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HAVE YOUR SAY

Should I move to Norway?

Published: 18 Oct 2011 15:15 GMT+02:00 | Print version
Updated: 18 Oct 2011 15:15 GMT+02:00

I have an opportunity to move to Norway from the US to set up a new office for my company. My impression of the country is very positive but foreigners living there seem to find a lot to complain about. Should I stay or should I go? Please have your say.

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2011-10-18 15:51:05 by AdamA
Norway is a great country to live in. Strong welfare system and high salaries. I guess it depends on where you move from and what your preferences and reasons are. And what you expect your salary to be. Socially it might not be the easiest country to integrate into.
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2011-10-18 21:01:39 by Blondebanger
Stay away from the lutefisk (don't ask) and take plenty testosterone suppliments if you plan on wooing a Norwegian woman.
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2011-10-19 11:45:26 by ddorfer
Need and help at the office. I'll move to Norway!
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2011-10-19 13:21:51 by BourgeoisieBohme
I think living here is one thing due to the welfare state making sure you always have money, housing, etc. but starting a business here... is very restrictive due to the lack of customers (small country) and if your target business is outside of Norway then your cost of shipping, travel, etc. is prohibitively high and your taxes will shrink profit margins. If you plan on hiring, then be prepared to pay a basic worker 60K dollars a year even if they just lick envelopes. I would say the downsides to opening an office here outweigh the upsides... but if your company pays you to move and finds economic rationale for opening an office, why not!!!
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2011-10-20 17:13:45 by Telemark
As an immigrant by choice to Norway, I’m a strong supporter of this country. The integration problems experienced by others don’t seem to happen to me. This may boil town to “white male arrogance”, or it may just be a pre-existing love for what this country has to offer. Business strategy in Norway must take into account specific Norwegian norms; it’s the same in the States. If your business profile allows for the hiring of envelope lickers, then you will have the problems no matter where you set up. American concepts may not directly be applicable here, but can often be modified to good effect giving the company a distinct advantage. Some companies excel at exports while others struggle. There are a myriad of regulations and “work- around’s” to learn. It will be a challenge, but remember: chance favors the well prepared.
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2011-10-23 23:54:25 by underskyofnorway
Norway is the land of taxation! Start up a business here costs you much but if your marketing plan is well-designed, then you earn much as long as you bear in your mind all Norwegians values as well as their business regulations! Especially, their good mentality of being "Lagom" in every thing that is not common in US!
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2011-10-31 02:08:49 by strixy
I have moved to Norway from the UK and it has been hard. If you value your personal freedom, personal responsibility and do not want to live in a country where everything is regulated by the state, then do not move. Personally, I find it difficult to stand. Re welfare system, yes it is good but is it really the right reason to move somewhere?
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2011-11-11 14:44:54 by Siddd
If you are a friend of art and culture you will go nuts in Norway, even in the capital Oslo. Oslo has unfortuneatly no avantgarde or elite art or music scene. Culturally you will be bored, when you are used to a art scenes and subculture like in Berlin, Prag, Paris or Amsterdam. I left Norway and moved back to a central european metropole because I was running low on contemporary culture and subculture especially.
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2012-03-22 18:00:45 by TheBrewmaster
AdamA, I'm curious... What did you decide to do? I'm the 1st generation of my family born in the United States, and all of my family has since moved back to Norway. My wife and I are now considering the move ourselves.
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2012-03-26 04:50:05 by nomania
Norway is a great country with a great people except I have encountered quite a few bigots who scapegoat certain race/ethnicity/cultures because they have come to think they are "better" than non-Europeans. This is their misconception and has lead to incidents like that of Brevieks - fanatic who has caused hurt to the lives of hundreds of Norwegians.
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