A young Spanish woman has described how she built a working life in Norway, starting with a cleaning job that paid 22 euros an hour and eventually expanding into tourist guiding across the country’s northern islands.
Laura Prieto moved to Norway in November without secured employment but had already contacted a cleaning company from Spain before she left. She said she had a job interview on her second day in the country and was offered the position on the spot.
Weeks without income despite a signed contract
The first major obstacle was administrative. To work legally in Norway, new arrivals must obtain a D-Number, a tax identification number. Prieto said that without it, starting work is simply not possible. Her appointment at the tax office took three weeks to come through, leaving her without income despite already holding a signed contract.
Once the paperwork was resolved, she began working in cleaning at 22 euros an hour on weekdays and around 35 euros on Sundays. She acknowledged the pay was reasonable but said workers in Norway should aim higher, describing her starting wage as comparatively modest by local standards.
Switching to tourist guiding
Finding cleaning work physically demanding, Prieto began looking for opportunities in tourism. She noted that the sector does not require a formal qualification, but that strong language skills are essential. She said English is fundamental, and that German, French or Italian would also be a significant advantage. She conducts her own tours in both Spanish and English.
She lives on a heavily visited island in northern Norway, known for the northern lights, which she described as a strategic location. Her job search relied on direct outreach: she sent CVs by email and contacted companies through their Instagram profiles.
That approach eventually led her to work for six different tourism companies. Most of her contracts are seasonal or on-call, with no fixed commitment from either side. She said companies can call the day before a tour and she can accept or decline, a flexibility that allows her to combine multiple roles.
Tours of fjords, aurora and snowmobile routes
Through this model, Prieto said she has been able to lead a wide range of tours, including northern lights excursions, fjord trips and snowmobile routes. The variety also let her assess which companies she preferred working with.
For others considering a similar path, she recommended northern Norway for its high demand for guides, particularly for winter activities such as aurora watching, husky sledding and snowmobile tours.
Prieto stressed that her account is personal and not a guarantee of results. She said she is only one example and that others may have had very different experiences. Her aim, she said, is simply to share what she herself has lived through, both the good and the difficult.
