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'Don't give up': How a move to Norway can be good for your career

Moving abroad requires a mix of adventurous spirit, a strong skill set, patience with paperwork, and, let's be honest, a lot of energy. Overcoming inertia often demands an extra push, but it is possible but real to achieve a career break through in a new country. We spoke to three internationals from different countries and industries who share two things in common: they moved to Norway, and they did so with a clear career goal—growing within their field of work. Cristiane Gonzaga, 38 years old, Head of Digitalization at Siemens Energy, from Brazil Cristiane Gonzaga. Photo: private Cristiane's background is in the oil & gas industry and she was already established as a chemical engineer in Rio de Janeiro when her company needed her professional and academic expertise as a sivilingeniør in Oslo . What began as a three-month delegation in 2014 stretched to five, and eventually into a local contract as a senior engineer. 'The engineering market in Brazil at the time was not good for my area due to the low oil prices, and to a corruption crisis in Brazil," Cristiane admits, adding that her decision wasn't purely professional. 'I liked the Norwegian culture, the work culture at the office in Oslo, started to ski, and also got a boyfriend here, who today is my husband and we have a small baby boy together now," she said. Despite her experience, Christiane had to rebuild a professional reputation after moving to Norway given that " no colleagues knew me nor how I worked from before." "In addition to adjusting to a new culture and work culture, there are a lot of unspoken rules,' she said. READ ALSO: Five unwritten rules that explain how Norway works She was able to move forward in her career, first becoming a team manager and later advancing to Head of Digitalization in a global organization. 'In the beginning, as an individual contributor, the local language was not necessary at all, everybody spoke fluent English, which was also the official language of the office due to the 40 different nationalities of employees," she said. But when progressing into leadership and management roles, Norwegian was a must have because "all meetings, training and communication was in Norwegian,' she added. Advertisement Her advice to newcomers is to " listen to others, but trust your own instincts and impressions." 'It helped to have Brazilian colleagues who had been here longer to get familiar with the most basic things, at the same time that their understanding, opinions, and suggestions about Norwegian culture became a limiting factor for me," she said. "It was refreshing to make my own impressions and to make decisions based on them after I was myself more familiar with everything. Get to know yourself, what is core to you and what can be changed to adapt to a new country and its culture. "Do not change your core, you will not thrive anywhere if you do it. If you absolutely feel that it is needed to change who you deeply are, then this place is not meant for you," she said. Ieva Sibilla Strupule, 35, founder of GrantMapper, from Latvia Ieva Sibilla Strupule. Photo: private Ieva moved to Oslo in 2020 to found a tech company tackling construction waste, following a decade's experience launching a range of startups elsewhere in Europe. Today, she is the CEO of GrantMapper , an AI-powered co-pilot that helps applicants to write European Grant applications. Norway was the sixth country she had moved to, but despite that experience the challenges were still gigantic, she said. 'Starting from scratch personally and professionally, and launching a new company right as Covid hit. It meant building networks, understanding the local culture, the people, and navigating funding and tax systems besides the global pandemic all at once,' she said. Her first break came from being persistent, proactive, and determined. Advertisement 'I talked to people. I applied for every grant and award and competition I could find," she said. A key moment for Ieva was winning The Global Hack, a community science initiative, in which she, competed against 15,000 participants worldwide. "That was surreal, especially since it was all online and during Covid peak. That win led to Forbes articles, partnerships, and funding opportunities that kick started everything," she said. She said her proudest achievement since relocating to Norway was "the relationships I have built, both personal and professional, while respecting the local system and staying true to myself, my boundaries, my values, and my own culture." "I unfortunately see an increasing number of people who somewhat lose or give up parts of their unique personalities and backgrounds just to fit in, so I'm quite proud not to conform to that," she explained. Advertisement 'I am far from proficient in Norwegian, and it has not been essential as I have focused on global markets. But if your main market is Norway, it is a must. Even if it is not, understanding and speaking basic Norwegian is appreciated and shows respect for the culture, she advised. READ ALSO: 53 phrases to help you get by in a Norwegian-speaking office Newcomers to Norway can do plenty to prepare in advance, she said. 'Before moving, talk to at least one foreigner who is already here and works in tech. Listen, learn and prepare. Do your homework on business norms, also funding, hiring and taxes if you plan on starting a company. It is something I honestly wish I had done more thoroughly." Jan Khür, 35, photographer and co-owner of Abrakadabra Studio, from Czech Republic After exploring journeys in the corporate and startup worlds, it's time to step into the creative industry. Jan had always been passionate about photography before moving to Oslo in 2013 to work as a photo assistant. 'Coming to Oslo was a way to get more hands-on experience in the field,' he explains. At first, balancing roles and getting to know people was key. 'When I first arrived, I was working as a photo assistant, but to support myself I also took shifts bartending in places like Sukkerbiten, Jæger, and Kulturhuset. That turned out to be a great way to meet people involved in all kinds of creative projects. After a while, the bars started booking me as a photographer instead of as a bartender," he recounted. "Suddenly I was shooting a lot of food and music photography. I continued freelance assisting during that time, which gave me valuable experience and helped me build a network of friends and clients.' Advertisement Today, he co-owns Abrakadabra Studio with photographer Julie Hrnčířová, and is well versed in the challenges of r unning a small business in Norway. 'We're a small studio, and starting a business in Norway can be tough. You're hit with the same rules and taxes as big corporations, which can make it harder to invest in equipment or hire people," he said. "It feels a bit counterproductive at times. We've always had plenty of work, but running a company on a small scale here is expensive. I hear the same from many other small business owners.' Language hasn't been a barrier for Jan. 'We work with a lot of creative people, and many of the productions are international, so I end up mixing English and Norwegian quite a bit. I enjoy the language, but speaking English at work has never really been a problem for me. Maybe it has influenced someone's decision to work with someone else, but no one has ever told me that directly. For most situations, I feel it's optional,' he said. Jan's advice for other foreign business starters in Norway is 'don't give up." "It might take longer to get where you want to be in Oslo, but it's worth it," he said.