🎣 Fishing and maritime logistics: seasonal work and career paths

The coastal economy here is not just postcards with cod and storms. It is conveyor belts and cold storage facilities, vans and forklifts, express catamaran trips and luggage platforms in the ports of Bodo and Alesund. The season brings many job opportunities, from filleting to terminal logistics. Below is how to find work, what safety and hygiene requirements are needed, where to base yourself in Lofoten during the high season, and what entry-level roles can help you get into the industry.

🐟 How to find seasonal work in fishing and logistics?

Start with the official websites: Arbeidsplassen (NAV) and FINN Jobb — filter for ‘fiskeri/opdrett’, ‘lager/terminal’ and ‘sesongarbeid’. Job listings with real contact details and shifts are posted regularly, especially in Nordland and Møre og Romsdal.

If you are not from the EU/EEA, read the UDI ‘Seasonal workers’ section: the most important thing is to have an offer from an employer and to comply with the limit — no more than 6 months within a 12-month period; after six months on a seasonal visa, you must take a six-month break outside the country. EU citizens only need to register at their place of work.

For ‘maritime logistics’, see also the port pages (Bodø, Ålesund): terminal operators and contacts through which terminal workers and warehouse staff are often hired are listed.

💰 What are the requirements and conditions for fish processing?

Payment. General minimum rates apply to fish processing companies (allmenngjøring). From 15 June 2025: production workers — 225.96 kr/hour, skilled workers — 240.96 kr/hour; for young people under 18 — 80% of the rate. For overtime, a minimum of +40% of the hourly rate. Shift work is subject to additional payments.

Wednesday. Cold/wet workshop (for product quality), a lot of standing work, knives and moving equipment — PPE/PPE (cut-resistant gloves, water-repellent clothing, footwear) are mandatory, hygiene and temperature control must be observed. The regulator reminds employees of safe temperature ranges and the risks of bioaerosols when working with fish.

Hygiene and training. The employer is responsible for training staff in hygiene and HACCP/internal control (practical procedures: cleanliness, storage, labelling). Online hygiene courses for new employees are available in the industry.

🏠 Where to live and how to arrange transport in Lofoten during the season?

Accommodation and transport. The Svolvær/Leknes route is suitable for work and shifts, with the most frequent buses and services. Get a Travel Pass Nordland: 7 days unlimited travel on buses and express boats throughout Nordland (cost 1350 kr, purchase in the Reis app; you can reserve a place on the boat for free).

Arrival from the mainland. It is convenient to travel by foot from Bodo: passengers without cars travel free of charge on the Bodø–Moskenes ferry, no reservation is required (although paid reservations are available for certainty). There is also the Bodø–Svolvær express catamaran (NEX), which accepts Travel Passes, but it is better to reserve a seat in advance.

The port city as a base. If accommodation is tight during the season, you can live in Bodo and commute according to your schedule — this is a realistic option: the port and terminal are open to cargo/operators, and there is plenty of transport and coastal ferries (Hurtigruten) along the coast.

🛠 What roles can be a ‘gateway’ to the industry without experience?

Processing and production.

• Produksjonsmedarbeider: cutting/trimming, packaging, labelling.
• Kvalitet/reno: shift sanitation crew, cleanliness control.
• There are many vacancies on NAV/FINN — these are ‘entry-level’ positions.

Warehouse and terminals.

• Logistics/terminal worker: receiving/shipping, strapping, scanning.
• Forklift operator (T1–T4): greatly increases your chances — you need a certified course with a certificate of competence; foreign certificates require confirmation.

Port services and supply.

• Steward on the pier, assistant in a cold storage warehouse, courier in a van (cat. B). The ports of Bodo and Alesund publish contact details and information about terminals that often hire seasonal workers.

Plus courses ‘at the start’. Minimum — introductory HMS, hygiene/food safety training; for “sea” and ‘cold storage’ work, modules on PPE and working at low temperatures will be useful.

📌 Brief action plan

1. Select vacancies on NAV/FINN, check schedules (shifts, season, night shifts).
2. Documents: if necessary — seasonal worker permit (UDI) for up to 6 months.
3. Skills: basic hygiene courses + truck (T1–T4) — quickly pays for itself.
4. Logistics and accommodation: base yourself in Svolvær/Leknes; get a Travel Pass Nordland; take the Bodø–Moskenes ferry on foot — 0 kr.

The coastal season is a great way to get started: high demand, clear roles and transparent rules. Focus on official vacancies, read the shift conditions carefully and put safety and hygiene first. A truck ticket will help with logistics, and hygiene and discipline will help in the workshop. Base yourself where buses and boats run frequently, and the season will no longer be a lottery: you will work steadily, relax by the ocean and plan your next step — from seasonal worker to a stable position.