Hello everyone, both men and women! As it turns out, men are watching me too. Today I will make a rather difficult video for myself, because I wanted to talk about Norway. Why difficult? Because a lot of things have already been said about Norway, I mean Irina Bergseth’s video, which caused so much noise on the Internet. By the way, when I was preparing for this video, I found a recording of my friend, Mira, who lives here in Oslo, who also trashes this Norway. But I probably won’t refute or prove anything, I’ll just tell you how I live here in Norway. My personal impressions, my personal observations, my conclusions that I made. And I hope you find it interesting.

You know, it seems to me that the main problem that Russians have here is that they expect something special from Norwegians. But this nation is not great, it did not have great history, she didn't have great literature, it didn’t have any great conquests, it’s not an empire. They don’t have any famous philosophers. And, in general, this, it seems to me, is the whole problem. Because Russians, they are waiting for something high, they are waiting for something deep. And when they don't find it, it disappoints them. But, in principle, such simplicity of being is not a sin, and it is completely acceptable, and we must accept Norwegians for who they are.

What do I want to say? In this country, everything smells like prosperity, everything smells like money. Everything that money can buy is bought here, made here. Every centimeter of this country has been “licked” here. There is a stunningly beautiful private sector here, and very beautiful private houses, good roads. They are now rebuilding their cities, they are rebuilding old buildings. Everything related to material well-being is simply ideal here. But the problems begin when you start looking for or wanting something that money cannot buy. This is where big problems begin, especially for Russians.

This well-being is Norwegian, it is very strange, because you quickly understand that in these beautiful houses there is some kind of - how to choose the right word - empty, or something, life. Or one might even say – primitive. People don’t even somehow live, they just exist. They go to work, they organize some holidays, they smile. But behind these smiles there is nothing at all. You understand this very quickly.

The Norwegians themselves understand this, because I study art, and all their art speaks, just screams about it. By the way, they have a very excellent film, Norwegian-Irish, in my opinion, which is called - it is in Russian translation - “An Inappropriate Man.” And there it is shown exactly this person who lives this prosperous life, but is simply going crazy from this emptiness. There is a very good scene, it was filmed here in the center of Oslo, near the town hall, when Norwegians surround him and say: “Look, it’s so beautiful here, it’s so safe here, it’s so happy city. What else do you need? And this “what else do you need”, it just hangs in this Norway, because it seems that everything is there and nothing is there.

Or, for example, they have this artist, Pushwagner, so he draws human robots. And he claims that this is the population of Oslo. These robots go to work, these robots walk home in formation, they go to bed on a schedule, they get up. If you look at Puschwagner's paintings, you will understand life in Oslo in general. Even take that Munch and look at these, excuse the expression, faces that he drew when he painted the inhabitants of Oslo, everything becomes clear. In general, Norwegians, they themselves admit that something is wrong in this Norway, something is missing here.

Probably the most unpleasant and negative thing that I don’t like about Norway is, of course, the disgusting education and disgusting medicine here. There is no education at all. Everyone who knows what it is Soviet education when you are given more than what you need to know, when you are constantly being pulled somewhere, when this whole system guides you, this whole system gives you knowledge that, perhaps, you will never need, but which will shape your thinking. This is something that doesn’t exist in Norway at all. It’s especially terrible here in kindergartens. Because my first education is as an educational psychologist, and I tried to work in kindergartens here, and, honestly, I was horrified. There is not even an idea that a child needs to be raised, that the child needs to be instilled with some kind of norms. It’s good if they just look after your child if you send him to kindergarten. And, by the way, Mira says in her video that one day she came for her sister, and her little sister was lying and drinking from a puddle. And no one needs this at all. This is an ordinary, typical Norwegian kindergarten.

Why did I talk about education? Because I’m studying here myself, I’m getting a second higher education, and I’m getting a profession in which I have no contact with Norwegian culture at all, I’m studying art and design. Moreover, with in-depth study art. And you know, when we had our first project at the university, we had to completely prepare it ourselves; according to the old Soviet habit, I dug through a bunch of literature, sat all these two months, studied techniques, studied trends in art. And when I came to defend him, when I told them something about Velazquez, I told them something about Jota, how he substantiated art in general. In general, I told them everything, as is customary in our universities, and I realized with horror that they did not understand what I was talking about at all. It’s not just the students who don’t understand, even the teachers don’t understand what I’m talking about. Because there are such narrowly specialized specialists sitting there, so she studies the history of fashion, she knows nothing except this history of fashion and the history of costume. In principle, this is not required of her.

Of course, I had to get used to this. Why is this bad? Because education is what it is, it drags you down. And now for the second project, I didn’t put much effort into it. And in general, all this education that I received in Norway, I didn’t really strain myself. I didn’t really receive anything, I didn’t give anything special, and it’s as if I didn’t need to. There will be a diploma, and that’s good. And you know, this whole life in Norway, everything is there, and it’s good.

At one time, a lot of posts were written about the life of Russians in different countries Oh. Now this topic flashes less often, or maybe it’s simply fading away, but Norway has somehow been bypassed. Here, so to speak, is my 2 cents.

I have lived in Norway for 6 years, 4 of which in Bergen, now in a small town near Stavanger. After 7 years you can apply for Norwegian citizenship, but then you will have to give up Russian, and I don’t want to. I’ll remain Russian for now, since a Norwegian residence permit is quite enough for me. My occupation is: research scientist, so all the facts will, of course, be from my point of view.

1. Norway is a small country with a population of 5 million. It is considered one of the best, if not the best, in the world in terms of living standards. Who knows what this standard of living is considered to be, but living here is quite comfortable.

2. I would agree that the standard of living here is the highest, if not for the climate. He's disgusting. Almost all the time here on the west coast there is one season - autumn. In summer it is cool, on average 15 degrees, in winter it is not cold, about 5. Of course, there are frosts, but not lower than -15. It is rainy. In Oslo the climate is similar to St. Petersburg - more contrasting. In the mountains and in the north it is cold both in summer and winter. There were even frosts there in July of this year.

3. In Norway live... Norwegians. They are very friendly to foreigners, but they won’t let you get close. Such a character - closed, Nordic.

4. There are many foreigners in Norway because there are not enough workers. Even after the crisis. There are all sorts of Arabs there, but they are all from different countries, so their ethnic groups are not as visible as in central Europe. There are a lot of Poles, but they are their own kind, Caucasians.

5. There is a wary attitude towards Muslims, they are not liked, but they carefully hide it. The attitude towards the Slavs is much more friendly.

6. It is very rare for Norwegians to treat foreigners poorly or disdainfully. Vice versa. When you try to speak broken Norwegian, they praise and encourage you. Even children try to speak more simply and clearly if they understand that they are dealing with a foreigner.

7. Officially, there are two languages ​​in Norway: Bokmål and Nynorsk. Bokmål is a variant of Danish, introduced during the period of dependence on Denmark, and Nynorsk is artificial language, created based on local dialects. In fact, everyone speaks in their own dialect, sometimes completely incomprehensible.

8. Perhaps due to the abundance of dialects, Norwegians speak English well. Tourists who know English find it very comfortable here.

9. The average salary is 5,000 euros, of which about a third is eaten up by taxes.

10. Taxes are high and progressive. If an individual’s income exceeds 10,000 euros, then he will have to pay 55% of taxes. The maximum tax for a legal entity is 80%. Depardieu will not go to Norway :)

11. The Tax Directorate knows everything about everyone. Taxes are taken from any luxury: a cool car, a villa, a yacht. Officials can own anything, they can transfer the property even to their cousin’s wife, but they still have to pay tax.

12. Official working day - 7.5 hours. Anything above the norm is paid at a completely different rate. The Labor Code is highly respected.

13. In Norway, it’s not a pity to pay so much taxes, since they come back in the form of medicine, education, and roads. Norwegians sometimes timidly complain that for that kind of money they could have gotten a little better medicine, education and roads, but they just haven’t been to Russia :)

14. A family doctor (general practitioner) costs a little money, a dentist is expensive, everything else (specialists, hospital) is free! At the same time, the attitude of the doctors is excellent, there is no talk of gifts or rewards! The quality is up to par.

15. There is no corruption in Norway, at least at the level of the average person. I don’t know what’s higher there. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to bribe a doctor or a policeman. For what?

16. This is the country of victorious socialism. There is almost no stratification here, there are no rich and poor, only middle class. Any Norwegian family (if both spouses work) has the opportunity to have a house, a car, and two children. Many people have a small yacht or boat. Or a cottage somewhere in the mountains or near a fjord.

17. By retirement (67 years old), when the children are already independent, you can buy yourself an apartment in Spain and go there when the constant autumn is completely boring.

18. After coming of age (18 years old) young homo sapiens has every opportunity to live independently. If a child wants to study, the state allocates a special loan, on which one can live quite tolerably for the entire period of study.

19. In Norway, you can be proud of any profession, since they are all decently paid and in demand. The secretary enthusiastically tells how her son is studying at a vocational school to become a tractor driver. Well, not everyone can be an effective manager; someone has to work. Although the oil industry is making its own adjustments.

20. Since 2009, same-sex marriage has been fully recognized in the country. Although I don’t see crowds of gays, there are no gay pride parades. TO deviant individuals Norwegians are clearly cool.

21. Unlike central Europe The family institution is very developed in Norway. The state encourages this by reducing taxes and paying child benefits.

22. Many Norwegians are religious, but they rarely talk about it. You can work with a colleague for a year and then find out that he sings in a church choir.

23. The number of children in a family is a sign of prosperity here. A person with a family of three children is considered successful and rich. Religion also encourages this. Most people don't care about your car.

24. Contrary to a common misconception in Russia, in Norway you cannot live on child benefit, since it is only 120 euros.

25. I don’t know how you can live on unemployment benefits. I don’t have such friends, I have no one to ask.

26. The Norwegian currency is the krone, but I wrote all prices in euros to make it clearer.

Usually people want to move from Moscow to warmer climes. But for the sake of love, you can endure the cold. Continuing the series of materials about Russians living abroad, Lenta.ru publishes the story of Elena, who got married and moved to Norway.

It's simple

I moved to Norway in 2010. The cause was a man. My friends and I were on vacation, and he was vacationing there with friends. We met, then called each other on Skype every day, and often visited each other. And a year later they decided to get married.

I graduated in Moscow Financial University under the government of the Russian Federation. After studying, she worked as an auditor in Austria and Russia.

Since I was getting married, there were no problems with documents when moving to Norway. A month after submitting the necessary papers, we received a response from the embassy. First, a temporary residence permit is issued - for three years. After which you need to pass a language proficiency exam (conversational level) and re-collect documents in order to obtain a permanent residence permit.

I started taking language courses in Moscow, and continued here. Due to knowledge of German and English learning Norwegian turned out to be a feasible task.

Small towns

I moved to Trondheim - the third largest city in Norway, but despite this, it is very small: you can walk around it all in a few hours. We live here now because of my work, but next year I'm planning to transfer to move to Oslo. The capital is also very small, it cannot be compared with Moscow in any way.

We live in an area that is 15 minutes from Trondheim. In Oslo, basically no one has a car - everyone uses public transport. In smaller cities it is much more convenient to travel by car.

Children are sent to kindergarten here from the age of one year or even earlier. This is due to the fact that maternity leave designed for eight or nine months. You can choose 10 or 11, but with a loss in salary. Usually, after this period, the husband sits with the child for two months.

The kids really like the local nurseries; here the child has more freedom. He can choose what he wants to do or refuse some lessons. A reward system has been established. Despite this independence, educators gently convey to their charges what is good and what is bad.

Therefore, local residents grow up with a strong sense of civic responsibility. If a wallet or bag is found, then high probability this thing will end up in the police.

What are they even about?

It is very difficult for visitors to find mutual language with locals and friends among them. The most difficult part of my job was communicating with colleagues. From the outside it seems that we get along great, but even after six years it is very difficult for me to maintain a conversation with them.

The conversation with the Russians goes like clockwork. Norwegians are also comfortable with each other, of course. They raise topics during conversation that are difficult for a non-local to understand. For example, they can discuss some little thing for a long time. You sit and don’t understand what else you can add to this.

Locals try not to give visitors the impression that they are unfriendly to you, that you are a stranger to them. It's even prohibited by law. Despite this, they will talk to the newcomer less openly.

For example, if the conversation turns to travel, they are more likely to discuss the depth of the hotel pool rather than attractions; they are unlikely to exchange impressions. It is difficult for all foreigners to join the team. I am lucky that I have friends of my husband who have become my friends.

But, by the way, all my colleagues are great professionals. IN Russian university Students have a lot of subjects - about 60, but here there are about 15 of them in three years of classes. The advantage of this is that the locals have more deep knowledge in specialized sciences. During classes, no one cheats or plagiarizes by downloading abstracts from the Internet.

You're getting expensive

Each small village here has its own dialect. The courses will teach you how they speak in Oslo, but in practice you will have difficulty understanding what they say to you - sometimes they themselves do not understand each other.

IN free time Norwegians usually stay at home. The problem is high prices. If you go to a good restaurant a couple of times, you can lose a significant part of your salary. Even frequent trips to the cinema can result in big expenses.

Therefore, people play sports in the fresh air, cook their own food, walk in nature - they don’t have to pay for it. From the early age children are taught to go to the mountains and ski - a kind of national sport. Healthy organic food is very popular. The most popular meats are elk, venison, and lamb.

Most men are very tall and handsome. The eye rests on them. Women are also nice, but only when they are young. After 30 years, Norwegians for some reason stop taking care of themselves. They don’t put on makeup or dress up too much anyway, and then they start to fade early.

King of loans

Everyone lives on credit. We also first bought a house, and then an apartment in Oslo. The interest rate in banks is very low: for housing - 2.3 percent. Therefore, only students rent apartments; the rest buy real estate.

There is a concept called the “luxury trap” - when you buy everything you want on credit, but don’t pay the bills. A lot of people here are doing this. If you do this in Russia or the USA, your property will be taken away. Here you can live with debts of millions of crowns, and this is only fraught with problems with the purchase of real estate - you will no longer receive another loan for it.

Didn't come out due to depression

Norway has a very high standard of living. There is no risk of losing your home or job. Enough for a long time you can live on benefits that are close in amount to your last salary. In this regard, the population is provided for. And if the family breadwinner is ill or mental problems- for example, depression - the state will definitely help you.

True, many people abuse this and end up on sick leave for several years. Even problems caused by divorce or an unpleasant atmosphere at work can be a reason for the appointment of such benefits.

Mine is not yours

For many people, it doesn’t even get to the wedding. Civil cohabitation is very common here. In such a union, people have children, live for years, and then can easily separate, find another partner and start a family again.

For locals, a wedding ceremony is a simple holiday for which you just need to spend more money and fill out additional paperwork.

Most couples don't get married. Contracts are signed in advance on the division of all property into shares - in this case, upon separation, everything happens very quickly and there is no need once again nothing to divide, argue or contact lawyers. If people get married, then everything is divided in half.

Blue-eyed cleaning lady

There are a lot of immigrants in Norway. The capital is divided into two parts: West and East Oslo. In the first, you can often meet Norwegians and wealthy visitors, in the second, mainly visitors from China, India, Pakistan, and so on. Housing and food prices are lower there, so locals who want to save money move to eastern part cities. But there are few of them.

In Norway, especially in small villages, any profession is valued. There are no stigmas about mopping floors or being a garbage man. And newcomers most often do not work at all, but live on benefits. They cannot withstand competition with local residents (you need to prove your knowledge of the language, experience, education, and so on). An employer would be better off hiring a Norwegian, but with clear understanding his qualifications.

True, there are many visitors from nearby states who are looking for work. Our salaries are higher due to the strong Norwegian krone. That's why there are a lot of blonde cleaners from Sweden, for example.

Back at the desk again

Next year I plan to enroll in a master's program at a private university in Oslo, if my employer agrees to pay for my studies. And so - all education in Norway is free with high scores at the entrance exams.

I miss Russian films, music, people, entertainment. I miss my family, but I would never go back. My family has a stable future here.

For several years now, life in northern Norway has been recognized by experts as the most comfortable compared to other countries in the world. IN last years The kingdom is often given the status of the state with the highest standard of living.

Speaking about the political and economic situation, we can say that the government managed to build the socialism that the Soviet Union only dreamed of. There are neither very rich people nor beggars here. The majority of the population is middle class. It is believed that the more people with middle incomes, the more prosperous the country is. Here there is cheap medicine, preferential loans for education for students, developed social support population.

However, Norwegian socialism cannot be called a paradise for everyone. Such a system has its pros and cons. Private entrepreneurs have a hard time, since pensions and benefits are paid at the expense of high taxes.

Another source of money for the state treasury is the extraction of minerals: oil and gas. Along with Russian Federation the kingdom is the largest supplier natural gas to the European Union, with about 95% coming through pipelines and only 5% in liquefied form. The North Sea contains the largest oil fields.

The government of the kingdom did a very wise thing: back in 1963, a law was passed according to which absolutely all underwater resources are the property of the state. Thus, only state organizations. Several onshore fields are being developed by large international companies. However, the state seeks to maintain a monopoly there too, imposing a triple tax on their profits. Up to 75% of the amount you manage to earn private company in the field of oil production, still returns to the state treasury.

Another secret is effective management resources. It would be quite possible for Russians to live in an equally prosperous power, given the reserves of oil and gas. However, in Russia lion's share profits end up in the pockets of officials, while there is no corruption in this kingdom.

When prices per barrel reached $80-$100, a fund was established for future generations. IN currently annually it is possible to save up to 20 billion US dollars per year. Obviously, they have not heard about the budget deficit here. In addition, the cost of production is quite low due to advanced technologies.

Apart from the material advantages that make moving to this Scandinavian region so attractive, it is simply very beautiful nature: unique fjords are rocks that rise straight out of the water, the sea is bright blue thanks to a special chemical composition. Despite developed industry, the authorities pay attention to the environment, so plants and factories do not harm the health of citizens.

Tax system

Since the answer to the question of why Norway has the highest standard of living lies in taxes, special attention should be paid to this. tax code states that the more a person earns, the more he must return back to the state treasury. This is how a balance is achieved between the number of rich and poor people: those who earn decently are forced to share with their less fortunate fellow citizens.

In addition, the duty will have to be paid to the owners of items that can be regarded as luxury: cars, real estate, yachts, antiques, and so on. When earning up to 250 thousand crowns a year, a Norwegian contributes 36% to the budget, that is, a third of his income. If annual salary exceeds this number, taxes increase to 50%.

When a foreigner comes to the country intending to find a job, he must register with the tax service within two weeks and receive an identification number. There are several videos on the Internet in Russian in which migrants talk about own experience communication with the tax office.

average salary

Average salary statistics in Norway according to Statistics Norway, NOK per month

Teachers earn about 300,000 - 350,000, and doctors earn the same. Wage workers are considered the highest when compared with other countries, but managers and managers receive less than anywhere else. Thus, there are no prestigious or non-prestigious professions here. Looks strange through Russian eyes typical situation, when mothers are proud of their sons who entered a vocational school to major in mechanics, electricians or machinists. Any work is valued here.

Overtime is paid at a special rate; overtime is considered to be any activity that lasts longer than 7.5 hours a day.

Social programs and benefits from the state

Special preferential loan terms are provided for those who need housing, and students subsequently repay government student loans with very little interest.

Unemployment benefits in Norway are only paid when the applicant meets the following requirements:

1. Before he was fired, the unemployed man worked at the enterprise for at least 2 months (8 weeks).
2. The foreigner was in the country legally and worked under a contract.
3. The migrant was able to find a job within three months after moving.
4. Students are not eligible to receive unemployment benefits, even if they were previously employed.
5. The most important requirement is that the applicant should not be a “parasite”. Required condition- registration at the employment center, visiting this institution every two weeks, active search a new workplace (interviews, advanced training courses, etc.).

The amount of money an unemployed person receives depends primarily on his level of income in his previous position. The period during which assistance is paid ranges from 52 to 104 weeks.

In addition, unlike the European Union, the institution of family and fertility are supported here. Although a few years ago legislature approved the right of homosexuals to same-sex marriage; families here are predominantly traditional. It is characteristic that many are not limited to one child; usually one parent has two or three children. For such families, taxes are reduced; children and their mothers and fathers can enjoy a variety of benefits. The maternity benefit in terms of European currency is about 120 euros, but this amount is not enough for a comfortable existence. The second parent must work.

Prices for food, clothing, transport

Food is expensive, local residents try to save on it, not to mention eating in restaurants, which the average citizen can hardly afford. A large pizza in a pizzeria costs about 250 crowns, and a hamburger in a fast food restaurant chain costs 80-120. Grocery prices in Norway in 2019 look approximately like this (numbers are in kroner):

• potato, bakery products, cereals - from 5 to 9;
• vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers - up to 50 in winter;
• chicken - 40;
• fish products: trout, shrimp - 30-40;
• sunflower oil - 40.

Prices for everyday goods - clothing, household chemicals, office supplies and other small items - do not exceed the figures familiar to Russians. For unknown reasons, children's clothing is cheaper. But transport is expensive. This probably has to do with how much gas costs. Despite the fact that this country does not need to purchase raw materials for fuel from abroad, the cost of 1 liter is even higher than that of the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Belgium, Portugal, which import oil. 1 liter of gasoline costs 3 times more than in the Russian Federation.

If a Norwegian needs to get to a neighboring city, a bus trip will cost 50-60 kroner. Buying a car will not help you save money because the car will be taxed. If you purchase own transport abroad, when crossing the border you will still have to fork out money by paying a fee. Public transport is also expensive, so life in Norway is impossible without bicycles in summer and skis or sleds in winter.

Medical care and education

Apply for preferential treatment medical program Only a foreigner who has spent at least 1 year in the kingdom can do so. In addition, such a person must contribute a certain amount monthly to insurance company. Only minors and pregnant women can receive free treatment. Everyone else can receive free medical care within the amount provided by the insurance program; if the costs exceed, they will have to pay extra from their own pocket.

Every Norwegian has the right to choose a doctor of his own choosing. The downside is the quality of treatment mental illness. Because of northern climate accommodation in Norway is accompanied by frequent depression, especially for visitors. However, treatment for depression is not covered by insurance; only treatment for severe mental disorders is provided on preferential terms. These include autism, Alzheimer's disease, and epilepsy. Dental procedures will also have to be paid out of pocket.

Norwegian education, both school and university, is considered significantly weaker than the European average. But this does not bother residents northern state enjoy life and well-being.

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How good is it to live or go on vacation to Norway? Perhaps life and vacation in the country are completely different concepts, for example, it may be good to relax in , but this cannot be said about permanent place residence in this country.

Statistics about Norway say completely the opposite: it’s good to live in Norway and, on the contrary, it’s bad to relax, let’s look into this issue. So, Norway’s GDP is twice that of the United States and almost four times that of Western European countries, all this thanks to oil and gas reserves, which in total exceed those of European countries. Thanks to the export of energy resources, as well as fishing, Norway has managed to create unprecedented socio-economic conditions for its population, which are the envy of even neighboring Scandinavian countries, for example, if you divide the money from the Norwegian pension fund by the number of population, you get an amount of $ 147,000 per inhabitant countries. It is not difficult to understand the Norwegians who spoke out against the country joining European Union. Downside medals of happiness can be served by high prices for “everything” in Norway, prices even scare away tourists from Western Europe, where else can you find 95 gasoline for 2 euros a liter.

Norway has the world's worst price competitiveness in tourism, infrastructure ground transport is also not conducive to activism, the environment is doing poorly and the travel and tourism sectors are being prioritized. In the ranking of World Economic countries in terms of tourism competitiveness, Norway ranks 22nd in the world, neighboring Sweden is 9th.

The Kingdom of Norway is a sovereign and unitary monarchy in the west of the Scandinavian Peninsula with common borders with Russia and Finland, has extensive coastlines northern part Atlantic Ocean And Barents Sea. Norway is one of the oldest so far existing kingdoms in the world. Norway has signed the Schengen legislation, but is not officially a member of the European Union; it has its own currency, the Norwegian krone.

Standard of living in Norway

Norway has the highest standard of living in the world, supported by the so-called Nordic welfare model, a comprehensive social security, universal medical care, for example, parents in Norway have 46 weeks of paid leave.

Oil in Norway

Norway boasts huge reserves of oil, natural gas, minerals, lumber, seafood, fresh water and hydropower. A quarter of GDP comes from oil industry. Norway has the highest Human Development Index.

Climate and weather in Norway

The climate in Norway is cool, oceanic, influenced by Atlantic storms and unfavorable natural conditions, heavy rainfall, but at the same time milder winters than their neighbors. The capital city of Oslo is the most favorable region in Norway for living, it has the warmest and sunny summer, from the end of May to the end of July the sun never completely sets below the horizon in areas to the north Arctic Circle, and from the end of November to the end of January the sun does not rise above the horizon at all. In Oslo, the climate is very similar to what can be observed in St. Petersburg, however, in the summer it is quite cool, the temperature rarely rises above 15 degrees Celsius, in the winter it is not very cold, about 0 degrees, in general the weather is very bad, which can bring great discomfort to heat-loving people .

In Norway almost all year round you will have to sit indoors, this life is no different from prison, you will have to wean yourself from the sun, the dark and long winter will seem endless, there is no one on the streets at this time, since everyone is sitting at home, the streets are slippery, wet, cold piercing wind , but snow of several meters may also fall. Psychologists recommend drinking fish oil and going outside every day to avoid going crazy.

Population of Norway, foreigners, migrants

Norway has a population of 5,136,700 people, half of whom live in the two largest major cities countries. 86% of the population has at least one parent who was born in Norway, 14% of the Norwegian population are immigrants or children of two immigrant parents, about 6% of immigrants come from EU countries, North America and Australia, 8.1% from Asia, Africa and Latin America. In municipalities such as Oslo there are 32% migrants, in Drammen 27%, in others less than 15%. Today, about 18.5% of newborns were born to migrant families. The rate of immigration to Norway has increased since the beginning of 2005, with the main flow of labor migration from of Eastern Europe, especially from Poland. The population of Norway is actively replenished by children born into families of migrants from Pakistan, Somalia and Vietnam. The largest non-European minority in Norway are Pakistani Norwegians, in the last couple of years the number of Iraqis and Somalis has been growing, and the number of immigrants from Poland, Sweden and Lithuania from European countries has been growing. There are many newly arrived Muslims in the country; the attitude towards them is very wary, but restrained in a European way.

Religion of Norway

Most Norwegians are registered at baptism as members of the Church of Norway, which was the official state church until the constitutional amendment of 21 May 2012. The character of Norwegians is very closed, cold, Nordic, they do not let anyone get close to them. Long winter evenings an illusion of depression can be created, here there is such an evil as alcohol.

Languages ​​in Norway

There are two of them: Bokmål and Nynorsk, the first is Danish, which spread during Danish rule in Norway, and Nynorsk is an artificial language created on the basis of dialects, so half the population speaks one language, the second another, another They hardly understand their friend, they have to switch to English, which is well understood by modern youth. Everything in Norway is only in Norwegian, TV programs, radio, signs on the streets, courses, theaters, Internet sites, in general, the entire information and entertainment component is only in Norwegian, which will be very difficult to learn.

Education and universities in Norway

There are 7 universities in Norway that offer free education regardless of nationality and citizenship, for this reason Norway is very popular among our students, it is the most The best way settle in this prosperous country with a recognized diploma and save a lot of money. You should not think that Norway has a very high level of education, after all, it is a provincial country, there is a very strong shortage of qualified teachers, the only advantage is that Norway is like Europe. Training is often carried out on English language, Norwegian is finished big problem which you will have to face. If you don't know Norwegian, you will immediately find yourself isolated.

Work, vacancies, economy in Norway

Residents of Norway fully enjoy the second highest GDP per capita among European countries, only Luxembourg is ahead of the rest of Europe, but in such a dwarf state, GDP has its own specialization. Today Norway is considered the second richest country in the world in monetary terms with the largest capital reserve per capita. The economy is based mainly on the export of oil and gas, but the disadvantage is that the economy is dependent on world prices for these resources, for example, in 2014 and 2015, the economy of Norway, like Russia, was hit hard by the fall in prices for carbonaceous minerals. A number of key sectors of the Norwegian economy are in the hands of the state

Unemployment in Norway is at a record low of just 2.6%, it is interesting to note that 9.5% of the population aged 18-66 years old receives a disability pension, 30% of the working population work in government in senior positions in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Salaries in Norway

Norway has one of the most high levels salaries in the world also applies hourly rates, while the difference in salaries of the most sought-after highly qualified specialists is relatively not very different from the salary of some cleaner or waiter. Many state-owned companies are considered large employers, for example, the oil companies Statoil and Aker Solutions, the hydropower industry Statkraft, the aluminum concern Norsk Hydro, the largest Norwegian bank DnB NOR, and the telecommunications provider Telenor. Norway, like Liechtenstein and Iceland, participates in the general economic European space, however, such sectors of the economy as fisheries, agriculture, oil are not fully covered by the relevant agreements; roughly speaking, the Norwegians do not want to share their wealth with poor Europe.

Jobs can be found in Norway primarily in companies that operate natural resources, this is oil, gas, fisheries, forestry, mineral extraction. The economy boom occurred in the early 1960s when oil and gas fields were discovered, after which Norway took a strong lead even compared to other countries. Scandinavian countries. Export earnings from oil and gas have reached almost 50% of total exports and account for more than 20% of GDP. Norway is the 5th largest oil exporter and the 3rd largest gas exporter in the world, but is not a member of OPEC. Back in 1995, a “state Pension Fund - Global” was created in Norway, where part of the money from oil export proceeds goes, the so-called insurance fund or national welfare fund in case of any crises, minimizing uncertainty from instability of oil prices, the task of the fund compensate for the costs associated with an aging population. Today, Norway's pension fund holds $870 billion, that's $173,000 for every Norwegian, the largest sovereign wealth fund in the world. Russia, which also depends on oil prices, is trying to follow exactly the same path.

Who's going to Norway?

However, to move to Norway you need to be either very rich or have a job, preferably with highly qualified and knowledge. But again, knowledge is required Norwegian language, globalism has not yet penetrated this wilderness so much. If you have financial savings, then Norway is for you, but on the other hand, why spend these savings on very expensive, cold and miserable life, when there are cheaper but sunny countries.

Norway through the eyes of Russians

In Norway today, for more than one thousand immigrants from Russia or Ukraine, the reviews on the forms are generally favorable.

Salary in Norway is on average 5,000 euros, a third goes to taxes, if the salary is over 10,000 euros, then taxes are already 55%, but with legal entities They can charge 80%. Taxes are taken from luxury goods; Norwegians often buy everything on credit, even if they have enough money for purchases from their wallet, it’s more profitable. After paying taxes like an astronomically large salary, Norwegians may not have enough money for the simplest things, so prosperity here is a relative thing due to the very high prices of goods, products and services, families with very high incomes are ultimately forced to take out loans to buy , for example, the simplest furniture in the house. The working day is 7.5 hours, everything else is at double or triple rate. In Norway there is no such stratification as we have between rich and poor, everyone represents a single middle class, there is total equalization, there is no reason to envy your neighbor. There is no corruption; they hire not a relative, but a professional in their field. Norwegians retire at 67. By this age, old people can do whatever they want, for example, live on cruises around the world or buy real estate in southern Europe or on the islands. In Norway, the role of social support is high; if a citizen does not have enough money for something, the state will definitely help.

Medicine in Norway

Medicine in Norway is free, but if you take into account the entire tax burden, it could be better.

Transport in Norway

Due to the fact that the country is stretched along the coast and low population density public transport not as well developed as in other European countries, this is especially noticeable outside major cities. However, there is a modern railway network and highways.

Apartments, houses, real estate, rental and sale prices in Norway

Renting a two-room apartment in Oslo can cost 1000 euros per month including utilities, it seems that the price is not very high by European standards, the cost square meter real estate is also at an average level and much cheaper than in Moscow. However, finding an apartment is very difficult. The depressing thing is that there is no construction boom in Norway; there are more people looking to find an apartment than there are offers. The future tenant needs to contact the agency, which will draw up a questionnaire for him; salary data will be entered; if the person wins the competition, then he can count on living space. Local housing is warm, but very modest inside, even compared to Soviet housing.

Food in Norway

Prices for food in supermarkets are simply crazy; Norway has practically no agriculture of its own, with the exception of fish. Almost all food products are imported; if a person does not learn to eat like the Norwegians, then almost all the money will be spent on food, especially the cost of fresh vegetables and fruits during the long winter. A kilogram of vegetables or fruit often costs around 10 euros per kilogram.

Disadvantages of living in Norway

Many people go to Norway, believing in the fairy tale that there is high social support here, but in reality such support must be earned; social benefits are guaranteed after at least one year of official work and payment of all required contributions. It is absolutely not true that Norwegians will feed foreign parasites. It is also a fact that in Norway you cannot live on social benefits.

In Norway, products, goods and services are limited. Life in Norway and even its capital Oslo can be compared to a village in other countries, there is a shortage of food, shops may open on shortened hours, limited number of specialty stores and products, limited traffic, there is a steady queue for many socially significant things, for example, it is difficult to enroll a child in a sports section, or to go to the gym or swimming pool yourself; in the summer, many enterprises work for reduced hours. In Norway, despite the large influx of foreigners, there are no ethnic restaurants or exotic food products. There are no festivals or holidays in Norway, life can seem very, very boring, and many everyday joys are inaccessible.

Norway is very difficult country For migrants, it’s one thing when a couple or the whole family comes here, it’s another thing when one person, most likely such a person, will be left alone, seeing only work and an empty apartment in the evening. Those who are accustomed to the noise and joys of large cities in Norway will not like it very much.

Life is very difficult in Norway physical point vision, to reach the store with your feet you will have to spend an order of magnitude more effort than in any other country in the world, because you have to walk through snowdrifts, ice, puddles, hills and the like. It is worth noting the problems of discrimination and racism. The medical servants are quite mediocre, the same can be said about the teachers, whose level is also not the highest. You will have to rely only on yourself in everything; Norwegians have absolutely no regard for foreigners.