Looking for work can be a time consuming job in itself, especially when you are looking for that dream position in a new country. To simplify this operation you can find a list here over free job portals in the various Nordic countries.
First and foremost: many websites will probably list EURES (a EU work portal), but even though this website is good and fine, most workplaces will not be listed there. In the Nordic countries 70% of all jobs are not listed in the first place, as they are often acquired through the network of the workplace.
Norway
In Norway many jobs are listed on NAV’s website. NAV is the collective name for the whole social service department in Norway. The initial name were in fact Arbeids- og velferdsforvaltningen, which directly translates to Work- and welfare management.
You can find NAV’s work portal here.
Another popular place is Finn.no. this is a huge marketplace where you can buy and sell everything you want (within the legal limits of course) and this include job postings. To log in and create your own profile you need an account, but this is free and does only require an email that you can confirm.
You can find the job portal here.
Other places where you can find work:
- https://no.indeed.com/
- https://www.jobreg.no/
- https://karriere.no/
Temp jobs is a good way to get started, as you have to be a skilled worker in demand to get considered for a position when you live abroad:
- https://www.vikar.no/ (health sector).
- https://www.manpower.no/ (Many different sectors. Good for construction/carenter etc. jobs also).
- https://www.dedicare.no/ (lots of jobs in health sector and science sector).
- https://www.vikar.no/ (teacher positions).
This is a broad selection of sites where jobs are advertised. Skilled workers, especially (but not limited to) in the health sector are in high demand at the moment.
Denmark
In Denmark the main, government run, website for job seekers is Jobnet.dk. If you don’t live in Denmark, or at best have a MitID (identification app) this will be an issue for you, because you need to be a registered user to access the available jobs.
But you will have many other options.
Especially WorkinDenmark.dk is a very good alternative as it show job positions in English, which is also posted on the formerly mentioned EURES portal. Here you can find jobs if you have the required skills.
You can find the WorkinDenmark portal here.
One of the largest work portals are Jobindex, where tens of thousands of available jobs are listed. This is a well known portal and you don’t need to be registered to access the database.
Other portals:
- https://www.ofir.dk/ (same as Jobindex though less jobs listed)
- dba.dk (a marketplace that lists jobs also)
In Denmark it’s huge demand for especially tech qualifications, workers in the various industries (Energy, BioTech and livestock) and not the least researchers/PhDs, as a lot of money is allocated to R&D via the government and various companies. Denmark also have one of the biggest shipping companies in the world (if not the biggest) via Maersk, so check out their websites too. For example, a quick look at Maersk’s open vacancies reveal 1400 open positions worldwide.
Greenland
Greenland is a country with a huge demand for workers in the public sector, which include health and education first and foremost, but also in the fishing industry. There is also a certain amount of tourism that can create a demand for employees, but this is a very small country by population and the worlds biggest island by land mass. So don’t expect too many vacancies that require little or no education. Greenland also prioritize their own, so to say, but you might be a perfect fit if you are lucky.
If you are looking for positions in the public sector you can check the job listings in Denmark (as those that are in demand usually will show there too) or the government run website.
You can find that here: https://naalakkersuisut.gl/Ledige-stillinger?sc_lang=da
Other portals:
To find jobs in the fishing industry you should contact local or Danish companies directly. many of the vessels operating in The Greenland sector are either from Denmark or the Faroe Islands. Jobs as a fisherman are usually not advertised anywhere. It’s either word to mouth, on social media or the like where you can find such positions. Though the bigger companies will often advertise open positions on their website (if they have one).
You can find a complete list over vessels and owners here.
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands is a gem in terms of nature and openness of the people. If you can find a way to relocate there you are a lucky person. Though this is a very small country (like Greenland) you will have more options as the country is more connected to Denmark, Iceland and UK, with daily ferries going back and forth.
You can use the aforementioned portals in Denmark, as qualified positions are usually posted there. Else you can visit the unemployment portal https://www.als.fo/en for available positions.
The main industries in Faroe Islands is fish farming and fishing.
The three salmon farms:
- Bakkafrost (one of the biggest producers of salmon).
- Mowi (Former Marine harvest).
- Hiddenfjord.
In Faroe Islands you can find 365+ fishing vessels. If you want to find a job in this industry it’s usually a requirement with some related qualifications or experience.
For a list over a huge portion of these vessels you can visit this site: https://fiskerforum.com/vessels/?fwp_lande=faroe-islands.
In addition you have lots of companies related to the fishing industry that you can find here.
You can use the website immigration.fo for lots of useful information about work permit etc. and the Faroese are famous for their hospitality so you will get all the help you need.
Finland
Finland is a country where expatriates thrive. If you decide to move to the capitol Helsinki, you will find an environment that is on par with all the metropoles of Europe. You can find lots of jobs in tech mainly, but also in various industries like mining, forestry and energy. In addition there is a huge demand (like all of the Nordics) for qualified personnel in the health sector.
The government run two websites for open positions in Finland:
- https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/personal-customers/vacancies (all vacancies)
- https://www.workinfinland.com/en/ (looking for workers from abroad).
As with all the countries in the Nordics you should contact companies in your field directly as many positions are simply not listed.
Some of the biggest companies include:
You can find jobs in a huge range of sectors in Finland, but we want to highlight the mining sector, that is in demand for a variety ff jobs. You can find a huge list over mining companies in the MiningFinland website.
Åland
Åland is an independent cluster of islands that inhabits about 30.000 people, so the amount of jobs are obviously limited, but you can find a huge variety of jobs in all sectors, where the education sector stands out.
A good place to start is the official page at alandliving.ax which you can find here. The job offers are listed in the Swedish language, but you can use a translator tool to make it easier for you.
Other sites with job listings:
- https://www.ams.ax/sok-jobb/jobb-pa-aland
- https://www.alandpost.com/career (eCommerce logistics that are the biggest employer on Åland)
Sweden
Sweden is the biggest country in the Nordic region. With a few major cities your chances to find a job can be huge as Sweden hosts many international communities and big international companies.
The official website for employment, run by the government department Arbetsförmedlingen, is https://arbetsformedlingen.se/. On the website you can find information in several languages like Arabic, Russian and even Somali, though the job search itself is in Swedish.
For other job listings you can visit:
- https://www.thelocal.se/jobs/ (English language jobs).
- https://ledigajobb.se/ (huge portal, in Swedish).
Temp jobs:
- https://humly.io/ (within education).
- https://www.nordicmedicare.eu/ (health sector).
Explore more opportunities
Finding a job in another country can be a challenge. If you come from the EU economical zone it will be way easier for you as you don’t need a work permit, but have the right to apply for jobs in 6 months in any EU country. exceptions from this is Åland, Faroe Islands and Greenland, as these countries are not a part of the EEC.
This does not mean that you can’t get a job though, it might just be a little more complicated than just applying.
In some sectors, like health professionals, you will be expected to have a certain level of the local language. Check also the credentials you have up against the requirement the particular country have or if your profession is n the positive list. You can read our example of that in this article, but on all the government websites you can find some documentation over what professions is in demand.
Else, good luck with your hunt for the next dream job. Reach out if you have any questions.