Should I Relocate to Norway?

1. How do native Norwegians feel about American-born Norwegians returning to Norway?  In general, are they accepting and welcoming of people from other countries moving to their country?

While in America you might be "Norwegian American" or tell people that you're Norwegian, unless you've got a Norwegian passport, then you're an American - you won't get any special treatment for having a Norwegian bestemor.  Acceptance of immigrants varies.  The second largest party in the current parliament stands on an anti-immigration platform, and makes no bones about introducing discriminatory laws or using existing laws in a discriminatory way.  On the other hand, the largest party and the third largest party (who look like they will lead the next governemnt) are quite happy to have immigration.  But just like in the US, some people will be dead against immigration, and others will want open-borders.  Generally, those who are anti-immigration are in the minority, although they may be more vocal.  If you speak the language, make an effort to integrate, then you'll be fine.

2. Must one be able to speak Norwegian in order to be considered for employment?

It depends.  If you have a skill which is in high demand (engineering, techinical skills) then you can find employment without Norwegian.  If you are happy to work a low-skill, low-pay (by Norwegian standards, 120~kr/hr) job like waiting tables or bartending, then again, you can find employment without Norwegian.  There will however, be a certain amount of pressure to learn Norwegian, which you should of course do anyway, since you're going to be living here.  Being able to speak Norwegian will also increase your jobs chances.

3. Obviously, I would need to have a job lined up before moving.  Does anyone know what the job market is like currently for landscape architects and architects?  What resources are available to assist in locating employment?  What cities may be the best for landscape architects and architects? 

No idea about this one, sorry!  But if I were looking for a job, I'd start by looking online for companies that work in my field.

4. Is a professional with a college degree able to afford his or her own apartment, or would you likely need to find roommates?

You will be able to afford to rent an apartment, but it will take up a significant part of your after-tax income (about a third to half) if you're not sharing the burden with anyone.  As in the US, there are expensive areas and less expensive areas.  As a rule, areas with an above-average immigrant population and student population are generally cheaper (and more immigrant friendly).

These answer reflect only my view and experiences.  It's important to get the views of others, so hopefully more people will reply to your post.

To answer your question 1, then if you are a Norwegian-American you will obviously not have to worry about the few racists in Norway, nor do you have to worry about the so called skeptics of immigration there. These people are mostly against immigration from places such as Somalia, the Middle East or Pakistan.

Historically, the Sami people who is an indigenous people to Northern Norway and had a similiar lifestyle to that of North American Natives were suppressed by Norwegian settlers who eventually incorporated their areas into the Norwegian State.

Also, the Norwegians themselves were for several centuries under Danish and Swedish rule respectively and 17th May is celebrated as Norway's independence day.

I think most people in Norway will look up to you since you come from the USA.

To answer question 2; Yes you would need to be fluent in Norwegian in order to find employment allthough in some cases this requirement can be waved in the case of IT professionals or Oil & Gas workers.


Norway is a beautiful country, especially the Western part with it's fjords and mountains centered around the Bergen area.
Northern Norway (Lofoten for example) is also well known although in Northern Norway the landscape / nature is somewhat more rough or bare.
Oslo has over ½ million people and perhaps 700-800,000 if you count all of it, and it is a small cosmopolitan city , but with a large area of forest and nature (allthough this can not be compared with Western Norway).

jiroband wrote:

Hello All,

I am a licensed landscape architect (RLA) currently living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and I’m contemplating relocating to Norway. I was born and raised in a small town in Iowa where nearly everyone is Norwegian.  Both of my parent’s families came Norway, but I’m not sure from where.  I’ve begun doing some genealogy research, but I’ve reached an impasse after going back only four generations. For the past several years, I’ve been feeling drawn to returning to Norway, and for some reason this feeling keeps getting stronger every day.  I have a few questions that I’m wondering if anyone could help me with:

1. How do native Norwegians feel about American-born Norwegians returning to Norway?  In general, are they accepting and welcoming of people from other countries moving to their country?

2. Must one be able to speak Norwegian in order to be considered for employment?

3. Obviously, I would need to have a job lined up before moving.  Does anyone know what the job market is like currently for landscape architects and architects?  What resources are available to assist in locating employment?  What cities may be the best for landscape architects and architects? 

4. Is a professional with a college degree able to afford his or her own apartment, or would you likely need to find roommates?

Thank you sctld and new_in_norway for your responses!

The construction industry here is booming. From personal experience, my partner is British, and been unable to secure work here due to being unable to pick up the language fast enough, she's an architect with a good degree and some years experience. I met another chap from England who dived into the language courses and has since secured a job with an architect here locally. You will be working to the rather overtly bureaucratic planning system here, which is obviously all done in Norwegian. Oslo and Stavanger are definitely growth areas.

Keep an eye here for job postings:
http://www.arkitektnytt.no/stillinger


The national landscape architect association, see if you can become a member or if they accept your US equivalent.
http://www.landskapsarkitektur.no/?nid=6973

NAL, the national architect association, they got a pretty comprehensive list of firms, including landscape architects.
http://www.arkitektur.no/finn-arkitekt1

Might be worth trying to contact some of the larger consultancies like COWI, Asplan Viak, Rambøl or government entities like Vegvesenet and the local councils.

Where would you be looking to move?

1.Like anywhere, if you treat people with respect, you get respect. Being a norwegian american might give you some added 'welcome home' sentiments in conversation. Racism is pretty rife here, but no problem for white people generally.
2. Norwegian will be given preference always, in some cases, if not most, it's required, yes. You will be forced to take 250 hours of norwegian and you'll have to pay for it yourself.
3.See answer above.
4.Yes, should be able to afford a 1 bed, possibly a studio flat centrally.

Thanks so much, Knut! That was really helpful.
Jim