Can i live in svalbard

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A stunning location for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure Contains:. Home Travel Experiences Adventure. Given that I'm on foot in polar bear country, I draw great comfort from this. Norway travel guide. Get the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox. Kerry van der Jagt. Although under the sovereignty of Norway, the Svalbard Treaty allows any of the 46 signatories equal rights to commercial activity.

Anyone in the world can live there, as there are no work permits or visas. However, you cannot give birth or die there, there is no state welfare, and the responsibility for finding work and a home rests with the individual.

The newer tourist industry has not taken that sort of responsibility to take the big costs and buy or build housing. Because of the strict zoning and planning system, there is very limited space available on which to build. Even with permission, doing so is very expensive given the need to import labor and transport building materials by ship. Locals understandably grumble when a cruise ship unloads its passengers — anything up to 4, — into the tiny settlement.

There are more frequent reports of tourists going into the wilderness on snow scooters and scaring wildlife, disturbing cultural monuments, or simply leaving trash behind.

Many locals are demanding limits on visitor numbers, but it could be that the lack of housing for the people that serve those visitors ends up creating that limit.

He now works as a professional writer on all things Scandinavia. The environment is likely to be very different from anything you've experienced before, with added risk factors. The most common dangers on Svalbard include:. The number one rule on Svalbard : The only person responsible for your safety is you.

If you don't have experience in such an environment, you should not go out of the settlements on your own. The main settlement of Longyearbyen is comparatively safe to the rest of the archipelago but there are still significant dangers.

Polar bears are unlikely to enter the settlement itself but it can and does happen. Be on your guard especially in the dark season. In , an avalanche destroyed 11 houses in a residential part of the town. Another avalanche in has caused more houses to be evacuated and knocked down because of the high risk. Roads and paths can be extremely slippy so wearing spikes is recommended during the winter and spring. Wearing a hi-vis reflective jacket is a good idea during the darkness.

First and foremost, it is not recommended to leave the settlement for long periods of time on your own or in a small group without a qualified and experienced guide. Still, many people choose to do so, so here are some important guidelines. You must familiarise yourself with the laws of the land, for they are different from mainland Norway. All visitors venturing outside Management Area 10 check local maps are required to notify the Governor of their plans and take out search and rescue insurance.

Check the website of the Governor of Svalbard for the latest information including avalanche risk. While they are increasingly common in Longyearbyen, landslides and avalanches can and do happen anywhere.