Finding a job in Norway

Are you considering applying for a job you found in the Letme app? Here is some useful information when coming to Norway to work for the first time.

You can apply for jobs from abroad in our application, but to receive your first salary in Norway you need to get a D-number from the Norwegian government upon arrival.

Right now the restaurant/hospitality industry in Norway are struggling to find staff, so if you have experience from working in restaurants or hotels you should be able to find a new full-time job within days.

Work permit / D-number

There are two kinds of identification numbers in Norway: national identity numbers and D numbers. Which identification number you receive as a foreign person depends on your residence permit and how long you’re planning to stay in Norway.

You are entitled to a D number if you

• intend to stay in Norway for less than 6 months, or
• intend to stay in Norway for more than 6 months, but do not meet the criteria for being assigned a national identity number
• If you are a citizen of an EU / EEA country.

You can then apply for a D number from the tax office (skatteetaten).

You will need a work contract and place to live, for more information, visit udi.no and fill out the online form to find the requirements for your situation.

For longer stays in Norway, you can apply for a national identity number, which is an ID number for you who have a residence permit and are going to live in Norway for more than six months. You need it when you are in touch with different Norwegian  authorities.

How can i get a Norwegian bank account?

‍To be able to open a bank account in Norway, you will first need to obtain a D-number.

When you have your d-number, you can apply for «minID» which is an online digital ID.

You can then contact the bank you wish to use, and here is a few of the banks in Norway:

Nordea, Sparebank1, Handelsbanken, Sbanken, Gjensidige.

D-number is a temporary identity number that can be used for several purposes, such as accessing altinn.no or getting a bank account.

This is how you get yourself a Norwegian phone number.

Sim cards can be bought in:

• Elkjøp
• 7-Eleven
• Telehuset

You will have to bring a valid ID card, which is passport, Norwegian bank card with picture, EU drivers license along with you D-number if you are not a Norwegian citizen.

Cards can also be bought online from mobile subscription companies such as:

• Talkmore
• Onecall
• Lebara
• Telenor
• Telia
• Tele2

Housing in Norway

The cost of housing varies a great deal in Norway and has risen in recent years. The highest prices are in Oslo and other cities; in rural areas the prices are generally lower.

The cost of housing in Norway is generally high for several reasons: houses are of a high standard, fully insulated, with heating in all rooms because of the cold climate. In addition, quality requirements are high, which means that there is little simple and inexpensive housing available. There are several ways of securing accommodation in Norway.

You can rent, live in a housing cooperative, or own your own home. The rental market in Norway is quite small. The vast majority own their own home. Houses and flats are usually advertised on the Internet, our tips is to check Finn.no, there you can find both rooms to rent inside flats or if you would like to find your own apartment.

If you want to rent a house or flat, you should ensure you have a signed tenancy agreement, with a mutual right to terminate it. The period of notice is usually one month, and as a rule you will need to pay a deposit of 1-3 months’ rent.

The deposit should be paid into a blocked account. Standard tenancy agreements can be bought from bookshops, found on the Internet, or obtained by contacting the Leieboerforeningen, www.lbf.no. This is a special interests organisation that protects the interests of tenants who rent houses and flats.

Tip: Check if your future employer can help you find accommodation.