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READERS REVEAL: Why foreigners want to settle down in Norway

Frazer Norwell
Frazer Norwell - [email protected]
READERS REVEAL: Why foreigners want to settle down in Norway
This is why foreign residents wish to live in Norway long-term. Pictured is the Oslo skyline. Photo by Angel Luciano on Unsplash

The Local asked readers whether they saw their long-term future in Norway, and the overwhelming majority said they did. Here's why foreign residents in Norway want to stay.

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There are many reasons why foreign residents may be attracted to Norway, whether it's because the living conditions contribute to the locals being ranked among the happiest people in the world, the work-life balance, the nature, the wages, having family or loved ones there or simply falling in love with the country from afar.

Still, that doesn't mean that everyone who moves to Norway comes to settle down. For starters, many may have only come to Norway for their studies, to work a short-term contract, or to try living in another environment.

And while many things on paper make Norway seem like the perfect country, things sometimes work out differently than planned and settling in may actually be a tall order.

READ ALSO: Is it easy to settle in Norway?

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However, when asked whether they saw their long-term future (the next five years and beyond) in Norway, 84 percent of readers told The Local that they planned to stay in the Nordic country. Despite the small sample size, it's clear that many have decided to settle down in Norway.

"There are great opportunities for career development in Norway. I have already learned more skills while working in the construction industry in Norway in the last 2.5 years, and I plan to learn more in the coming years. I also like the culture and Norwegian landscapes. Perfect outdoors," Dmitry in Kristiansand wrote.

For many of those who wrote that they wished to stay in Norway long-term, this was initially the plan and life in the country has only reaffirmed their desire to settle in the Scandinavian country.

"I feel at home for the first time in my life. I love living here," Jess from Ireland wrote.

"It hasn't (changed). Once I moved here, I was pretty certain I wanted to stay," she responded when asked whether the length of time she wished to remain in Norway had changed.

Many pointed to the quality of life in Norway, career development and wages as reasons for their move and subsequently wanting to stay. However, quite a few readers also pointed out that they moved, and therein, their reason for wanting to stay was due to having a Norwegian partner.

"Wages for my profession are lower here than in my home country, and the cost of living is higher. I like my life here, but my only reason for staying long term is my partner," an Australian reader in southern Norway wrote.

When it came to those who were in Norway for work, many said that their decision to keep living in Norway would depend on their job or career development.
Not everyone who comes to Norway, though, intends to stay for the long haul. Many readers who now wish to live in Norway for the long run have decided to do so after either being won over or weighing up the pros and cons.

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"I would say the city (Oslo) itself has convinced us to stay, less so the more mundane aspects of daily living: for example, the food and drinking culture is lacking and expensive when it is good. As a consumer, the lack of purchasing options is also felt. However, we appreciate that, although Amazon et al. is not here, the high street seems way healthier than in the UK, where we have moved from. I don't mind the climate (coming from Scotland, short days are a thing there, too), and I actually enjoy the more marked seasons and lack of wind (Oslo-specific). People are at first difficult to connect with, but via mutual friends, we have met great Norwegian and international folks," Nico explained.

"While at first a tentative move, I now plan to live here long-term. The pros outweigh the cons," he added. Other factors in Nico's decision were purchasing a flat and ample work opportunities.

Among the minority who didn't wish to stay, the most common reasons why their plans for life in Norway were more short-term were family commitments back home, concerns over the residency requirements and sticking to their plan of only being in Norway for a few years. Others also wished to retire in their home countries too.

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