Conditions for Working Guests

Working hours
The standard agreement for the programme states that you are expected to work up to 35 hours a week, and that you are entitled to have one and a half day off weekly. Usually, the Working Guest works six to seven hours five days a week. Depending on the season and the kind of work, the host may ask you to work a few hours more one day and have more time off later. At some places the working hours may be divided, so that you will work some hours in the morning and some in the afternoon.
Please remember that you are supposed to be a family member. This means that not everything you do, like clearing off the table or doing the dishes after dinner, is work, but just a part of being a family member. Flexibility and understanding is of course essential.

Pocket money
Pocket money for working guests not requiring visum is minimum 1000 NOK per week. Pocket money for working guests requiring visum is minimum 800 NOK per week, and the return ticket is provided by the host.

Taxes
All Working Guests are obliged to pay taxes. The tax rate will depend on how much you earn and how long you are staying. It will normally be 15-20 %. Please note that the value of free board and lodging will be added to your income before taxation.

Accommodation
As a working guest you will get free board and accommodation. Working guests in agriculture live like a member of the family, and you will most likely have your own bedroom in the main building. However, in some cases you may be asked to share a bedroom with another Working Guest of your own gender, or a separate lodging alone or with several others. A host may invite up to three Working Guests at the same time, but most of them only have one or two. As a working guest in tourism you will sometimes live together with the family you work for, but most likely you will be given a separate lodging alone or with several others who also work there. Usually you will be having meals with the employers and/or with the other workers. If you must buy your own food, you will be given more money to cover this.

Working Guest in agriculture or Working Guest in tourism?

Being a Working Guest on an agriculture program is open to people from all countries where Atlantis has a partner organization to cooperate with. The Working Guest in tourism program is only open to people from EU countries (except for Rumanians and Bulgarians).
The applicant:
Must be between 18 and 30 years old
Must be fluent in English
Must be motivated and open-minded to live with a Norwegian family, and adapt to their way of living throughout their stay
Should have agricultural- or hotel experience
Must be prepared to help with various tasks proposed by the employer
Will get 1 ½ days off per week
Can stay from 2-6 months

The host family:
Is an ordinary Norwegian family, with or without children, which runs a farm or a hotel, either full- or part-time.
At least one member of the family must speak some English.
Will offer you free board, lodging, and pocket money every week as agreed in the contract with Atlantis.
Will need your help with tasks related to their farm production, such as caring for animals, picking berries and fruit, harvesting vegetables and haymaking. Or help with tasks related to their tourism business, such as cleaning, serving, reception work etc.
 http://www.bubblews.com/account/324870-ivicassk1d

Why become a Working Guest in Norway?

As a Working Guest you get to know friendly and hospitable Norwegians. You can enjoy some months with a Norwegian host family located somewhere in our beautiful country. Norway is the home of Vikings and trolls, of high mountains and long fjords, of the midnight sun and of unspoiled nature. Every year about 200 people from all over the world participate in our Working Guest program. Atlantis has run this program for more than 50 years with great succsess. The program started in the late ‘60s, and since then more than 13.000 young participates have been welcomed to Norway.

What is a Working Guest?

A Working Guest must be between 18 and 30 years old. You will be staying and working with a Norwegian family which runs a farm, a hotel or both, for some months. You will get to know the Norwegian people, culture, customs and lifestyle better and more thouroughly than an ordinary tourist. You will be a member of the host family, and a part of their everyday life. During work hours you are expected to help the family with tasks connected to their farming or hotel business. You will get free board and accommodation, and receive pocket money to cover your expenses on trips, personal equipment etc. You can apply for this program all year round. For applicants from EU countries, you may stay from 2-6 months, whereas for applicants from countries outside EU, you may stay for 3 months.

Norwegian phrases:

Where is ...? = Hvor er ...?
How much is the fare? = Hvor mye koster billetten?
One ticket to ..., please. = En billett til ..., takk.
Train = Tog
Bus = Buss
Norwegian Subway, Underground = T-bane
Airport = Flyplass
Train station = Jernbanestasjon
Bus station = Busstasjon
Are there any vacancies for tonight? = Er det noe ledig for i natt?
No vacancies = Alt opptatt.
How much does this cost? = Hvor mye koster dette?
What is this? = Hva er dette?
I'll buy it. = Jeg kjøper det.
I would like to buy ... = Jeg vil gjerne ha ...
Do you have ... = Har du ...
Do you accept credit cards? = Tar dere kredittkort?
Norwegian Tourist Information = Turistinformasjon
Museum = Museum
Bank = Bank
Norwegian police station = Politistasjon
Hospital = Sykehus
Store, Shop = Butikk
Restaurant = Restaurant
Church = Kirke
Restrooms = Toalett
one = en
two = to
three = tre
four = fire
five = fem
six = seks
seven = sju
eight = åtte
nine = ni
ten = ti
Day = Dag
Week = Uke
Month = Måned
Year = År
Monday = mandag
Tuesday = tirsdag
Wednesday = onsdag
Thursday = torsdag
Friday = fredag
Saturday = lørdag
Sunday = søndag
Today = I dag
Yesterday = I går
Tomorrow = I morgen
Yes = Ja
No = Nei
Thank you = Takk
Thank you very much = Tusen takk
You're welcome = Vær så god
Please = Vær så snill
Excuse me = Unnskyld meg
Hello = Hallo
Goodbye = Ha det
I do not understand = Jeg forstår ikke
How do you say this in Norwegian? = Hvordan sier

Pronunciation guide for Norwegian words

- A as in father
- E as in bed
- I as in beat
- U as in food
- Æ as in mad
- Ø as in hurt
- Å as in ball
- Most consonants are pronounced similar to English, with these exceptions:
- J is pronounced like the "y" in yes
- R is a little more "rolled" than the English R
- Special Norwegian pronunciations:
- KJ, KI and KY make a soft k-sound without actually blocking the throat, so that the air makes a sound as it squeezes out
- SJ, SKY, SKJ and SKI as in shop

Farm work in Norway

Norges Bondelag - The Norwegian Farmers' Union - is the main farmers' union in Norway. The objective is to unite all who are, or feel attached to agriculture and work for common interests. The main goals are to secure the economic, social and cultural conditions of Norwegian farmers and rural communities. Highest priority is given to the following areas:

• Improve income levels of farmers
• Safeguard quality food
• Aim at production in environmental-friendly manners
• Work for maintenance of viable rural areas.

Norges Bondelag does not engage in information about farmers who want workers and does not provide system to help people find employment.
You can try one of the follwing contacts;

Bondebladet, a weekly newspaper for farmers in Norway is open to anyone who wants to advertise for work: The adresse is: Bondebladet, Postboks 9367 Grønland, 0135 OSLO, Norway. www.bondebladet.no e-mail: annonse@bondebladet.no