Everything's finally being set in motion!

[AJG96]

This is a big step for me, as it's looking like everything for me to move to Norway is being set in motion! After sending an email to the Norwegian Embassy asking what I can do, as the only way for me to stay in Norway for any extended period if time would be to go to school or get a job. Me, being someone fresh out of college doesn't have much work experience (I'm a deli clerk in a grocery store for goodness sake!) They replied back with many helpful links, and one message in particular. They told me that there are plenty of blue collar jobs in Norway for someone like me to work, and they also told me to talk to NAV (The Norwegian Welfare Administration) could help me look for work. So, now I plan to go to Norway again this summer, and my fiancée will help me out with that. One of her friends even works in a restaurant that may be able to hire me. It's perfect, as I did major in culinary and do have a certificate. So, yeah! That's all I really have to say on this topic.

TL;DR version: I'm going to Norway this summer to see what kind of work I can get.

[differentcountries]

Hi,

I am not sure who you talked to in the UD, but you are actually not allowed to go to Norway to look for work during your visit to your SO. There is an option for trained blue collar jobs (and redicency permits related to them) for people from your country, but only if
a) you have an employer lined up or
b) you go on a self-financed visit specifically to look for a job, having saved up 20.00 NOK in a Norwegian bank account for each month you plan to stay during your job hunt.
As it looks like you stay on what is basically a tourist visa (even without those words), it will be illegal for you to look for a job during your visit - so dont contact NAV or UD (at least not tell them your name), or you can risk getting deported for staying in the country on false grounds. You can off course meet with the restaurant in mention, but formally the restaurant too also should be weary on having a formal job interview with you while you stay in Norway. My suggestion would be to scedule a Skype interview with you after you are back in the US.

PS: Dont kill your enthisiasm - but do get informed

[AJG96]

Hi,

I am not sure who you talked to in the UD, but you are actually not allowed to go to Norway to look for work during your visit to your SO. There is an option for trained blue collar jobs (and redicency permits related to them) for people from your country, but only if
a) you have an employer lined up or
b) you go on a self-financed visit specifically to look for a job, having saved up 20.00 NOK in a Norwegian bank account for each month you plan to stay during your job hunt.
As it looks like you stay on what is basically a tourist visa (even without those words), it will be illegal for you to look for a job during your visit - so dont contact NAV or UD (at least not tell them your name), or you can risk getting deported for staying in the country on false grounds. You can off course meet with the restaurant in mention, but formally the restaurant too also should be weary on having a formal job interview with you while you stay in Norway. My suggestion would be to scedule a Skype interview with you after you are back in the US.

PS: Dont kill your enthisiasm - but do get informed

Well, I'm not going to go and actively search for a specific job with the intention of being employed and working while on a visit. Essentially all I want to do is go to NAV and ask what kind of work would be available for someone like me. Once I find out what jobs are available, I'll go from there with taking the steps for a work visa and a job. As for the restaurant, it's mainly if that location would be able to hire me when I'm ready to actually work. I don't intend to submit any applications or get any interviews while on my visit. I don't even plan to work in Norway until next year. I do apologize if my intentions aren't clear in the original post.

[differentcountries]

Well, I'm not going to go and actively search for a specific job with the intention of being employed and working while on a visit. Essentially all I want to do is go to NAV and ask what kind of work would be available for someone like me. Once I find out what jobs are available, I'll go from there with taking the steps for a work visa and a job. As for the restaurant, it's mainly if that location would be able to hire me when I'm ready to actually work. I don't intend to submit any applications or get any interviews while on my visit. I don't even plan to work in Norway until next year. I do apologize if my intentions aren't clear in the original post.

Well. We also planned to have SO come work, and we started the year before, knowing how long these processes can take. Sadly, it did not work out, and it looks like marriage is a more realistic route on our behalf.

Since you have culinary degree, you may apply for cafe/restaurant jobs, catering jobs, hotel jobs or for jobs in grocery stores that make and serve warm food (like Meny). The prospective work places will probably ask for your language skills, so if you dont plan to work until next year, a Norwegian language class will be a good preperation.

Hiring processes in Norway are typically lenghty and they happen in bulks. Most employers hire new employees around February-March (Christmas holiday/New years gotten over with), or May and September (right before and right after summer). Some seasonal summer jobs start hiring in the late fall for jobs the following year, and most summer jobs are done hiring by April for jobs lasting May-October.

If you apply for jobs from the US, you will need a job before you can apply for work visa/residency. The typical residency is for 1 year. You an reapply after that if you have a new/continuing contract.

If you consider a seasonal job (4-6 months), the process becomes even lenghier as there are special rules regarding seasonal work visas (or seasonal recidency permits, as they are called). You will have to have gotten a confirmation about the job AND for your prospective employer to get your redicency permit posted by March-April next year at the latest, for summer season.

You will need a 100 % job to get a work visa/recidency permit; the restaurant etc. can't hire you on a low persentage or call basis.

The best place to look for jobs is though Finn.no/jobb (even NAV says it is better than their slightly more complicated site) https://www.finn.no/job/fulltime/search.html But you should be aware that getting hired for blue collar jobs coming from outside the EU is not the easiest. The system is set up to prevent it (one of the disanvantages of being an EØS/EU member).

As for NAV, they offer restricted service to not-residents (there is even new rules now that makes it so that everyone should make appointments online, meaning that you have to have a social security number first). The local officies also have little experience with non-EU- workers. But you can call NAV online and get advice from them https://www.nav.no/en/Home/About+NAV/Contact+us Both Finn and NAV have systems where you can set up set up job searches.

Be aware that for some jobs, you have to register at a website to apply for them (I am looking for jobs these days, and 2/3 of all my job applications go through one of the 3 main application web sites, where you have to build up a profile before you can apply).

If you stay in Norway 2 months, you will learn a bit of language just by being here, but formal training will also help a lot if you are able to get it.