Norwegian for Turkish professionals — what you need to know before you move

Norway is one of the highest-paying labour markets in Europe and actively recruits skilled foreign professionals — particularly in healthcare, engineering, oil and gas, and construction. The trade-off is that, outside of a small set of internationalised roles, Norwegian is required.

The good news for Turkish professionals: Norwegian is mutually intelligible with Swedish and Danish, so once you learn one Scandinavian language you've effectively learned the basics of all three. Effort to B2 is similar to Swedish — around 600-700 hours.

Norwegian and Swedish share roughly 80-85% of their core vocabulary. A Swedish speaker can usually read Norwegian comfortably from day one and understand spoken Norwegian within a few weeks of exposure. The reverse is also true.

This matters for two reasons. First, if you have learned some Swedish (or already work in Sweden) the transition to Norway is fast — often 3-6 months to functional Norwegian. Second, Norwegian itself comes in two written standards: Bokmål (the majority, used by ~85% of the population) and Nynorsk. As a foreign learner you should focus on Bokmål — every employer accepts it and almost all teaching materials are in Bokmål.

Healthcare (doctor, nurse, dentist, midwife, physio): B2 Norwegian is mandatory for licensing through Helsedirektoratet. There are essentially no exceptions.

Engineering and IT in international companies: many roles operate in English (Equinor, DNV, Telenor, Cognite, Schibsted). You can start in English and learn Norwegian over time.

Oil and gas offshore: English is the operational language on most platforms. Norwegian becomes important for shore-based progression and management.

Construction, trades, retail, hospitality, public sector: Norwegian required.

Norskprøven is the official Norwegian language exam, run by Kompetanse Norge. It tests reading, listening, writing and speaking, with separate certificates for each skill at A1, A2, B1 and B2.

B2 Norskprøven is the standard requirement for healthcare licensing and most public sector roles. Many private employers also accept it.

It is offered at official testing centres in Norway four times a year, plus selected international locations. From Turkey, the practical path is: prepare online, take Norskprøven shortly after arriving in Norway.

Bergenstesten (officially Test i norsk — høyere nivå) is the C1 academic Norwegian exam. It is required for university admission and for some professional licensing where C1 is needed (some specialist medical roles, teaching).

Run by the University of Bergen, three sittings per year, currently moving towards online format. For most working professionals B2 Norskprøven is enough — Bergenstesten is only needed if your role specifically requires C1.

NorskPluss (now LearnNoW from NTNU/Folkeuniversitetet) is the most established online Norwegian course, used by tens of thousands of newcomers. Structured A1-B2 path with native teacher feedback.

Free options: NRK (Norwegian public broadcaster) Klar Tale (slow Norwegian news), the Duolingo Norwegian course (gets you to A2), and FutureLearn's free Norwegian courses run by University of Oslo.

Best paid alternatives: Lingoda Norwegian and Babbel Norwegian for structured beginner-intermediate work; private italki tutors for speaking practice.

Realistic timeline: 6-9 months of focused study from zero to A2 (the practical 'survival' level), 12-18 months to B2 if you're consistent.

Some sectors will let you start working before B2. International tech and engineering employers, oil and gas offshore roles, and certain academic positions will hire at A2/B1 with the expectation that you continue learning. Healthcare strictly will not — Helsedirektoratet requires B2 documented before licensing.

Norwegian employers generally view ongoing language study during work hours as normal and expected. Many large employers offer subsidised or in-house Norwegian classes.

Decide whether your target role allows English-first entry or requires Norwegian from day one. If English-first, start Norwegian as a side investment now and aim to convert it into your working language within 18 months. If Norwegian-first, plan a 12-18 month preparation before applying.

Browse open Norwegian positions on EuroTalent — including those flagged as English-friendly — to calibrate which path makes sense for your role.