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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Week 6: Which came first, the tax card or the job?

I have met a number of expats here in Bergen and everyone seems to have their own story about getting their personal number, tax card and job. I think I may need to define some of these Norwegian terms...

Personal Number: All residents in Norway have a personal number, like your social security number.

Folkeregistrar: This is where you register as a resident in Norway. This is the same office where you get your tax card.

Tax Card: The card Norway gives you so you can pay taxes. Oh, yay!

Job: The thing I want

I'm luckier than most people because I had my personal number before coming to Norway. This is the first thing you need to get everything else you need to work.

So, in my job search, I was told I had to have a tax card before I could get a job. So, I went to the folkeregistrar to register and get my tax card. Well, they told me I needed a job contract before I could register and get a tax card.

So then, I got a sub job, with a contract. They did give me this without the tax card (woohooo). So then, I went back to the folkeregistrar (2nd time) with my contract and they said they could give me my tax card but wouldn't register me because the employment contract didn't have a time frame on it and because I didn't have anyone supporting me (a boyfriend/husband). They wanted a lease for my apartment to register me. They said they would sent my tax card and I'd have it in the next few days but couldn't register me. Two weeks go by...

I went back to the tax office today (3rd time) to see where my tax card is. See, I can't get paid for my days of subbing without it. She looked at what I brought and looked up my information on the computer. Oh, they didn't send my tax card yet because before you can have a tax card, you have to be registered. So, now they are going to register me, and then send my tax card. This should take around 2.5 weeks.

So now, I wait again. I've learned that sometimes Norwegians need to be reminded of things or the estimated timeline may be twice as long. So, I'll call next week.

Cross your fingers this comes through, because I can't wait to start paying taxes!!

On another (less stressful) note, today was another gorgeous day in Bergen! The sun was shining and the skies were clear. The city was beautiful. I woke up in a "What? It's been 6 weeks and I STILL don't have a job" kind of mood. It took a nice walk downtown and my mood quickly turned back into a "What? I live in this beautiful city" kind of mood. I can't wait for tomorrow, because it is going be even nicer out than today!!

“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise” ~ Oscar Wilde

1 comment:

  1. Hmm...cultures that need to be reminded or the estimated timeline may take twice as long...you should be an expert in this! :-)

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