Incoming staff mobility/employees and guests from abroad

To enter Norway and work at UiT, start applying for a visa and a residence permit for work on UDI's application portal. UiT's Recruitment Section will provide you with the required documentation of your affiliation to UiT. UiT does not have access to your UDI account. Be careful to create only one account. This will streamline the entire process for you, for UDI, and any other involved institution, such as the embassy or the border police.

Upon arrival in Tromsø, you must book an appointment with the police in order to obtain your residence permit. Before you meet up at the police station, you need a pre-booked appointment. Due to long waiting time, we recommend that you book an appointment as soon as you know the date of your arrival. Later you will also need an appointment with the police to renew your residence permit.  

At the pages of the The Norwegian Directorate of Norwegian Immigration (UDI) provides information about the procedures you need to take to obtain a residence permit to work in Norway. The rules vary depending on your citizenship. For all applications, please be accurate when registering your address. UiT’s organisation number is 970422528.

Citizens of Nordic countries do not need to register with the police and may reside in Norway for six months. However, you need a Norwegian ID or D number to work at UiT. Please register in the UDI web, go to the local tax office to apply for a Norwegian ID, a tax deduction card and report your postal address in Norway.

EU/EEA citizens register their arrival to Norway in the UDI-portal:

Please register at the UDI-portal and book an appointment with the police in the internet portal. You need to register at the police station within 3 months of arrival in Norway. You may start to work before you have obtained a Norwegian ID at the Tax office but you may not open a Norwegian bank account or get a tax deduction card. When you receive your ID, please notify UiT and then apply for a tax deduction card at the same Tax office. This also regards family members of an EU/EEA national. 

For non-EU/EEA citizens:

When starting the application process, you are given two options of who should submit the documents: you or your employer. If you choose to do it yourself, you will be directed to the nearest Norwegian embassy that works with consular cases, which in turn probably will direct you to a VFS Global office. You deliver the documents to the VFS office, which sends them to the Norwegian embassy, which in turn sends them to UDI in Norway. For applicants from countries which require visas, UDI will send a message to the nearest embassy advising them to issue an entry visa.

The Power of attorney form entitles a person at UiT to enter your application. This will generally be the Head of Administration at the department where you will be working.

There are two options for verifying the documents when in Norway: either at the police district which covers the municipality you will be living in, or a Service Centre for Foreign workers (SUA). For appointments with the police, choose the police office closest to the campus you will be working at.  Click on SUA  to find Guidelines for presentation of documentation (partly in Norwegian) from UDI UDI 2021-005 (udiregelverk.no)

The documents Cover letter and Power of Attorney are automatically attached to the receipt e-mail you receive when you have paid the fee. For security reasons, UDI is not allowed to send decision letters to the applicants by e-mail but may send the decisions to the person named in the power of attorney document. The person with power of attorney is then legally obliged to forward the decision letter to the applicant.                                                         

The processing time at UDI may take some weeks. However, skilled workers are prioritized. 

When you receive the decision from UDI, you need to send a copy to UiT so that the process involving the employment contract can begin. As soon as you know the date you will be arriving to Tromsø, please book an appointment with the police in Tromsø to verify your identity to obtain a residence card and a Norwegian ID. You do not have to travel to SUA Oslo for an ID check to obtain a residence card and verify your original documents. Please send an e-mail to utlending.troms@politiet.no and ask for an appointment at the police station. You will not be able to book an appointment at the police station in Tromsø via the UDI application portal because your application is connected to SUA Oslo. In the e-mail, please write your DUF number and the date you will arrive. The foreign department at the police station in Tromsø will then arrange an appointment for you at the police station nearest to the campus where you will be working. Following your appointment, the next step is to go to the tax office to obtain your tax deduction card.

Links:

What is SUA?

What is the waiting time Police and SUA offices? 

After the appointment with the police, you need to wait approximately 3 weeks to receive the Norwegian ID afterif you are a citizen from the EU/EEA, and up to 8 weeks if you are from outside the EU/EEA.

D-number versus Norwegian ID:

If you will stay in Norway for less than six months or have applied for protection (asylum) in Norway, you will be given a D-number, which is a temporary ID number. Everyone who is born in Norway or lives permanently or for a longer period than six months in Norway should have a national identity number. This is an identification number of 11 digits, comprising the date of birth and a personal number. A "DUF number" is your registration number at UDI, and not the D number. You use your Norwegian ID number, or D number if applicable, and your passport to identify yourself to public authorities and services, and to open a Norwegian bank account.

Please inform the heads of your host department as soon as you have received your Norwegian ID - or D number. This information is essential for UiT in order to register your employment and salary in our systems.

During your appointment, the police will inform you that you may be called in for a tuberculosis test. The police will ask for your permission to use your e-mail address, so they can pass it on to the health authorities. The health authorities will then contact you by e-mail. The alternative is a letter sent to you by ordinary mail.

Useful links:

• Work in Norway - The official guide, by NAV;
• New in Norway - Practical information from Public Offices, by IMDI;
• UDI on Facebook: Arbeidsinnvandring / Work immigration;
• SUA - Service Centre for Foreign Workers.

The police will give you information on how to proceed, in particular with respect to receiving a Norwegian national identity number (fødselsnummer) or a substitute number (D number). Which identification number you receive depends on your residence permit and the planned duration of your stay in Norway. 

Regarding the possibility for reimbursement of relocation expenses, please inquire with your work place (e.g., the respective UiT faculty or department). Norwegian employers are not obligated by law to cover relocation expenses, but they may if their budget allows it. However, you can deduct the relocation expenses on your tax report.

For information about Norway, EURAXESS Norway provides information, assistance and services free of charge to mobile researchers. Under Information and assistance, you will find information about living and working in Norway, and about NoW; the digital language course developed by NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology). The blog called A Frog in the Fjord is an amusing read about love, winter, food, and Norwegians.

Information about Housing provided by UiT and on the private market:

You may apply for renting a flat at Housing via UiT. Due to the scarce number of flats that UiT has to offer, please start your search for housing also on the private market as soon as your plan for a research stay at UiT is confirmed. Please note that the monthly rental on the private market more or less equals that of UiT. You should be aware that rental prices are relatively high. Please click the link to estimate Costs of living in Troms.

The following links for Rental/buying/announcements for housing may be written in Norwegian. If you don’t know Norwegian, you could either try using translation tools or ask for help at your work unit:

• www.finn.no Choose "Eiendom", and then "Bolig til leie" (Houses for rent);
• www.hybel.no Choose "Finn bolig" (find a place to live);
• Rubrikk.no;
• https://nb-no.facebook.com/groups/til.leie/;
• https://www.housingtarget.com/norway/housing-rentals
• https://www.companyspace.com/norway/commercial-space-rent
• www.sabbaticalhomes.com In English;
• New in Norway has more information and tips regarding accommodation. 

In general, anyone buying a home needs to negotiate offers at different banks. Being a member of a trade union means you can take advantage of the interest rate negotiated for members, which is generally lower than the rate offered to the public. Moreover, as an employee at UiT, you may apply for a housing loan from The Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK). 

UiT - HR-Portal (you must be logged onto the UiT Intranet to access this

When researchers arrive together with their spouse, partner, or family, the question of finding work or gain admission to higher education for the spouse often arises. UiT has not yet developed a service for Dual Career. In the following you will find some information.

Bringing your partner, Dual Career:

In general, you will find that the level of understanding and speaking English in the population is generally rather high, which makes it possible to integrate socially. On the other hand, if your partner wants to work, in most jobs competence in Norwegian is required.

The courses in Norwegian language at UiT are for staff and students from abroad, but the courses at Folkeuniversitetet, are open to everyone. Another option is courses on the internet, e.g., Norwegian on the Web.

You may start looking for jobs at EURAXESS Norway, Work in Norway - NAV , or in Norwegian at FINN.no - mulighetenes marked 

There are free online courses about applying for work in Norway for foreigners.

Bringing your family:

Some new staff members also bring their children, or plan to have a child while in Norway. 

How to apply for child care in a kindergarten in Tromsø: https://tromso.kommune.no/barnehage-og-skole/barnehage/sok-barnehageplass

In the form you are asked for a Norwegian ID. If you do not have one, you may write to servicetorget@tromso.kommune.no, applying for a fictitious ID, explaining that you need it to apply for child care in a kindergarten without having a Norwegian ID. In the mail you write the name, gender and date of birth of the child, and those of the mother. You will then receive a fictitious ID which can be used in the form mentioned above. 

Other links about health care related to family in Norway:

• Rights to parental benefits in Norway;

• Membership of the National Insurance Scheme;
• Healthcare rights for children and adolescents in Norway;
• Who pays your dental bill;
•  NAV’s information about services and benefits. 

UiT - HR Portal (you must be logged on to the UiT Intranet to access this).

Schools and kindergartens:

• School system in Norway;
• Kindergartens in Tromsø; 
• Schools List of state schools in Tromsø;
• List of private schools in Tromsø;
• Tromsø International School;
• Information about admission to school.

Other websites with job ads for job seekers: 

• Jobbnorge.no
• Nav.no Finn.no

• The National Center for Foreign Recognition (NOKUT) provides information about the Norwegian authorization and recognition schemes. The agency provides guidance for people seeking recognition of education and/or work experience from abroad. 
• Karriere Troms provides free guidance in relation to education and work.

Education: 

• The Adult Education Centre - Tromsø (Voksenopplæringa); 
• UiT the Arctic University of Norway - English taught courses and study programmes;
• Practical information from Public Offices.

Links to information about family health care in Norway:

• Membership of the National Insurance Scheme;
• Healthcare rights for children and adolescents in Norway;
• Who pays your dental bill;
• NAV's services and benefits;  
• UiT - HR Portal (you must be logged on to the UiT Intranet to access this site).

In Norway there is a system called fastlegeordningen, by which each individual is assigned to a general practitioner. In order to be assigned to a general practitioner you need to have a Norwegian ID and use your pin code from the bank.

There is a long waiting list to be connected to a "personal "doctor/a given medical center. Wile on the waiting list, you may call the Emergency center (Legevakt) 116117 for further information. Out-of-hours medical service - helsenorge.no 

On campus Tromsø, the Kraft Universitetshelsesenter receives UiT employees who do not have the right to obtain a Norwegian ID. If you have an employee contract for a longer period than 6 months, please look to the information above.

NORWEGIAN EMERGENCY NUMBERS: In case of emergency, call 113 ( for police 112, and in case of fire 110) 

Tromsø: Contact details for the Out-of-hours medical service in Tromsø: 116 117, Sykehusveien 30. For medical emergencies and life-threatening illnesses, call 113. 

Harstad: Contact details for the Out-of-hours medical service in Harstad: 116 117, St. Olavs gate 70, 9406 Harstad. For medical emergencies and life-threatening illnesses, call 113.

Alta: Contact details for the Out-of-hours medical service in Alta: 116 117, Dr. Kvammes vei 21, 9510 Alta. For medical emergencies and life-threatening illnesses, call 113.

Narvik: Contact details for the Out-of-hours medical service in Narvik": 116 117, Sykehusveien 1, 8516 Narvik. For medical emergencies and life-threatening illnesses, call 113.

There are several pharmacies in all Norwegian towns and cities, including at the shopping centres.

All citizens apply for a tax deduction card at the tax office Tax Administration (Skatteetaten). Citizens from the EU/EEA area and the Nordic countries apply for their Norwegian ID there as well, while the police processes the allowance for a Norwegian ID for citizens from outside the EU/EEA area.

• Book an appointment for your visit at the Tax Administration online. Your national identity number or D-number will appear on your tax deduction card.
• To register your postal address, fill in the form  “Permanent change of address for private individuals” at the post office.
• To open a bank account you need a Norwegian ID-number and an address in Norway. Some banks also accept a D-number. Please see more information below.
• The department you work at decides whether your travel expenses before you start working may be covered. Link to information and application form.

Please inform the heads of your department at UiT as soon as you have received your Norwegian ID or D-number. This information is essential to  register your employment and salary in our systems.

Tax deduction card:

If you receive salary from a Norwegian employer, you are obligated to pay tax on your earnings in Norway. Norwegian employers are required to have a tax deduction card for each employee in order to subtract the income tax. You are responsible for procuring your own tax deduction card. If you have not obtained one and forwarded a copy to UiT, 50 per cent of your earnings is withheld until the Salaries Section at UiT receives the card. The correct amount will be reimbursed to you once you have forwarded your tax deduction card.

To obtain a tax deduction card, book appointment online and visit a Norwegian Tax Administration Office; in Tromsø: at Hjalmar Johansens gate 21, in Alta: at Markveien 38b, in Narvik: at Kongensgate 14/16 and 52.

Bring the following:

• Valid identification;
• Employment contract or written confirmation of work assignment in Norway;
• Submit an application for a tax deduction card using form RF-1209.
• If you come from a country outside the EU/EEA area, you must also provide proof of work permission (arbeidstillatelse), documentation stating that you have the right to work and reside in Norway.

If you have obtained a Norwegian ID, your tax deduction card will be automatically renewed every year. If you have a D-number, you need to apply for a renewed tax deduction card every year. This should be done in December, so that the tax deduction card is processed in time for the next calendar year. If the D-number is registered in the system, there is no need to apply in person. You can send the form RF-1209 as ordinary post.

General information from the Norwegian Tax Administration.

Postal address:

Ask for the form “Permanent change of address for private individuals” at the post office or on internet to register your postal address. It is important to check that you have a letter box with your name clearly marked. 

Opening a bank account:

To open a bank account, you need a Norwegian ID and an address in Norway. Some banks also accept a D-number. You will usually need to apply for an ID or D-number at the Norwegian Tax Administration. 
You have to show up in person to sign the agreement for a bank account. Bring your passport, a passport photo, and your Norwegian ID or D-number. For some countries additional documentation may be required.

How to obtain an electronic ID

Useful links:

• Norwegian Tax Administration; 
• Tax Norway;
• Work in Norway;
• General tax conventions between Norway and other states;
• Nordisk eTax - Nordic taxation portal, relevant to Citizens of the Nordic countries;
• The Police.

Reimbursement of travel expenses

The regulations for the reimbursement of travel expenses both at the national level and at UiT state that it is up to the individual budget unit whether the expenses are to be covered or not. This means that the department you will work at has to see whether it is room in their budget to cover the expenses.

A basic argument of assessment is whether the employee is to occupy a temporary position or is going into a permanent position. Hence, employees entering PhD or postdoc positions which are limited in time may experience that their travel expenses are not covered.

Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard.
Health care services are financed by the government, through the National Insurance Scheme. Membership in the National Insurance Scheme is the key to eligibility for the rights to services from NAV (see below).

UiT's Contactpersons in NAV https://cp.compendia.no/uit/medarbeiderhandbok/208550 (intranet address - you need to be logged on at uit.no to read the information). In Norway your membership can be based on residency or employment. You can also be a member of the National Insurance Scheme during stays abroad Membership and International regulations.

UiT offers advisory contacts with whom you may communicate by mail or telephone at NAV, the public entity which administers a third of the Norwegian national budget through schemes such as unemployment benefit, work assessment allowance, sickness benefit, pensions, child benefit and cash-for-care benefit.

Dental services:

In Norway, children under the age of 18 are entitled to free dental care from the public dental service. Young people between the ages of 19 and 20 are entitled to have 75 per cent of their dental care costs covered. Adults over the age of 20 must generally pay for their own dental care. Pursuant to the National Insurance Act, people with certain diseases and health conditions may be entitled to subsidised dental care even after the age of 20.
More information is found at helsenorge.no. 

Tuberculosis test:

A tuberculosis examination is mandatory for some groups of immigrants to Norway. Norwegian law requires that all foreign nationals from countries with a high occurrence of tuberculosis  must be tested within four weeks after arrival if they plan to reside in Norway for more than three months.
Information about Routine Screening for tuberculosis

Useful links:

• New in Norway;
• EURAXESS Norway;
• Helfo - The Norwegian Health Economics Administration;
• The Norwegian Directorate of eHealth.

The Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund:

All employees with more than 20 % position at UiT are members of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (Statens Pensjonskasse). The membership comprises rights to retirement pension and insurance (accidents, injuries and disability). Group life insurance is included in the salary conditions for employees who are covered by the Government's collective wages agreement. 

The Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration (NAV):

NAV covers expenses for medical assistance, provides old-age pension benefits and other pension-related services as well as parental, sickness and unemployment benefits, among others. Everyone residing in Norway permanently or intending to stay for at least 12 months is considered a resident under the National Insurance Act and is therefore entitled to health care coverage under the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. To be eligible for certain benefits, such as unemployment or parental benefits, you must have worked a specific amount of time in Norway.
Please note that resident status under the National Insurance Act is not necessarily identical to resident status as defined in the Taxation Act, and that you might not be fully covered under the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme even if you do pay tax in Norway.
There are also contractual schemes providing some kinds of coverage for employees working for a Norwegian private company. Researchers employed at universities, university colleges and a number of independent research institutes are encompassed by the Basic Collective Agreement (Hovedtariffavtalen i Staten), which includes Group Life and Occupational Injury Insurance as well as travel Insurance. The state does not ensure its risk through agreements with private insurance companies because it is self insurer for its employees. Most Norwegians have private insurance to cover their homes, possessions, children, pets, and their health.

Private Insurance:

Your need for private insurance and various types of coverage will depend on your social security and insurance entitlements in Norway or in your home country. Among various options, being member of a trade union is highly recommended in Norway as you will be entitled to several insurance offers.

You can find an overview of the different types of insurance you may consider at New in Norway .

You can find information about your working relationship with UiT The Arctic University of Norway in the Employee Handbook and the HSE Manual. This is found in our HR Portal (you must be logged on to the UiT Intranet to access this), and at the Internet page Welcome to new employees 

We use the payroll and personnel system SAP, which is supplied by the Directorate for Administration and Financial Management (DFØ).

Employees must use the self-service portal provided in the UiT intranet or the DFØ app to register working hours, travel, absence, reimbursement claims, etc.

Temporary Guest status:

Upon arrival, you need to register by contacting the Head of Administration at the department you are visiting. The receiving department is responsible for you during your visit and will consider the basis for granting you a temporary University ID, key card and access to other resources at UiT.

Orakelet - the IT helpdesk at UiT:

Orakelet IT helpdesk is the IT support at UiT. You can contact the helpdesk by e-mail: orakelet@uit.no, phone: +47 77 64 45 44, or in person in House 2 (next to the MIX kiosk) on campus Tromsø, or online at uit.topdesk.net.

Parking:

You will find information about where to park and how to pay  here.

TODOS - Tromsø Doctoral Students and Post.Docs:

If you are a PhD student or Post.Doc. at UiT, you may be a member of the doctoral student organization TODOS, PhD students and Post.Docs at UiT.

TODOS arranges both academic and social events during the year. You will find information about TODOS on their homepage and on Facebook.  

https://www.sikresiden.no/en/list/preventive

The public sector in Norway pays for extensive services in the interest of the population, including a public health system under which everyone is entitled to treatment, has a right to education, and help in several other areas of life. The taxes that we pay are spent on public services such as health care, hospitals, education, transport and communications. In addition to covering general public expenditure, taxes are designed to contribute to greater equality between individuals. Information about how you apply for a tax deduction card is found under the heading “Newly arrived”.

UiT Campus Tromsø offers a variety of courses in the Norwegian language and literature on basic, intermediate and advanced level. Please note the deadlines in August and January. In addition the major municipalities in the north offer Norwegian courses:

• The Adult Education Centre (Tromsø) starts evening classes in Norwegian every August and January.
• Alta voksenopplæringssenter offers evening classes in Norwegian. 
• Kirkenes kompetansesenter offers Norweglan language courses.
• Narvik voksenopplæring offers Norwegian language courses.
• Harstad voksenopplæring offers Norwegian language courses.
• Folkeuniversitetet offers Norwegian courses online. They also arrange Norwegian courses in Narvik and Bodø.
• NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) has published a free online course on Internet, Norwegian on the Web

Support at UiT

EURAXESS portal - promotion video on youtube

_{^{Major regulations of the working conditions in Norway:}}

The Working Environment Act (Arbeidsmiljøloven)
The Act relating to working environment, working hours and employment protection, etc. includes regulation of working hours: Ch.10, Sect. 10-4: "Normal working hours must not exceed nine hours per 24 hours and 40 hours per seven days." General working hours in the public sector are 37,5 hours per week, cf. the Main tariff agreement (HTA) § 7 (in Norwegian). At UiT the working hours of the administrative staff are: 08:00 - 15:00 from 15th May until 14th September and 08:00 - 15:45 from 15th September until 14th May. Main doors are locked outside working hours. Please remember your entrance card.

The Act relating to Holidays (Ferieloven) From Ch. II Sect. 5 i and ii: "Employees have 25 work days leave in connection with holidays within each holiday year." Employees who reach the age of 60 are entitled to 6 work days additional leave per year." Guide to the Working Environment Act and the Holidays Act (pdf), issued by the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority

Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act (Likestillings- og diskrimineringsloven), last update 16.01.2020: Act relating to equality and prohibition of discrimination.

Basic Agreement for the Civil Service 2006-2008 / Hovedavtalen i staten 2021 in Norwegian. The newest agreement is not translated into English.

Hovedtariffavtalen i staten 2020-2022 (Basic Collective Agreement for the Civil Service) in Norwegian. The agreement is not translated to English. 

Information about trade unions in Norway and at UiT:

A trade union is an association of employees in one or several enterprises generally working within the same field. The trade unions look after the interests of its members. Within Norway, a trade union’s most important role is to negotiate for better pay and working conditions for its members. Read more at Fafo 2013:09 Labour relations in Norway 

Foreign staff are encouraged to be member of a trade union in Norway. Statistics show a negative discrepancy in the percentage of foreign members in comparison with Norwegian members. We strongly advise foreign employees to join a trade union. 

As a member of a trade union in Norway, you pay an annual tax-deductible membership fee, which may be a percentage of your gross pay or a fixed amount due every month, quarter, or year. The union also negotiates with banks and insurance companies and may offer lower interest on loans and  lower annual fee on insurance policy to union members than to non-members.

The trade unions are organised in four main employee confederations in Norway, in alphabetic order:

• the Federation of Norwegian Professional Associations Akademikerne at UiT and Akademikerne in general;
• the Confederation of Norwegian Trade Unions LO, under which you find NTL at UiT;
• the Confederation of Vocational Unions Parat;
• the Confederation of Unions for Professionals UNIO, in which you find Forskerforbundet at UiT.

Common Words and Terms in Collective Wage Agreement Negotiations and Mediations (pdf) (from Riksmekleren/the National Mediator).

A way to socialise and practise Norwegian is to take part in the enormous variety of leisure time activities.

• Search at Facebook for the activity you are interested in situated where you live, or visit the website for building and finding local communities/activities MeetUp

Sport activities

As a start, you may want to look up Advice to the University's own fitness centers, Kraft in Tromsø, Kraft in Alta, Harstadsstudentenes Idrettslag, and Kraft in Narvik

Become a member of the sports team at UiT Norges Arktiske Universitet B.i.l. - Tromsø. Go to https://medlemskap.nif.no/ and search for Norges Arktiske Universitet B.i.l. - Tromsø

On Facebook you may search for any activity you are interested in, depending on where you live, and find for instance running associations like Northern Runners and Tromsø Løpeklubb, or other outdoor activities organised by different sports organisations:

Hiking in the mountains in the area of Tromsø Troms Turlag and Ti På toppTromsø, Harstad, Alta and Narvik.

Alpine skiing: Tromsø Alpinpark, Narvikfjellet, Solfjellet Harstad, SarvesAlta

Sea activities: Tromsø Kajak klubb (tromsohavpadleklubb.com), Tromsø Seilforening (tromsoseil.no),

Riding: Tromsø Rideskole (www.trso.no), Harstad, Alta and Narvik 

Swimming indoors: Grottebadet Harstad, Tromsøbadet

Tennis: Tromsø Tennisklubb, Narvik Tennisklubb

Badminton: Tromsø, Harstad, Alta and Narvik 

Dog sledding: (www.villmarkssenter.no)

Pickleball link (https://tsidrett.no/pickleball/) There are also now two outdoor pickleball courts on the Tromsø campus (see article attached):  https://www.instagram.com/p/CxtK3phN2Cq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== The equipment is taken down when winter starts.

The Norwegian Trekking Association

You may borrow outdoor equipment from Tromsø kommune

News written for foreigners:

Klar tale easy-to-read Norwegian news

News in English.no

The Norway Post

Norwegian Culture - literature, blogs: 

Working with Norwegians: The insider's guide to the Norwegian workplace culture;
A Frog in the Fjord (humourous);

The Social Guidebooks to Norway.  

Tourist information websites:

• Destination Northern Norway;
• Destination Tromsø;
• Destination Alta;
• Destination Harstad;
• Destination Narvik;
• What's happening in Tromsø. 

You must notify the Norwegian Tax Administration if you are moving to a non-Nordic country. Follow the instructions and submit the form to the tax administration (skatteetaten.no). This notification should be made at the earliest 14 days before leaving Norway.

For those who have had access to the IT resources at UiT by System-X, please ask for the closure of your account.

You must close down or check with the bank whether you may keep your Norwegian bank account. 

Please notify the postal services of your new address (posten.no) if you want to ensure that your mail is forwarded to your new address the first two months after your move.

Your final Norwegian tax assessment will be in April the year after you received your final salary from UiT. In order to access it and communicate with the tax administration, it is recommended that you retain your secured electronical ID for the Norwegian public services portal (difi.no) during the first year after leaving Norway. Make sure that the correct bank account is registered with the Norwegian Tax Administration.

UiT welcomes partners, guests or others who want to become better acquainted with the institution, its study programs and academic environment. Some partners visit UiT with well defined tasks, take part in UiT research and education, and have an obvious need for access to UiT's resources. Other visitors may need to clarify their rights and obligations and UiT's responsibility in relation to their visit.

In the following we clarify your rights to access academic resources, and who you may contact to obtain them:

Basically, UiT has no responsibility towards a guest who is in no way registered at UiT. This means initially that a guest may not claim the right to access basic IT services (login to computers, e-mail, storage of data, printing, etc.), nor access to buildings and laboratories. However, the receiving faculty and/or department with hosting functions may approve and allocate rights. The persons who invite guests are responsible for the arrangements of academic activities such as meetings, lectures, tutoring and other professional contact activities. This includes facilitation during the visit and follow-up after the end of stay. The head of the department handles the administrative hosting, in collaboration with the inviting research unit when and where necessary.

The main administrative tasks will be to clarify:

• Right to UiT resources, including office use and possible coverages;
• Access to buildings, IT services, research data, use of infrastructure, etc.;
• Responsibilities in the workplace, HR and insurance;
• IPR and conditions regarding research results;
• Any agreements related to the guest stay.

The guest is responsible for solving matters outside the work situation, like accommodation.

As for experiencing the surroundings, a good start is to look at Visit Norway Arctic Experiences in Northern Norway.

International research stays and international work experience are important for all UiT employees. You become exposed to new ways of solving problems, gain new work experience, get new perspectives on your own work tasks and can participate in a broader professional environments.

International stays are most common among our faculty/academic staff. An increasing focus on international project collaboration in research and education require that also the administrative services and administrative staff take part in the competence building. Good preparation and planning are key to successful stays abroad.

An international stay supports your career, academic and personal progress in many ways. A report by the The Young Academy of Norway: Mobility in academia - a life as a nomad (2016) highlight the importance of stays abroad for researchers: 

The purpose of researcher mobility is ... to contribute to increased international collaboration on applications, projects and publications with the aim of raising the quality of research and hence also the societal benefit of research.

Personally, younger researchers are motivated to an international stay because:

It can increase the chance of permanent employment in the long term;
It provides an opportunity to really become part of, and not just get acquainted with, another research environment.
A report by Universities Norway: Better career policy for scientific staff in the higher education sector (2015) underlines the importance of action by supervisors, career advisors and academic environment:

emphasize internationalization in the candidates' development plan at the beginning of the doctoral period and;
strengthen the importance of stays abroad in the PhD program;
emphasize that such stays are meritorious;
establish a culture within research groups staying abroad as meritorious.

It is important to plan your stay abroad to fit your career plan, your study plan or the plan for your R&D sabbatical. Also, initiate your planning early. Your leader, supervisor, research group, professional group or alike may assist in the planning to ensure that stays abroad are well planned, contacts are linked, goals of the stay are fixed. Closer collaboration with institutions abroad provides a better basis for mobility. Increased emphasis on mobility is an intrinsic part of strategic career planning.

In particular for PhD-students, it is important to aim for better planning practices:

Your academic environment and supervisors must ensure that stays abroad are integrated early in the academic plan. Preferably you do this in the PhD application phase or the first year of studies, as well as plan for financing. If you have not started planning until the third year of your PhD study, then it is often too late.

It is important to keep your goal in mind regarding duration and expected benefits. There are gender differences regarding planned duration and perceived academic benefits. Is the main focus on researcher work experience or on professional community? What are your needs for own financial security? How to manage family factors; school, kindergarten, relatives, etc. Are there possibilities for a flexible duration? Short and long stays have different purposes and benefits.

You will find numerous checklists for what you should keep in mind. Please check your rights to work and residence permit if you are not Norwegian or a foreign citizen. Are you a public employee (civil cervant) in Norway (UiT), or do you have another employer? Are you exempted from compulsory work? Are you a student? Have you had membership in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheeme in three of the last five years? What is the length of the planned stay? Regulations change for stays longer than three months, and then longer than12 months.

The following points normally require attention, some of them depending on your host country and duration of stay:

Visa and work permit
Most countries have regulations/permits for working and for staying over longer periods, which are different from regulations for tourists. Make sure that you arrive with the proper permits/visa.The host country will always have the most updated information, and normally the web pages are well developed. You should also seek advice from the host institution. Probably an invitation letter to support the application for permit/visa may be required.

Insurance
Do make sure that you are well insured because nobody else pays attention to this issue. The host institution may require of you to arrive with certain insurances. Your home and work place insurances may satisfy these requirements. In that case you may have to provide relevant documentation to the host. Information on insurance for health, workplace and travel is posted at National Insurance Scheme - NAV about stays abroad.

As a Norwegian citizen or as a UiT employee you normally have a compulsory membership in the National Insurance Scheme (NAV). For stays outside Norway this membership may, however, end. You should find out whether you are entitled to a voluntary membership or if you may continue with the compulsory membership. The latter is normally the case when you are a Norwegian citizen, have a Norwegian employer, receive salary from Norway, and the stay is shorter than 12 months. Norway has entered bilateral agremeents with some countries on this issue. Regarding health rights, look up HelseNorge about Live or study abroad. Note that membership in the National Insurance Scheme is a key to maintain access to Norwegian health rights. There are different regulations for stays inside and outside EU/EEA/Switzerland. For stays in USA, HelseNorge has entered an agreement with the company Equian.

Taxes
Familiarize yourself with the applicable tax regulations that govern your stay abroad, and do it before you travel. NTNU has information on Taxes during your sabbatical year.

UiT self insurance service abroad
As a public institution, UiT is itself responsible for insurance coverage for its staff and students in work place situation. Work place situations are often defined as: presence at the work place, while working, and during working hours. Regulations are found several places in Statens personalhåndbok. Some of them are dependent upon membership in the National Insurance Scheme, others upon beeing defined as being in service. For stays abroad longer than one month, a document should be issued declaring the alternative work place and that the stay is a placement abroad. This is in order to remain under the work place insurance paragraphs of the travel regulations while the rates for in service travel may not apply.

UiT travel information
For security reasons, UiT needs to have information on your in service whereabouts. This is in case emergency communication becomes necessary; accidents, natural disasters, conflicts, pandemics, and alike.This information is normally taken care of when booking tickets through the travel agency approved by UiT. If, in rare cases, you arrange tickets/travel outside the UiT approved travel agency, then you must register your travel in the form provided. 
For your own security, be aware of how you behave and the role you play during the stay. Follow local advice, participate in networks, consider local anticipation of your status and position. After all, you are an ambassador from your own institution.

IT security and research data
Pay attention to UiT regulations for using IT equipment and IT licenses abroad (uit.no/sikkerhet). You must also be conscious of how others may access and use your research data (uit.no/forskningsdata). Host institutions may present to you agreements on rights to IPR and research results during the stay. Read these carefully before signing, consult with your research administration.