ADVISORY: FILIPINO NURSES & HEALTHCARE WORKERS SHOULD BE WARY OF ADVERTISEMENTS & CONSULTANCY FIRMS THAT PEDDLE MISLEADING INFORMATION ABOUT NURSING JOBS IN NORWAY
Published on 31 January, 2013 - 10:57
The
Philippine Embassy in Oslo wishes to warn Filipino nurses and
healthcare workers about misleading information currently circulating
online and peddled by a growing number of “consultancy” firms about the
supposed abundance and ease of finding nursing and other healthcare jobs
in Norway.
Said consultancy firms make these unsuspecting Filipinos believe that getting a nursing or healthcare job in Norway is easy, advertising misleading information such as “NO IELTS and/or PRC License needed” among other gimmicks, when in truth, it is not easy to find work as a foreign nurse or healthcare worker in Norway.
While it is true that IELTS is not required by most health care employers in Norway, this is only because English is not the primary language used by the country and its healthcare sector. Instead, foreign nurses and healthcare practitioners wishing to work in Norway have to pass a different and much harder Norwegian language exam and take other exams in order to be deemed employable as a nurse or healthcare worker in Norway and to do so requires that the Filipino be ready to spend a large amount for his or her tuition for further studies, board and lodging, etc. while in Norway.
And while a PRC license may not be needed for the processing of one’s visa application, said license is still required by relevant authorities in Norway in order for a foreign healthcare worker to be properly recognized as such in Norway.
Moreover, these Filipino nurses and healthcare practitioners should be advised that authorization from SAK (Statens Autorisasjons-Kontor) or the relevant Norwegian government authority does not equal work or employment nor is it equal to a nursing license. It merely recognizes that the Filipino has the qualifications of a healthcare worker, nothing more. Authorization/Autorisasjon does not equal work. Authorization/Autorisasjon is not equal to a nursing license in Norway.
Another alarming aspect about the proliferation of these consultancy firms is that they charge these unsuspecting Filipinos with, often, large sums of money for information and services that the Filipino can actually obtain for free and do by himself or herself if the latter only consulted the appropriate websites (i.e. Norwegian Embassy, SAK, etc.).
The Embassy has reported this alarming situation to the DFA and DOLE and it has handled several cases involving victimized Filipino nurses and healthcare workers who have been duped by these unscrupulous consultancy firms. Said Filipinos usually arrive in Norway without an employer and sometimes without even a place to stay. Most are deeply in debt and have no means to fund their stay in Norway, which is one of the most expensive countries in the world. Their situation makes them vulnerable to further abuse and victimization.
It is not easy to find work as a foreign nurse or healthcare worker in Norway.
While the Philippine government is working hard to address this matter, the Philippine Embassy is enjoining the Filipino Community in Norway to help spread this advisory and warn Filipinos about these unscrupulous consultancy firms and the false information currently being spread by the latter.
Moreover, related to this matter, the Embassy also wishes to reiterate its previous warning about various unlicensed, unaccredited and informal Norwegian Language Schools/Courses proliferating in the Philippines, enticing many Filipino professionals, especially nurses, to pay unreasonable fees for language classes that are staffed by unlicensed and/or untrained teachers for the chance to land well-paying jobs that are supposedly awaiting the student in Norway upon completion of the language course.
The Embassy wishes to warn the public of the pitfalls of falling prey to these unaccredited schools and agents. The Norwegian Government has not accredited, licensed or recognized any Norwegian Language School/Course operating in the Philippines for profit nor does it deal or cooperate with any agent or agency. The Norwegian Embassy has released several warnings about said schools and agents such as the link below and encourages visa applicants to go to the Norwegian Embassy directly.
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/news/agents/
Filipinos who have fallen victim to these Philippine Norwegian Language schools arrive in Norway expecting to immediately find work only to discover that further Norwegian language courses are needed at additional expense and that the visa issued to them by the Norwegian Embassy is not enough time for them to finish the needed language courses and find a job. This makes them vulnerable to abuse and human trafficking.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/permits/language/
Filipino professionals wishing to practice their profession in Norway should equip themselves with the proper information by visiting trusted information sources such as Norwegian government websites (Norwegian Embassy in Manila, Norwegian Labor & Welfare Organization or NAV, Norwegian Registration Authority for Health Personnel or SAK, etc.) to avoid falling victims to human trafficking and so as to be in full control of their professional future.
For more information about Norwegian visas and permits, please visit:
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/visas/
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/visas/schengen/
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/permits/
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/permits/language/
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/permits/jobseeker/
For more information about accreditation as a healthcare worker, please visit:
http://www.sak.no
Said consultancy firms make these unsuspecting Filipinos believe that getting a nursing or healthcare job in Norway is easy, advertising misleading information such as “NO IELTS and/or PRC License needed” among other gimmicks, when in truth, it is not easy to find work as a foreign nurse or healthcare worker in Norway.
While it is true that IELTS is not required by most health care employers in Norway, this is only because English is not the primary language used by the country and its healthcare sector. Instead, foreign nurses and healthcare practitioners wishing to work in Norway have to pass a different and much harder Norwegian language exam and take other exams in order to be deemed employable as a nurse or healthcare worker in Norway and to do so requires that the Filipino be ready to spend a large amount for his or her tuition for further studies, board and lodging, etc. while in Norway.
And while a PRC license may not be needed for the processing of one’s visa application, said license is still required by relevant authorities in Norway in order for a foreign healthcare worker to be properly recognized as such in Norway.
Moreover, these Filipino nurses and healthcare practitioners should be advised that authorization from SAK (Statens Autorisasjons-Kontor) or the relevant Norwegian government authority does not equal work or employment nor is it equal to a nursing license. It merely recognizes that the Filipino has the qualifications of a healthcare worker, nothing more. Authorization/Autorisasjon does not equal work. Authorization/Autorisasjon is not equal to a nursing license in Norway.
Another alarming aspect about the proliferation of these consultancy firms is that they charge these unsuspecting Filipinos with, often, large sums of money for information and services that the Filipino can actually obtain for free and do by himself or herself if the latter only consulted the appropriate websites (i.e. Norwegian Embassy, SAK, etc.).
The Embassy has reported this alarming situation to the DFA and DOLE and it has handled several cases involving victimized Filipino nurses and healthcare workers who have been duped by these unscrupulous consultancy firms. Said Filipinos usually arrive in Norway without an employer and sometimes without even a place to stay. Most are deeply in debt and have no means to fund their stay in Norway, which is one of the most expensive countries in the world. Their situation makes them vulnerable to further abuse and victimization.
It is not easy to find work as a foreign nurse or healthcare worker in Norway.
While the Philippine government is working hard to address this matter, the Philippine Embassy is enjoining the Filipino Community in Norway to help spread this advisory and warn Filipinos about these unscrupulous consultancy firms and the false information currently being spread by the latter.
Moreover, related to this matter, the Embassy also wishes to reiterate its previous warning about various unlicensed, unaccredited and informal Norwegian Language Schools/Courses proliferating in the Philippines, enticing many Filipino professionals, especially nurses, to pay unreasonable fees for language classes that are staffed by unlicensed and/or untrained teachers for the chance to land well-paying jobs that are supposedly awaiting the student in Norway upon completion of the language course.
The Embassy wishes to warn the public of the pitfalls of falling prey to these unaccredited schools and agents. The Norwegian Government has not accredited, licensed or recognized any Norwegian Language School/Course operating in the Philippines for profit nor does it deal or cooperate with any agent or agency. The Norwegian Embassy has released several warnings about said schools and agents such as the link below and encourages visa applicants to go to the Norwegian Embassy directly.
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/news/agents/
Filipinos who have fallen victim to these Philippine Norwegian Language schools arrive in Norway expecting to immediately find work only to discover that further Norwegian language courses are needed at additional expense and that the visa issued to them by the Norwegian Embassy is not enough time for them to finish the needed language courses and find a job. This makes them vulnerable to abuse and human trafficking.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/permits/language/
Filipino professionals wishing to practice their profession in Norway should equip themselves with the proper information by visiting trusted information sources such as Norwegian government websites (Norwegian Embassy in Manila, Norwegian Labor & Welfare Organization or NAV, Norwegian Registration Authority for Health Personnel or SAK, etc.) to avoid falling victims to human trafficking and so as to be in full control of their professional future.
For more information about Norwegian visas and permits, please visit:
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/visas/
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/visas/schengen/
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/permits/
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/permits/language/
http://www.norway.ph/embassy/visainfo/permits/jobseeker/
For more information about accreditation as a healthcare worker, please visit:
http://www.sak.no
12 comments:
Hello! Nag apply ako dito sa pinas sa isang consultancy for nurses sa Norway. They asking 150K fee and 700k show money. Nag bayad ako ng 50k for authorization then the remaining 100k ndi Ko pa binayad Kasi wait Ko ma complete ang show money Ko. Ng fill up na ako dun sa consultancy ng form for authorization then nabasa Ko sa blog mo na around 2k something nor. Then may kumakalat nga na balita a regarding sa mga health workers jan sa Norway. Is that true? Nag dadalawang isip ako if itututloy Ko ung application Ko. And as far as I know marami na silang nabigyan ng visa and may 2 ng nakaalis this January and nag aaral yata sila jan sa Oslo voksenoplmæring rosenholf. Ayaw na akong patuluying din ng mom Ko Kasi wala daw segura do na work jan pag dating since wala talagang employer kami jan at kami daw banana mag hanap ng work.
Btw. Madali ba talagang makahanap jan ng work ang nurse kahit may authorization na.
Thanks
Hi maldita. Please send me your email address. :) ty.
I am also planning to be there in Norway Using Residence Permit to Learn Norwegian Language good for 1 year. Naka schedule na ako for embassy interview this March 1, 2013. May feedback na din ako sa SAFH application ko since they already received my application and I am waiting for my invoice para mabayadan ko na ang processing fee. My question is, maliit parin ba ang chances ko magka work even i have the authorization already? What would be the hindrances/challenges na pwede ko ma encounter if nasa norway ako para sa first timer ang walang kilala na tulad ko? I am still in doubt with my plan to go to Norway. I hope you can help me. If you need my email please dont hesitate to reply on my email at ilde_ungui@yahoo.com Tatanawin ko ng malaki ang iyung response. Thank You. GBU
Hello Maam! I sent you an email through your contact info here in your blog not so long ago..I think you're very busy because up till now I'm still waiting for your reply.:) Anyway, I want to ask about your assessment regarding the employment opportunities for nurses in Norway nowadays. I've been rummaging in almost all links I could find about this topic these past couple of months,sadly, either most of which were out of date or not applicable to my concern.
Hence, this is what I could come up with all the info I've gathered...that after completing the 1-year Norwegian Language course and pass the Bergen's Test, a Nurse is required to take a Bridging Course required to be familiar with the Nursing Practice there. So this means, it could take up more time than the expected 1-year duration of the Student Visa and a possibility of 6-month extension might be granted for job seeking purpose; for this matter, "only if" a student/applicant will obtain a job appropriate to the skill initially sought for. However, I welcome your insights as these may not be the case. Now, my primary concern is whether or not there is really a need of Nurses in Norway now and in the immediate future. I trust your good judgment in this since you are already working in this lovely country for quite sometime now.
Unfortunately, it's quite easy to be lured by the ads proliferating in the cyber-world or in this case, this stern warning (from the Phil. Embassy) which could go against the long held belief that indeed, a better life awaits for us here.
Lastly, whatever fact I may derive from you- be it pleasant or may blow my hopes, I will take it as a beacon that will lead me out of harm's way. Please know that I will be forever grateful for the enlightenment you may share in this regard. Thank you so much, more power and have a Happy New Year! :)
Nag apply na rin me sa skul sa norway via email. And im planning to enroll to learn norwegian language for one sem. 152 hours sya. Please advise me kung oki lng ba na mag aral ng one sem instead of one year kasi baka hindi ko ma enjoy ang buhay sa norway at least one sem lng. Oki kaya ito sa norway embassy? Please advise me also. Thanks
hi, i also applied for student visa last dec.5, 2013... parang may wrong info ka na nasagap :D you can email me kung may questions ka, karen_marie_orcega@yahoo.com. :)
Hei. I applied for the residence permit for skilled workers to learn norwegian language last year(2013). I am a nurse by profession. For me, i think that the easiest way to get in in Norway is through this learning the language visa. You just have to be a skilled worker (i think you can check on the embassy's website if youre qualified as a skilled worker). The good thing about this visa is you can work for 20hrs per week during ordinary days and fulltime work (35.5hrs) during holidays, in any trade, which means you can work outside your field of profession as long as you dont exceed the 20hrs per week work. And for us who is educated outside eu/eaa, our profession as a nurse is under the Helsefagarbeider in Norwegian education. It means that you are not a nurse in Norway even though youre a nurse in your home country. And one thing you MUST do is to apply for Norwegian Authorization for Health Care Workers(www.sak.no). You must have this kind of authorization in able to be recognized and certified as a health care worker in Norway. This will make you one step ahead when it comes in finding work in Norway especially we are educated outside Norway (take note that this authorization takes 6mos or less to process). Lastly, before coming in to Norway, it is a smart move to have an advanced reading of the language. It will help you understand the language easier than to know nothing at all. And it's a time saver because there is a big possiblity that you'll be accelerated to the next level instead of being on the beginners level
When it comes to finding work, the most important weapon to have is your ability to understand and communicate the language. The language comes first before your skills. There will be series of exams from Norskprøve 1,2,3 and Bergenstest. If you want to pursue and have further education in Norway, you need to pass Norskprøve 3 or Bergenstest. Having the 1 yr residence permit for skilled worker to learn the language visa is not suffice to achieve all those series of exams (except if you are really a gifted one) but it is possible.
Kindly check with UDI the minimum requirement of stay here in norway to be issued a student visa. But for now, all application for student visa just to learn the language is stopped.
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