Welfare for UiB employees
Are you considering a job at the University of Bergen? While our job announcements may not emphasize the many welfare benefits available to you as a resident of Norway and an employee of the University, rest assured that you will have access to a comprehensive welfare system.
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Here is an overview of the Norwegian welfare model and some of the main public services available to you as an employee at UiB.
If you live and pay taxes in Norway, you may be eligible for the following welfare benefits:
1. Universal Healthcare All residents have access to public healthcare services, including the general practitioner (GP) scheme and hospital treatment. Key points include:
- Children up to 16 years of age receive free healthcare from GPs, specialists, dentists, and school health services.
- Individuals over 16 pay a small co-pay for GP visits.
- Dental care is free for children up to 18; from ages 19 to 28, there is a 25% co-pay.
- Hospitalization is free of charge, with no co-pay or upper limit on treatment costs.Note: Private hospitals and doctors are not included in the universal healthcare system.
2. National Insurance Scheme (NIS) Everyone who lives and works in Norway is a member of the NIS, which provides benefits such as sick leave, unemployment benefits, and old-age pensions.
3. Sick Leave As an employee, UiB pays full salary for up to 52 weeks, depending on your NIS membership.
4. Parental Leave Parents are entitled to paid leave in connection with childbirth or adoption, depending on NIS membership. This helps balance work and family life. UiB has a dedicated service team to assist employees with parental leave applications.
5. Child Benefits and Daycare Families receive child benefits for each child under 18, and subsidized daycare is available for young children. As a UiB employee, you have priority for daycare applications at Fagertun barnehage.
6. Education Education is free of charge from primary school through university, including adult and continuing education.
7. Pension As a UiB employee, you are a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK). This scheme offers one of the best pension plans in Norway, providing financial security in retirement as well as in cases of illness or injury. Your family is also entitled to financial support in the event of your passing.Additionally, the SPK mortgage scheme offers housing loans with low interest rates, and occupational injury insurance for state employees is also handled through SPK. Pension savings in SPK are paid out when you reach retirement age.
8. Language Courses UiB offers free Norwegian language courses for you and your partner. These are held during both the autumn and spring semesters and meet the language requirements for permanent residency in Norway.
We hope this gives you a comprehensive overview of the welfare benefits available to you as an employee at the University of Bergen. If you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to reach out!
