Language Levels on a CV for Norway: CEFR, Norskprøven and Examples
A Norwegian recruiter reading your language section wants to know one thing: can you work in Norwegian in this job? "Norwegian: good" does not answer that. "Norwegian: basic" answers it even less. The reader has to guess — and a reader who guesses usually guesses lower than the truth.
The fix is to list languages the way Norwegian employers are used to reading them: on a recognised scale, with documentation where you have it, and with speaking and writing listed separately.
Use the CEFR scale: A1 to C2
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) divides skills into six levels in three groups: A1–A2 (basic user), B1–B2 (independent user) and C1–C2 (proficient user). The Norskprøven language test and the Norwegian Directorate of Health use the same scale, and many employers know it — so your level needs little explanation.
For listening, Europass describes the levels roughly like this:
- A1 — recognises familiar words and very basic phrases when people speak slowly and clearly.
- A2 — understands common phrases about things of immediate personal relevance.
- B1 — understands the main points of clear speech on familiar work, school and leisure topics.
- B2 — follows extended speech and complex argument when the topic is reasonably familiar.
- C1 — understands extended speech even when connections are only implied.
- C2 — has no difficulty understanding spoken language, even at fast native speed.
Took Norskprøven? List the result per sub-test
Norskprøven, run by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), has four sub-tests: reading, listening, writing and speaking (HK-dir). Your level can differ between them — and that difference is exactly what an employer wants to see. List the sub-tests, not a single number:
- *Norsk: Norskprøven 2025 — B2 muntlig, B2 lytting, B1 lesing, B1 skriftlig* (speaking B2, listening B2, reading B1, writing B1)
Norskprøven C1 – høyere akademisk nivå is a separate test where the result is either C1 or not passed. If you hold Test i norsk – høyere nivå (the "Bergen test"), list it with the year: it is still accepted documentation, including by the Directorate of Health.
Speaking and writing separately
Many people speak better than they write, especially in their first years in Norway. A single combined level is then misleading either way: claim the higher one and the first phone call becomes awkward; claim the lower one and you hide what the employer often needs most — that you can talk to customers, patients or colleagues.
- *Norsk: B2 muntlig, B1 skriftlig* (speaking B2, writing B1)
is more useful, and more credible, than "Norwegian: B1–B2".
No test? Say it is a self-assessment
You do not need a test to state a level. But be honest about it:
- *Norsk: B1 muntlig, A2 skriftlig (egenvurdering)* — self-assessment
The word *egenvurdering* costs you nothing and makes the rest of your CV more credible.
Show the direction
A level is a snapshot. If you are on a course, say so: "B1, currently taking a B2 course" reads very differently from "B1" alone — especially to an employer wondering whether you will manage the job in six months.
When the level is a requirement: healthcare
In some professions the language level is a condition, not a preference. Health personnel educated outside the EU/EEA must, among other things, document Norwegian at B2 level to be authorised. With Norskprøven, that means B2 on every sub-test, and combinations of sub-tests from different tests are not accepted (Norwegian Directorate of Health).
For healthcare jobs, your language line should therefore show the test, the year and the level on each sub-test. See also healthcare assistant CV for Norway.
What does "good Norwegian" in a posting mean?
Postings rarely state a CEFR level. They say *god norsk muntlig og skriftlig* (good spoken and written Norwegian), *meget gode norskkunnskaper* (very good Norwegian) or *norsk er en fordel* (Norwegian is an advantage). Read the wording literally: "good spoken Norwegian" and "very good written Norwegian" are different requirements. If you are unsure whether your level is enough, call the contact person and ask.
Example: a good and a bad language section
A constructed example of a section that does its job:
- Ukrainsk (morsmål) — Ukrainian, native
- Norsk: Norskprøven 2025 — B2 muntlig, B1 skriftlig. Tar B2-kurs nå
- Engelsk: flytende, brukt som arbeidsspråk i fire år
And one that does not:
- Norsk: litt
- Engelsk: godt
- Russian, Polish, German
The second forces the reader to guess and lists languages without levels. Any language you list can come up in the interview.
Where on the CV?
Usually in a separate *Språk* (Languages) section near the end. But if language is an explicit requirement in the posting, put your level in the key qualifications at the top as well.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write my native language? "Arabisk (morsmål)" — Arabic (native). No level needed.
Is B1 enough to get a job in Norway? It depends on the job. Many roles in warehousing, cleaning and production hire at lower Norwegian levels than roles with heavy customer contact or documentation. The requirement is in the posting — see working in Norway without Norwegian.
Should my CV be in Norwegian or English? That is a separate decision — see CV in Norwegian or English?