, the rules for salaried freelancers and those with a limited company (AS) mirror those for regular employees.

Parental allowance is generally based on the average income from the three months preceding the start of the parental benefit period.

If there is a significant difference (over 25 percent) between your annual income and your recent three-month income, NAV will determine which figure is more representative.

Parental allowance can be taken consecutively or in combination with work or holidays.

For more detailed information, you can check out NAV’s guidelines on parental allowance.

Alternatives for those not entitled to parental allowance

Even if one or both parents are not entitled to parental allowance, they still have the right to parental leave.

In such cases, the mother can apply for a one-off benefit, and in certain circumstances, the father can too.

Additionally, as employee interest organisations often point out, the parent who has not accrued the right to parental allowance can begin to accrue this right while the other parent is on leave.

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