Moving to Oslo as an expat

First decision, temporary or permanent Decide early whether you will live in Oslo permanently or temporarily. If permanent, look at the regular housing market and buying. If temporary, under twelve months, a furnished apartment is the right choice. You move in with a suitcase, the apartment is fully equipped, and you can focus on starting your new job instead of furnishing a home.

Housing in the right area Most expats choose Frogner, Tjuvholmen, Aker brygge, Bjørvika or Holmenkollen. Frogner is the classic embassy district, with art-nouveau facades, embassies and Vigeland Park as the closest neighbour. Tjuvholmen and Aker brygge are the modern waterfront districts with art, restaurants and short distance to offices. Holmenkollen is for those who want quiet, nature and skiing, a longer commute, but a more residential feel.

Registration and personal number Within eight days of arrival, you must register with the local authorities. You get a personal number (or a D-number for shorter stays) which is required for almost everything else, bank account, phone subscription, doctor, kindergarten. Most employers help with this, but it is your responsibility to follow up.

Bank account and BankID Norway runs digitally on BankID. Without BankID you cannot easily pay bills, sign documents or access public services. Open a bank account at DNB, Nordea or Sparebank 1 and get BankID issued, count two to four weeks. In the meantime, your employer can help with bridging solutions.

Transport Oslo has a strong public transport system, metro, tram, bus, ferry, train. The Ruter app handles tickets, and the monthly pass costs around 850 NOK. The city is also bikeable in summer. A car is rarely necessary in central Oslo; if you settle in Holmenkollen or Bærum, it is more useful.

International schools For families, the main international schools are Oslo International School (Bekkestua), British International School of Oslo (Frogner) and the German School (Frogner). Application processes start months in advance, for September start, write in March. Schools are full long before the Norwegian school year starts.

Health and doctor You get a "fastlege" (regular GP) registered through the Norwegian health portal. Health insurance is mostly covered by the public system once you are registered. For private health insurance, useful for faster specialist access, DNB and Storebrand have employer-friendly programmes.

Daily life and tax Tax in Norway is high but transparent, what you pay is what you get. Healthcare, schools, infrastructure and parental leave are world class. Salaries are calibrated against this, so the net situation is often better than it looks on paper. Ask your employer about the special tax scheme for foreign workers (kildeskatt), it can save you significant amounts in the first two years.

When you arrive The first weekend should be spent walking around your district, finding the grocery store, the wine monopoly, the gym, the playgrounds, the route to the office. Within a week, the routines are in place. Within a month, Oslo feels like home.