What You Need to Know When You’re Moving to Trondheim

Relocating to Trondheim

About Trondheim

After Oslo and Bergen, Trondheim vies with Stavanger for the title of Norway’s third city. While Trondheim has the third most populous municipality, Stavanger has a larger urban population. However, one thing in favor of Trondheim is that it used to be Norway’s capital during the prosperous Viking Age. The city, founded in the year 997 on the south shore of the Trondheimsfjord and at the mouth of the river Nidelva, was an important trading hub in the North Atlantic region.

The population of Trondheim is around 181,513, making it more of a large town than a city. It is often considered to be Norway’s northern capital, even though it’s geographically located in the middle of the country.

As an expat moving to Trondheim, you’ll find plenty of things to do once you get here. The city has a vibrant culture with regular music, theater and art festivals, while the surrounding fjords and mountains mean that opportunities for hiking and skiing are abundant.

The Climate in Trondheim

Trondheim has a sub-arctic climate characterized by long, often severe winters and short, cool summers. The further away you get from the fjord, the colder it gets. In fact, the difference in average yearly temperature between the city center, which is close to the fjord, and the part of the municipality that is furthest away from the fjord is as much as 20°C.

For the most part, Trondheim is sheltered from the strong south and southwesterly winds that can occur along the outer seaboard. The city experiences moderate levels of snowfall between November and March, but this is usually accompanied by mild weather and rainfall. On average there are 14 days each winter with at least 10 inches of snow cover.

Visas for Norway

If you are an EEA citizen, you will not need a visa or work permit in order to live and work in Norway. However, if you are not an EEA national you must apply for a Norway Working Holiday Visa or a work permit in order to live and work in the country. This should be applied for by your employer.

If you are a skilled worker you can apply for a permit for up to 12 months, while seasonal workers can only apply for up to three months — these permits can be applied for at the Norwegian Embassy or Norwegian Directorate of Immigration in your current country of residence.

For more information on visas for Norway, you should also take a look at our dedicated article on Moving to Norway.