- David Hicks
Thanks to my network on InterNations, I already had some contact persons to ask for support on coming to Oslo.
Employment in Stavanger
Local Economy
Throughout the start of the last century, the main industries in the Stavanger region were centered on fishing and shipping. These are still prosperous areas of business to this day, but shipbuilding and fish canning has been greatly overtaken by the engineering and oil industries. These industries are mostly linked and, with constant expansion in these areas, there is a good stream of job opportunities for expats. In fact, 59% of all manufacturing employment in the area is within the booming engineering industry, with most of these jobs relating to the oil business. As such, the Stavanger region has often been ranked as the top business region in Norway.
The region is also renowned for its culinary expertise. From agriculture and food manufacture to fine dining, Stavanger is the food center of Norway and intends to remain as such. For this reason, experts in all realms of food science and culinary arts can expect a warm welcome.
As previously mentioned, Stavanger attracts a fair amount of tourists, particularly during the summer months, and especially due to the large influx of cruise ships. Around 200,000 cruise passengers hop onto dry land and visit Stavanger every year. With this figure continually rising, it is clear to see that skills relating to tourism are in high demand.
Job Hunting in Stavanger
There are a number of ways to hunt for work in Stavanger, including the city’s oldest and still most read newspaper, the Stavanger Aftenblad (website in Norwegian only).
Good guides to helping international job hunters in the region can be found on the following websites:
Meanwhile, Rigzone offers extensive job listings for the petroleum industry.
Income Taxation in Stavanger
On the whole, Norway has a very fair taxation system, whereby each resident pays taxes according to their means. Before working in Norway you must apply for a tax deduction card. This card provides you and your employer with all the taxation information necessary. A good guide to taxation in Norway is the website of the Norwegian Tax Administration. One the same site, you can also find useful contact information for the Norwegian Tax Administration.
For more information on working life in Norway in general, you might also want to take a look at our article on Careers Abroad in Norway.