Did you ever see Michael Moore's report on Norway and his visit to "the scariest place on earth"? This is my list of 10 reasons why Norway is fantastic!
1. Parental leave:
59 weeks leave with 80 percent salary or 49 weeks with 100 percent salary is among the best in the world. That dad's are required to take minimum 10 weeks (though it's becoming more and more normal that moms and dads split the leave 50/50) makes it even more fab! Read more about the parental leave benefits in Norway here.
2. Almost free daycare:
Yes -- I know some of my Norwegian friends will shout out loud now, but the simple fact is that the maximum monthly fee of 2580 NOK (or $250) for full time care is nothing -- even if the price did increase by about 100 NOK / $15 recently. When I compare what Norwegians pay to the $1-3000 a month that most of my American friends pay (some statistics on costs in the U.S. here), I praise myself so lucky! And did I mention that the government actually gives Norwegians a monthly grant of about $120 per child until they are 18 plus an additional cash grant of $750 per month for kids under 24 months if parents choose to stay at home longer than the 59 weeks paid leave?
3. Super cheap activities for kids:
I just paid for my son's Gymnastics classes for the fall season. $160 in total for the fell season. Hurray! When I compare that to the $210 per month we paid for Gymnastics in California it became obvious fast that only a month and a half of Gymnastics in the U.S. covers a full year in Norway. And it's not just Gymnastics that's cheaper. Activities for kids are reasonably priced in general due to great support from the government.
4. Long holidays:
All Norwegians have 4-6 weeks paid vacation time, plus all public Holidays. How crazy is that (seen from U.S. eyes)? In addition all workers are entitled to extra pay when working overtime, nights, weekends or holidays.
5. Short workdays:
Office hours start at 8/9 a.m., and by 5 p.m. there is no one in the office anymore. On Fridays people start leaving at 3. Of course there are exceptions, but Norwegians prioritize family and free time. This used to frustrate me immensely while living in Norway last, but after seeing the Silicon Valley way, I might have changed my mind. And -- according to statistics -- Norwegians are among the most productive workers per hour in the world. Less chit chat and more focus.
6. Free education:
Education is free in Norway. Even universities. To pay for books and living expenses Norwegian students get a $14K grant and loan per year (60 percent is a loan, but it's interest free until you have finished your education) from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund. If a Norwegian student decides to study in the USA where heave fees are part of the game, he/she will be entitled to both more grants and student loans making it much easier financially for a Norwegian going to the U.S. than for most Americans studying in their home country.
7. Free health care:
Yes -- health care in Norway is (almost) free for all residents! When you're over 18 you pay a small fee ($30) per visit but there is a low maximum deductible of about $200 per year. No self pays for giving birth, surgeries, needed medicines etc. Last year I got seriously sick while living in the U.S. As I'm still a Norwegian citizen and taxpayer the Norwegian government paid for everything. The interesting fact I find is that the total health care costs in Norway totals only 9 percent of GDP, compared to about 17 percent in the U.S. In Norway you are also entitled to paid medical leave. For up to a full year you will receive your salary, and after that there are other programs if you are still sick.
8. Safety:
To be very honest, I never felt less safe in the U.S. than in Norway, but there is a sense of safety here that most Americans don't seem to have. I love the fact that kids can run and play freely without people giving you weird "bad mom" looks.
9. Gender equality:
No -- we're not 100 percent there yet in Norway either, but moving to the U.S. was like moving at least a decade (or two) back in time. I wrote another blog on that topic a while ago.
10. A price is a price:
In Norway the price you see is what you pay. It's not the price + tax + tip, the price is the price. Of course you can tip if you are in a good restaurant and are super happy, but people have a salary and do not live of tip. I love the simplicity of that!
All the benefits above are covered by taxes, and -- no -- they are not higher than the taxes in California.