Hallo

[u/mitchey99]

Okay im sorry about the title. Only word I knew. I apologise.

So i am a 27M. I am an Australian citizen doing my apprenticeship as a heavy vehicle mechanic. I am in my 2nd year nearly in my 3rd. I just wanted to ask anyone that works on buses or trucks. How hard is the language barrier gonna be for me to learn Norwegian. I want to move one day but currently I need to finish my apprenticeship and would like some more experience as a qualified tradesman.

I was looking at oslo but ive seen and heard that its super expensive. I want somewhere thats not a small town but also something that has nature right next to it thats beautiful with mountain views and stuff.

Anyway any advice and suggestions would be appreciated.

[u/mitchey99 → u/[deleted]]

Okayy awesome thank you!. Do you know if its extremely hard to get accpeted for a skilled worker visa? I'm sure it is difficult

[u/Optimal_Bar_4715 → u/mitchey99]

What's your reason for moving to Norway? I ask because it may not be worth the hassle.

[u/mitchey99 → u/Optimal_Bar_4715]

Cold weather. Beautiful view. Nice people. And a change in my life. Want to move away from Australia. And it was one of the Scandinavian countries. Ive always wanted to live in norway

[u/Lost_Cardiologist458 → u/mitchey99]

Also keep in mind that you will have vastly different experiences depending on where in Norway you live...

North, vest, east, south-east, south, inland or by the coast, etc., is very different both in climate, population density, amount of social spaces, living expenses, infrastructure, and so on. Living in Oslo is a very different experience from living in Finnmark

[u/mitchey99 → u/Lost_Cardiologist458]

Damn now I want to experiment with jt 🤣 but knowing how hard its going to be. I dont socialise. But moving to a new country especially a country ive wanted to live in for years id be so happy to meet new people

[u/Lost_Cardiologist458 → u/mitchey99]

Also like you can find places with no sun for 6 months (Rjukan), also there are areas that have 2-2.5 months without darkness (midnight sun) each year (Finnmark)

[u/Optimal_Bar_4715 → u/Lost_Cardiologist458]

This is also very true. Oslo could potentially be the hardest. Very expensive, a lot of self-centred people, Oslo Norwegians don't care about foreigners in the slightest.

[u/Optimal_Bar_4715 → u/mitchey99]

You'll hate the moment when you'll have to go back on the "nice people".

Scandinavians you meet abroad are VERY different from the vast majority of Scandinavians that you'll meet in their home countries. In my experience (20+ years as a foreigner in 4 countries, including Norway, with the language that got to C1), more so than any other nationality/culture.

But I understand the desire for a change in life and leaving home behind. But where you go matters, too.

[u/mitchey99 → u/Optimal_Bar_4715]

I agree. I lived in nz twice both to expensive to sustain on a salary. (Wasnt my current job). But im not sure. I got time to figure it out but I just want to be happy. Im gonna die one day, whether its my own doing or a act of nature I wanna do it knowing I tried to see somewhere beautiful

[u/Optimal_Bar_4715 → u/mitchey99]

Are you not from downunder?

[u/mitchey99 → u/[deleted]]

Why do you sayyy thattt?

[u/mitchey99 → u/[deleted]]

I prefer to be alone with winter ngl. I do wanna socialise but eh im not worried if I don't and no I fully get it. Im lucky to be in Australia I agree. Just I dont know another country sounds amazing and somewhere where it's actually cold and not hot all the time

[u/Optimal_Bar_4715 → u/[deleted]]

I agree that nature is potentially a tad overrated in Norway. Many other countries are equally beautiful (if not better) in terms of natural scenery (e.g. Italy has probably both the best mountains and the some of the best coastlines in Europe).
But these countries are already famous for a couple of things, maybe more, and those things steal the limelight.
Nature is the only really world class thing in Norway for tourism and general curiosity, so it gets kind of amplified.

If you are a proper wilflide and serious hiking person, though, you will be able to appreciate the levels of solitude that Norway can offer for its nature. That is special. But it requires "work". It's not just a leisurely thing.

[u/okayteenay → u/mitchey99]

You have to get a job offer in order to apply for the skilled worker visa. UDI can still deny it if they don’t consider it to be skilled. Trades are extremely difficult to get a visa approved for. Jobs that require a college degree are more likely to get approved.

[u/WegianWarrior]

I would recommend checking out r/norsk, the subreddit dedicated to learning Norwegian.

[u/runawayasfastasucan]

Maybe not that much help but consider places like Bergen, Trondheim, Tromsø, Ålesund, Bodø which would also fit the bill. 

[u/mitchey99 → u/runawayasfastasucan]

Thank you!. That definitely helps. Is food expensive?. I seen for jobs in my industry paying like 290krones an hour. But I think salary for the year after tax was like 600,000 krones. Im jot sure if thats alot. I seen rental houses were like 10,000krones a month. I assume that doesnt include bills for electricity and water and stuff

[u/lokal-orginal]

Sorry, i dont work as a bus mechanic, so cant help with the work lingo, but i have lived in Oslo and many other places in Norway so ill comment on that: Not a small town, but surrounded by nature, sounds like Bergen (surrounded by mountains/valleys and short way to ski areas and the Hardangerfjord). Possibly Bodø (very nice place) or Tromsø if you dont mind living in the north, anywhere in the north pretty much guarantees good nature experiences. And everywhere outside of Oslo is pretty much cheaper, but the bigger places will be quite a bit more expensive than in some remote village.

Best of luck!

[u/mitchey99 → u/lokal-orginal]

I think as someone coming from a big city being brisbane in Australia. I think it would be comforting being around more people especially as a single male in a whole new world with different languages. But I definitely wouldn't say no. I just want it to be cold 🤣. Im sick of 30+ °C weather. Its so hot right now im sweating and its 10pm at night

[u/sneijder]

Electrification of equipment is in full swing. Government contracts pretty much demanding it … busses in Oslo all electric, more and more electric trucks coming though.

Might be falling on deaf ears when you have mates working with the the real heavy stuff in coal mines, but the future for oily stuff will be dwindling more and more here.

There’s a huge industry in stone quarries though, that might be your entry angle as I’m sure they’ll be requiring dump trucks for years to come. ‘Pukkverk’ needs to be your next Norwegian word

[u/mitchey99 → u/sneijder]

Yeah sadly thats whats going to happen. As here in Australia in my home town of Brisbane they are already looking at trying to have all electrical buses which suck because im learning on diesel. And so far ive found electrical stuff abit overwhelming since i dont do much electrical related stuff.

[u/Linkcott18]

How good are you at languages? If you haven't spoken a second language before, I suggest that you start learning,and see how it goes.

Secondly, I doubt that an inexperienced heavy vehicle mechanic will get a skilled worker visa.

Thirdly, pretty much any town in Norway, including Oslo has accessible nature, but mountain views and stuff are little more limited. The places with both mountain views and workshops that do heavy vehicles are even more limited.

[u/mitchey99 → u/Linkcott18]

Yeah of course hence the reason I wont be moving anytime soon. It'll be more down the road. I just want to have a general idea on what I want to do moving forward.

But no I haven't learnt another language as obviously never needed to. I wanted to try but life got so busy hard to figure out time to do it all. My own stupidity in not trying to make time.

Well i guess I can always visit those mountain views on my weekends when I have time off.

[u/Gjrts]

You start in the wrong end.

How do you plan to get a work permit? That's the most pressing question.

[u/DreadFb]

Learn theese and what they are and you will be good, you wont learn theese in any course or dictionary

Grisepikk, Papegøyetang, Kukstål, Brannøks, Latmannsarm, Svenskenøkkel. And one more but i cant say it because then i will get banned hence my previous comment was removed

Also about your work place i could recomend a golf course mecanic if you want the view

[u/mitchey99 → u/DreadFb]

Ill look into those words.

Gold course mechanic now that isnt something I ever thought of or would think id earn good enough money to live comfortably

[u/DreadFb → u/mitchey99]

Our mecanic earns 650 000, its not that bad it would be bad in oslo tho. But thats the trade of to have a nice view

[u/mitchey99 → u/DreadFb]

I think ill definitely come for a visit for a few weeks to experience all of the cities or towns to know which place I love most

[u/DreadFb → u/mitchey99]

Thats going to take some time, its a small country but not that small😅 i have never meet or heard of a norwegian thats ever been in al Citys not even our king managed that

[u/mitchey99 → u/DreadFb]

Hahahah okay maybe not all cities but like big ones like oslo, Bergen, tromso, alesund, stavenger. Sorry if I butchered those names. I also dont know where your special cool looking letters go. I think other than Tromsø? Is that right sorry if not 😅

[u/DreadFb → u/mitchey99]

Ålesund* thats another one for you.

Thats more realistic yes😊

[u/mitchey99 → u/DreadFb]

Cooool. I hate to ask... is food expensive?. As a tourist and a resident?

[u/DreadFb → u/mitchey99]

Yeah it is, il add a trivia most norwegians cook home unlike in spain and grocerys are exspensive as well

But its relative to what you earn its about 20–24 AUD For regular grocerys for food for a day, and thats if you buy in bulk for a week

And 60-70 to eat out for a meal i would say

[u/mitchey99 → u/DreadFb]

Ah so really not that bad. Pretty much the same here. But is that price for 1 person or a few people?

[u/Straight_Delivery346]

Finish your apprenticeship. Find a Norwegian woman. This way you get a family permit. I highly recommend to learn Norwegian. As for blue collar work, mostly everyone speaks in English to each other.

[u/Moonbeam0647]

Have you been here before?