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The end of an era? Norway no longer the promised land for young Swedes

The tradition of young Swedes flocking to Norway to find work appears to be coming to an end, with an estimated 60 percent decrease in recent years suggesting the slowing of the oil boom has stemmed mass movement west from Sweden in search of employment.

Published: 16 February 2017 11:04 CET
The end of an era? Norway no longer the promised land for young Swedes
Working in Norwegian cafes and restaurants was previously a popular option for young Swedes. Photo: Berit Roald/NTB scanpix

When the Norwegian economy was at its peak it was common for young Swedes to travel across the border to work in areas like the service industry and retail, attracted by the higher salaries on offer compared to back home and a favourable exchange rate.

But these days there is less Swedish being spoken on the streets of Oslo. The difference in salaries between the two countries is no longer so great, and that combined with it being easier to find jobs in Sweden is thought to be the explanation for the shift.

“It was some time around 2014-15 that we really started to notice it. We've had a decrease of around 55-60 percent when it comes to Swedish workers compared to how it was during its heyday,” Angelika Wichmann from staffing company Kelly Services in Oslo told broadcaster SVT.

“Before there were busloads of young Swedes coming to look for jobs. Now we're having a hard time finding staff,” said Jon Paulsen, recruitment head at agency Manpower, which also reported a 60 percent decrease.

As a consequence, Norwegian employers are now looking further east. Russia, Lithuania, Poland and Hungary are becoming popular nations to recruit staff from in an effort to try to fill the gap left by the now departed Swedes.

And there are even suggestions that a reversal of the Swedish-Norwegian exchange could be on the cards, as Swedish unemployment continues to decline and young Norwegians look for work.

Last year, financial experts started advising Norwegians to look for work in Sweden, particularly in the construction sector, teaching and computer engineering.

“Norwegians should seek their fortune in Sweden. It is certainly worth the trip,” Terje Strøm, chief economist at the Ny Analyse institute in Norway noted in August. 

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OSLO

Discover Norway: Where you can pick fruit in Oslo for free

You don’t have to venture far into Oslo’s forests to find fresh fruit that you can use to make jams, pastries and cakes. Here’s where you can pick fruit for free in Norway’s capital.

Published: 14 August 2024 11:53 CEST
Discover Norway: Where you can pick fruit in Oslo for free

The belief in Norway that the great outdoors should be accessible to everyone is protected by the Outdoor Recreation Act.

Norway’s laws on access to nature also allow people to forage for berries, mushrooms, wild nuts, and wild herbs.

READ MORE: The rules for foraging for fruit and mushrooms in Norway

Typically, you are forbidden from picking berries on farmland or close to other people’s houses without the landowner’s permission. You can also not forage in protected areas, such as nature reserves. Luckily, the Norwegian Environment Agency has a map of all protected areas that you can view here (in Norwegian).

The right to harvest food from nature or allmennhetens høstingsrett also requires those foraging to take “due care”. This means that you shouldn’t pick an entire area clean when out foraging.

What fruit can you pick in Oslo?

Plums, apples, pears, blackcurrants, cherries, currants, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries can all be found throughout Oslo – either in the forests or across the city itself.

Most fruits are typically ready between July and August, with fruit trees offering the best fruit in mid to late August.

Some fruit trees, like cherry trees, bear fruit earlier. Meanwhile, wild strawberries are found in June and July.

In total, there are around 3,400 fruit trees planted all over Oslo. When picking from the trees make sure to be careful to not damage the fruit buds, as less fruit will grow the following year. 

 Where can fruit be found?

Anyone who has taken a walk through Oslo’s forests will know that the scenery is teeming with blueberry bushes. Blueberry season is typically between July and August.

Blueberries thrive in spruce forests that do not have lots of natural light. Lutvann, Sognsvann and Båntjern are popular areas for blueberry picking.

Meanwhile, lingonberries are found in areas with pine forests and conifer forests.

When it comes to the other fruits, these will be found on trees planted by Oslo Municipality. The good news here is that these were planted with the intention of the city’s residents being able to pluck the fruit from the trees for themselves.

 There’s more good news too as the municipality has a map of all the fruit trees planted around Oslo. The map is colour coded and gives you an overview of the type of fruit tree planted.

Where else can you pick fruit in Oslo?

Aside from the forests and the city, there are plenty of places in the capital where you can pick seasonal fruit and veg.

Self-pick farms have become more popular in recent years. Now, unlike the forests and municipal trees, this option won’t be free.

However, you can use the site Selvplukk.com to find farms that offer the opportunity to pick fruit, vegetables and pants yourself. The site also helps you filter by what you want to pick.

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