SMILE, YOU FOUND US

WELCOME TO NORDLAND!

Photo: Espen Mortensen /esmofoto

Today, there are 20,000 people with foreign backgrounds living in Nordland. We need more.

THE MIDDLE OFNORWAY – BULLSEYE!You have found Nordland, the county in the middle of Norway. The world’s richest coast, fresh air good and healthy for your lungs, midnight sun and polar night – and residents who wish you welcome. We need more hands here, for the manufacturing industries, the health services, education and a range of service industries.

If you have what our local employers are looking for, we can offer you a good life in a fantastic part of Norway. We are happy here, and we think you will be, too.

Today, there are 20,000 people with foreign backgrounds living in Nordland. We need more. Consequently, in 2013, the County Council, Nord-land’s highest political body, decided to implement a project designed to ensure further immigration to Nordland. The aim of the project is 10,000 new inhabitants by 2018.

It is an ambitious goal. Many good forces will be working together to secure jobs for newcomers, help them with language learning and lodgings, and not least help them to settle down and want to stay. Our 44 municipalities and employers in the county are the major participants. The project is based on six major platforms which we believe are essential to success:

• Norwegian language tuition• Education and qualification• Systematic recruitment• Housing• Leisure time and voluntary work • Information

Interested? Start by visiting www.workinnorway.no and www.nyinorge.no where you will find answers to most of your questions.

www.workinnorway.no www.nyinorge.no

Photo: Thor-Wiggo Skille

Proud of our countryNorway is the country responsible for awarding the Nobel Peace Prize, something we are very proud of. We are also proud of our social order. A socially just system for the distribution of wealth has pre-vailed here for decade after decade, creating a so-ciety based on equal rights and equal opportunity. Social benefits make life here secure, whether you are a native Norwegian or you come here to work. In Norway we pay taxes in return for this kind of welfare, and we agree that it is money well spent.

We are happyWe hope you are happy, but we do not think you will be less happy by coming here. We are, in fact, the world’s second happiest people according to the UN “World Happiness Report 2013”. The report also tells us that happy people live longer, are more productive, earn more and are more law-abiding. Norway is also one of the safest countries in the world. According to Global Peace Index we are ranked at number 10 among the 162 countries assessed.

The Arctic CircleMost of the county of Nordland is situated north of the Arctic Circle. In summer we have the mid-night sun, a period during which the sun shines 24 hours a day. Similarly, we have polar night during the winter, a few weeks when we do not see the sun at all. Both these phenomena are quite fascinating, and both have undoubtedly contributed towards forming our way of life. We cultivate the outdoor life in summer, and enjoy life indoors during much of the winter – unless we are outside watching the northern lights, that is, an event which never ceases to fascinate us.

Close to natureMost people in Nordland live in cities or small towns. The cities are not big, however. The biggest one (Bodø) has a population of 50,000 people. At the other end of the scale, there are a number of small boroughs. Vevelstad and Træna, for instance, have 500 residents each.We greatly appreciate our proximity to the coun-tryside, that it is so easy to get out and enjoy it, and that we can see the sea from almost anywhere. Imagine: there are 240,000 people living in an area about the size of Holland. In other words, there is plenty of room for wilderness here. Clean air, pure water and excellent scope for walking. If you like rambling, boating, fishing or hunting, you should certainly enjoy life here.

Photo: Erik Veigård

Photo: Erik Veigård

Nordland i a modernindustrial county

www.workinnorway.no www.nyinorge.no

Photo: Thor-Wiggo Skille Photo: Helse Nord

Photo: Marine Harvest

HOW DO WE MAKE A LIVING

... the greatest economic growth will occur in Northern Norway

To put it simply, we live off the abundance of natural resources found in this long, extensive county. The fish in the sea, the oil beneath the seabed, the manufacturing industries, environmentally friendly hydroelectric power and the minerals found in the mountains. Nordland is the major exporting county in this part of the country. 75% of Northern Norway’s exports come from Nordland. In a national context, we are the fourth biggest county when it comes to exports.

As with other modern societies, most of us have employment as a result of the fact that someone is utilizing the resources we export. Statistics show that most jobs are found in the fields of public and

private services, followed by the retail trade, tourism and transport, the manu-facturing industries, and building and construction.

To you, who are now hopefully begin-ning to wonder whether Nordland may

be the right choice, this means that the-re are a number of job options available.

You will find more details of this on the following pages.

Biggest growth in the NorthRecent figures from the Northern Norway State of the Market Barometer show that economic growth in the north is on a level with the rest of the country, while economic growth per employee has increased here to a greater extent than in the rest of the country. The State of the Market Barome-ter concludes that the greatest economic growth will occur in Northern Norway, and that increased international activity will benefit those industries in the north which are based on raw materials.

A modern industrial countyNordland is a modern industrial county. The mainstays of industrial activity here are energy, minerals and fish. These internationally oriented industries have led to the development of a supply industry that has become accustomed to deman-ding customers. Expertise, research and innova-tion are essential elements in the development of today’s trade and industry in Nordland.

An extraordinary aquaculture industryNordland exports fish for NOK 8.5 billion (1.3 bil-lion US dollars) a year. The rate of growth in 2013 was an incredible 26.6% - and climbing.

The number of immigrants in Nordland is increasing, and we need even more 2000 2014Inhabitants of Nordland 239109 240877Immigrants living in Nordland 6037 19207Percentage of immigrants 2,5% 8%

WILL YOU BEONE OF US?

www.workinnorway.no www.nyinorge.no

Photo: Nova Sea Photo: Mo Industripark

Photo: Helse Nord

2000 VACANCIES NOW

134 different nationalities are represented in our workforce, and we need even more.

There are about two thousand vacant jobs in Nordland at any given time. The need for labour is greatest in the health and care, building and construction and fisheries sectors. Well-educated people with experience in these fields have much to choose from.

All other trades also need labour. Whether you are a teacher, car mechanic, agronomist, first mate, vet, biologist, florist, computer engineer, meteorologist, baker, or something completely different, there is still a chance that there may be work for you here. Currently, the biggest demand is for engineers, skilled workers and nurses.

And there will be even more …We are facing a wave of old people in Nordland and in Norway as a whole. In 2030, 40% of today’s workforce will be old-age pensioners, and we do not have enough young people to replace them.

Today, there are many foreign workers in our county. 134 different nationalities are represented in our workforce, and we need even more. Trade and

industry are undergoing a period of growth, and we need new workers

to meet the resulting demands and to replace those who retire.

Will you be one of them?

The 20 most called for professions in 2014 – Nordland

• Nurses

• Health care workers

• Cement and concrete workers

• Other sales assistants

• Other health-based professions

• Medical Specialists

• Other engineers

• Electricians

• Construction engineers

• Joiners and carpenters

• Shop assistants

• Pre-school teachers

• Teachers

• Insurance agents

• Other artisans

• Construction machinery and industrial

mechanics

• Corporate cleaners

• Plumbers and sanitary fitters

• Accountants

• Engineers (petroleum, mining, metallurgy)

ARCTIC CIRCLE

ARCTIC CIRCLE

EUROPE NORWAY

As you can see from the map our county is very long, 500 km as the crow flies from north to south, longer than the distance from Paris to Amsterdam. High mountains and the many fjords cutting deep into the landscape, can make travelling something of a challenge.

This is why we have good communications. The county is linked together by roads, car ferries, express passenger boats, railways, airlines and even a helicopter service. We have 11 airports in a network ensuring excellent air links within the county borders and also outside of them.

From the main airport in Bodø there are 18 daily departures to Norway’s capital city, Oslo. Most of them are direct flights.

Nordland is far north, but we are far from isolated.

TRAVELLING AND DISTANCES

NORDLAND

Leknes

Svolvær

Harstad/Narvik

Stokmarknes

Andenes

Narvik

Mo i Rana

Mosjøen

Sandnessjøen

Brønnøysund

L

OF O T E N

V

E S T E R Å L E N

E6

Oslo 75 minutes

Oslo 90 minutes

Main airports

Regional airports

Hospitals

University/Higher education

Upper secondary schools

Main road

Railway

Boat routes

E10

BODØ

TROMS

NORD-TRØNDELAG

S W E D E N ARCTIC CIRCLE

Equal opportunities are very important to us in this country.

www.workinnorway.no www.nyinorge.no

Photos: Erik Veigård

WORKING INNORWAYIf the idea of working in Norway has begun to take root, you may be wondering what it is like to be employed here. Well, thank you kindly, we think it’s great.

We have come a long way with regard to workers’ rights. We have a Working Environment Act that regulates essential conditions and we have a trade union movement that has secured many benefits for workers.

• The average wage in Norway is 35% higher than that of the other OECD countries.

• We work less (1,420 hours a year compared to 1,765 in the OECD).

• Unemployment in Nordland is as low as 3%.• Everyone has a right to paid holidays, five weeks

is the norm.

Do you have a family?If so, lucky you! Here, we make all possible provisions for family life.

Work is important, but so is the rest of your life, perhaps even more so

when you have a family.Working life in Norway is organized in

such a way that it is possible to combine work and family life, for both men and

women.

Kindergarten for all childrenIn Nordland all children over one year of

age have the right to a place in kindergarten if their parents apply. If you do so, you will be

given a place for your children in a local kin-dergarten offering proper, educational content.

Should you prefer to stay at home with your children, you will receive a tax free allowance to

enable you to do so when your children are betwe-en the ages of one and two.

Work for your spouse Having read this far in the brochure, you will have realized that we need labour in Nordland. This me-ans that we probably have work for your husband/wife/partner, too. Based on the experience of our immigrant workers, it should not take long before both of you have work, if this is what you want.

Maternity leaveWe have arrangements that allow paid maternity leave for one year. You can choose 80% payment and increase your leave to 59 weeks, or 100% payment and 49 weeks leave. The arrangements apply to everyone, but there are certain conditions. You must, for instance, have been employed for the past few months prior to claiming leave. Check for details at www.nav.no

Equal opportunitiesEqual opportunities are very important to us in this country. We appointed the world’s first Equal Opportunities Commissioner in 1975, and were quick to pass a working environment act securing women maternity leave and pay when giving birth.In 2005 we passed the first legislation against discrimination. It is designed to secure equal rights and opportunities and to prevent discrimination based on ethnicity, national origins, descent, skin colour, language, religion or philosophy of life. These circumstances are among the reasons why Norwegian women have the highest level of em-ployment in Europe and give birth to more chil-dren than women in other European countries. We wish you welcome!

Excellent conditions to grow up inWe have good schools, kindergartens, play areas and not least safe surroundings. It is good to grow up in Nordland.

We believe that smaller communities do something to people

www.workinnorway.no www.nyinorge.no

Photo: Erik Veigård Photo: Erik Veigård

Photo: Reidar Hernes

A LITTLE BIT ABOUTOURSELVES

Imagine yourself far away from the capital city, away from exhaust fumes and noise, in a region where people have lived closer to each other and closer to nature

Moving to another country is a big step. The most important question to ask is whether or not you will be happy. It is difficult for us to say, but let us tell you a little bit about ourselves, the people who will be your colleagues, neighbours and friends.

Proximity to natureBefore the industrial revolution we lived off fish and agriculture, especially fish. Well into the post-war era the combination “fisherman-farmer” was still common. Today, the fishing profession has been modernized and automated almost beyond recognition, but proximity to the sea and nature is still an integral part of our culture. Most Norther-ners are today just as urban as the next person, but

we still like to catch our own fish, pick berries and mushrooms and chop our own

firewood, even though these things are now just pleasant pastimes and

by no means necessary. We have a special law securing everyone’s right

to take advantage of the countryside here. In a global context this is quite

unique.

A steadier pulseA German once said “We Germans live to work, but here in Norway I think you work to live.”If that is true, our pulse rate is probably even ste-adier here in Nordland. Perhaps it is the omnipre-sent countryside that reminds us of how small and insignificant we are, and that the best thing we can do is take care of each other?

Distinctive characterDo Northerners have a distinctive character? Yes, we think so. Everyone probably does. It is said that we are friendlier, more open and hospitable than our countrymen further down south. Think of a pleasant country you are familiar with. Imagine yourself far away from the capital city, away from exhaust fumes and noise, in a region where people have lived closer to each other and closer to nature. Perhaps then you will pick up on our distinctive character. We believe that smaller communities do something to people, for better or worse, but mostly for better.

Festivals are arranged all year round

WHEN WE ARE NOTAT WORKNordland has been voted the best tourist county in Norway.* Tourists come here all year round to experience the midnight sun, the polar night, the northern lights, deep-sea fishing, glaciers, festivals and the fantastic countryside that surrounds us on all sides.

Those of us who are resident here, experience the-se things all the time. We have lots to choose from in our leisure time. Northerners often go rambling all year round. In the summertime, the woodlands and open countryside entice us. In winter, the enti-re landscape is open to those with a pair of skis.

In Nordland you will find alpine skiing slopes on steep mountainsides towering straight up from the sea. Skiing downhill with a view of the fjord and sea is an amazing experience.

Norway’s national mountain, Stetind, is situated in Nordland. It is magnificent. If you do not suffer from a fear of heights, you can join a guided tour to the summit.

Saltstraumen, near Bodø, is the world’s strongest tidal current. It is an impressive sight, so abundant in fish that the first Northerners settled here when the glaciers withdrew 10,000 years ago.

The Lofoten Islands, where the world’s greatest cod fishery takes place, are Norway’s most famous tourist attraction, on a par with the North Cape.

In Hamarøy we find the Hamsun Centre, dedicated to the world famous author and Nobel Prize win-ner, Knut Hamsun and his life and times.

In the south of the county we find the Vega Ar-chipelago, Norway’s most extensive, with its 6,500 isles and skerries. The culture of this area is so unique that UNESCO has given it World Heritage status.

www.workinnorway.no www.nyinorge.no

Photo: Bjørn Erik Olsen

All over our extensive county we find local pleasures and experiences on which to spend our spare time

Artscape Nordland is a project which has resulted in sculptures in 32 of Nordland’s 44 boroughs.

All over our extensive county we find local pleasu-res and experiences on which to spend our spare time. Nordland consists of many small towns and villages. Everyone is enthusiastic about their own local community, which means that you will find museums, cosy cafés, galleries, swimming pools, culture schools and other things to spend your time on in places you would have thought were too small for such things.

We must also mention how important voluntary work is to how the Northerner’s spend their spare time. Organizations from A to Å (Å is the last letter in our alphabet) are run on a voluntary basis. We meet because of them, make ourselves useful, get to know new people and feel that our leisure time is spent in a meaningful way. If you have a special interest, you can almost be sure there is an organisation for it.

Over 100 festivalsFestivals are arranged all year round in Nordland. Altogether, there are over 100 festivals in the county covering everything from rock and classical

music to puffins and old wooden boats. Festivals help local communities and special interest groups to present and boost their identity.

Examples of the diversity of festivals in Nordland:

• The Blåfrost Festival in Rognan

• Steigen Sagaspill (Viking pageant)

• The Singles Festival at Andøya

• The World Cod Fishing Championships

in Svolvær

• Winter Festival Week in Narvik

• Nordland Music Festival

• Codstock in Henningsvær (music)

• The Hamsun Festival in Hamarøy

• The Nordland-type Boat Regatta in Terråk

• The Træna Festival

• The Melbu Festival

• HemnesJazz

• The Chamber Music Festival in Lofoten

Photo: Erik Veigård Photo: Ernst Furuhatt Photo: Terje Rakke, Nordic Life

Photo: Erik Veigård

THIS IS WHY WE STAYED

– I decided to stay here because I feel welcome in the local community and am happy here. Furthermore, I soon realized that I had many good opportunities here with regard to work and social commitment.

Salamatu WinningahEducational Adviser, Nordland County Council, and local politician

My children are the most important reason why I have stayed here. However, I also have a fascinating and rewarding job. My children have had a safe upbringing here. Life is simpler, everything is easily accessible and understandable. Distances are not too great and there is plenty to do in your spare time. We are very pleased with the school.

Margarita Novoa GarridoHead of Department and Researcher, Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research, Dr. Med. Vet, PhD

I can put my expertise and knowledge to good use here at the local hospital. I am well-established here and have a Norwegian partner and two children. We like being out in the countryside and out at sea.

Istvan GalHead Physician, Helgeland Hospital

We dreamed of our own farm and eco-farming. Now we make cheese and other products on our dream farm at Saupstad in Lofoten. It is the most beautiful place in the world!

Marielle deRoosLofoten Gårdsysteri (Farm and Cheese factory)

112 112

Photo: Øystein Lunde Ingvaldsen