WORKING IN THE OIL
AND GAS INDUSTRY
IN NORWAY
(Updated July 2016)
About the industry
Norway has been producing oil and gas since 1971 and in the last years Norwegian oil
production has decreased to lower than at its peak. The easiest barrels have been found and
produced and thus the way ahead will be demanding in terms of expertise, technology and
costs. For more on the history of this industry in Norway, visit
http://norskoljeoggass.no/en/Facts/Petroleum-history/
Location of production:
As evident on http://www.petroleumskartet.no/, Oil and Gas extraction is done offshore.
However most of the industry on land is in the western and northern parts of Norway.
Demand within this sector
Statistics from 2012 show that less than 40% of the employees in the oil industry in Norway
worked offshore.
Since the middle of 2013, there has been a decrease in the number of engineers required for
projects in Norway and as the Oil price decreased, so did the need for new employees within
the industry.
For the time being, the need for professionals is lower in the supplying companies/oilfield
services companies than in the operators/operations companies It is recommended to read the
news, so to follow on the most current changes within this market and to be informed of
which companies have gotten which contracts.
Language, education and training requirements
The working languages in the oil and gas industry are Norwegian and English.
For safety reasons, fluency is required in at least one of these languages. Most small
companies prefer proficiency in Norwegian. If Norwegian skills are absent, many companies
will require at least a minimum of fluency in English. It is recommended to try to learn the
Norwegian language before relocating. You can test whether the language resonates with you
by trying the free online course at www.ntnu.edu/learnnow
Training and medical requirements
In order to be admitted for work on oil rigs, you need specific safety and emergency courses.
The safety and emergency courses are conducted at schools approved by The Norwegian Oil
and Gas Association (NOG). You will find a list of all schools and courses on
http://www.norskoljeoggass.no/en/Activities/HSE-and-operation/Rtraining/List-of-approved-
courses-and-course/ and http://www.falcknutec.no/en/. The courses are expensive and usually
conducted in Norwegian. A few courses are offered in English.
Important notice:
«Please be informed that Norwegian Oil and Gas does not approve any training providers
outside of Norway. Training providers who offer Norwegian Oil and Gas certification
following their basic offshore safety and emergency training) and the refresher courses are not
in any way endorsed by Norwegian Oil and Gas.Norwegian Oil and Gas certificates issued by
such providers will not be valid in Norway.However exceptions are made according to the
mutual agreement between Oil and Gas UK, Nogepa, Danish Operators and Norwegian Oil
and Gas.»(Source: http://norskoljeoggass.no/en/Activities/HSE-and-operation/Rtraining/)
Recommended guidelines for safety and emergency preparedness can be found on
http://www.norskoljeoggass.no/en/Activities/HSE-and-operation/Rtraining/
In addition to the safety and emergency course, a medical certificate confirming fitness for
work on oil rigs is a requirement.
Every person who travels offshore on the Norwegian shelf is subject to all of the rules in the
Norwegian health requirement regulations. For more information in English visit
http://tinyurl.com/busvbma
Accreditation of Education
Relevant higher education for this sector is typically an engineering degree (3-5 years) in
petroleum technology, geology/geophysics, drilling, reservoir, mechanics and design,
structural engineering, automation and instrumentation, or similar degrees.
Other technical disciplines are applicable, such as IT, project management, logistics, HSE etc.
For recognition of foreign higher education, apply to the Norwegian Agency for Quality
Assurance in Education ("NOKUT") at http://www.nokut.no/en/. Some professions are
regulated by law and you can find a complete list on NOKUT. Make sure you meet all the
requirements for recognition. Technical/vocational schools/colleges within petroleum
technology, drilling, well service, welding and electrical studies can be relevant to this sector.
The oil industry hires skilled workers in processing, industry mechanics, and other
mechanical disciplines. You need to document your skills (in English) by submitting a
certificate from your school, college or university. In addition, you should have relevant work
experience and reference persons who can be contacted by a prospective employer.
How to find work in the industry?
If you want to use EURES, always start your mobility act by contacting EURES in your home
country.
The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) has a database containing all
published vacancies. This is basically available in Norwegian. Visit www.nav.no and choose
“ledige stillinger ” to find the job vacancies.
● Select the category “Industry, bygg etc.”
● Select the subcategory “Olje, gass, bergverk”
● Enter relevant key words ("ingeniør, mekanisk, offshore" etc) in the text box below.
● In some cases you can type these key words in English or you can combine the key
words with the word English.
● Click on “Søk”.
All vacancies in English published on the NAV job database are on
https://tjenester.nav.no/stillinger/stillinger?q=english. The same vacancies are published on
the EURES mobility portal: http://eures.europa.eu.
Most companies have their own website where they publish vacancies directly.
On www.nortrade.com (The Norwegian Trade Portal) and on www.gulesider.no (The
Norwegian Yellow Pages), you will find lists of relevant companies.
Oil and Gas companies operating in Norway, can be found on
http://www.norskoljeoggass.no/no/Om/Medlemsbedrifter/.
Companies within related industries are to be found on
http://www.norskindustri.no/medlem/Vare-medlemmer/.
Norwegian recruitment companies/staffing agencies play an important role in this industry
and are very well worth contacting, if you have 5+ years of experience.
An important source of information before relocation is www.workinnorway.no
Employers and job seekers may contact the National contact point, NAV Service Centre
EURES (NSSE) on tel.: +47 75 42 64 04 (Monday- Friday, 08:00 am to 15:30 pm) or e-mail:
[email protected] to enquire about vacancies. On Mondays and Fridays (10:00 – 13:00) the
EURES services in Norway is available on chat.
Apply for a job
You do not need to be in the country to apply for a job. Most companies prefer online applications
and have the tools to provide online screening interviews before requesting a formal interview at
their offices.
Companies may also take 3 + months to provide any feedback on your application. It is
therefore important to keep a structured list of:
● each position you have applied for
● the date of submission of the application
● the contact persons
● the last date of application for all candidates
We also recommend that you keep copies of all advertisements, so you are better prepared
when eventually being contacted by the recruiter/HR Consultant.
General information about working and living in Norway is available on
www.workinnorway.no and the NAV EURES website www.nav.no/englisheures.
Every month, oil companies receive hundreds of open applications from people from all over
the world looking for offshore work.
We do not recommend sending open applications, as this is not the way most companies
recruit personnel. Look for actual vacancies on:
- the companies’ websites,
- on www.linkedIn.com
- on www.nav.no and
- on www.finn.no
Only send an application if you have adequate qualifications, experience and language skills.
Additionally visit:
● http://www.offshore.no/jobb/stillinger/ for information and oversight of recruitment
services for several offshore professions.
● http://www.intsok.com/Partners where you will find a list of “Partner” companies that
can be contacted.
● www.jobboffshore.no which specifies information on the different offshore jobs and
the professional requirements for them under “Yrker offshore”. For example: Chapter
“boredekk” links to companies looking for staff to work on deck. Chapter
“forpleining” links to companies looking for catering staff. Look for links stating “Se
firma du kan søke jobb til her”
Wages
In Norway there is no single legal minimum wage that applies for all branches and
professions. Organisations (representing employers and unions) regularly negotiate wages and
working conditions, resulting in wage agreements by sector ("tariffavtale" in Norwegian).
Member companies commit themselves to pay wages according to agreements achieved
between the parties. Very often you will find that your wages are set according to the above
mentioned wage agreements.
The wages in the industry varies depending on your experience and discipline.
A Engineer within the energy sector, with 1-3 years experience, may have a gross yearly
salary of NOK 572 600 (€ 60863 at NOK 9, 41), according to average salary calculations om
www.nito.com. Senior engineers will naturally earn more. Offshore supplements/benefits
apply.
Taxes
When you work for a Norwegian employer, you are required to pay income tax. Visit
www.skatteetaten.no and www.workinnorway.no to learn more about paying taxes.
Work contracts
Read your rights as an employee and find a standard contract of employment in several
languages on www.workinnorway.no .For detailed contracts in English, visit
http://www.arbeidstilsynet.no/working-conditions-in-norway.html
Preparing for relocation
Visit www.workinnorway to get a step by step guide on how to prepare before relocation.
For additional information, visit www.nav.no/englisheures.
Related information
● http://eures.europa.eu (EURES job Mobility Portal)
● www.offshore.no (Industry Journal ,Only in Norwegian)
● www.petro.no (Industry Journal, information about companies, vacancies)
● www.udi.no ( The Directorate of Immigration)
● www.arbeidsdtilsynet.no (The Labour Inspection Authority)
● www.nokut.no (the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education,
"NOKUT").
● www.sua.no (Service centre for Foreign workers. A “one stop shop” for registration)
