Every year, dozens of Spanish nurses pack their bags for Norway, Denmark or Sweden, attracted by the promise of high salaries and job stability. In Spain, the healthcare community has been denouncing low salaries, long hours and a chronic lack of work-life balance for years, which pushes many professionals to look in northern Europe for the conditions that their country does not offer them.
Now, Kely García, nurse in a Norwegian residencehas decided to tell on social networks “how much money a nurse really earns” in this country, and her response has dismantled many expectations. In a video that has accumulated thousands of views, he explains naturally that his monthly income ranges between 3,200 and 4,700 euros, depending on the number of hours, shifts and holidays worked.
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Each payroll is a world
“I still don’t fully understand my payroll either. It’s very difficult to understand it,” he admits with a laugh. “It is very difficult to say a specific figure because the salary I receive each month is different,” the nurse acknowledges. Their working hours are 35.5 hours per week, but the supplements for working in the afternoon, at night or on holidays completely change the total.
The final salary depends on the calls ticklethat is, the supplements paid for working evenings, nights or weekends. “From five to nine in the afternoon they pay you a bonus. From nine at night to six in the morning, even more. And weekends or holidays, what they call red days, are the best paid.”
The nurse clarifies that the base salary varies depending on the commune (city council), the geographical area, experience and whether one works in the public or private sector. “People who work for private companies usually earn more, because they also pay their expenses and have more savings capacity,” he explains. She, according to her characteristics, is among the lowest levels of the salary range.
From 3,200 to 4,700 euros, depending on the month
In his case, without a specialty and with six years of recognized experience (including what he accumulated in Spain), his salary constantly fluctuates. “I have earned around €4,700 and yet there have been months in which I have earned around €3,200 per month,” he explains. “It depends on whether you work more overtime or work more weekends.” He overtime or overtime, you pay “a lot more”, but there is not always availability to do it.
Kely emphasizes that his case is at the low end of the salary scale. “I am one of the people who earns the least, for not having a specialty and for having only a few years of experience,” he says. But she immediately clarifies with a piece of information that makes the contrast clear: “I know of colleagues who, with their specialty and their years of experience, can easily earn 5,000 euros a month.”
He spends “about 1,500 euros a month”
Despite these figures, the nurse recognizes that the cost of living in Norway is high, although in her case the rent “is practically the same as in Spain.” According to his calculations, “between rent, food and transportation, I spend about 1,500 euros a month” and that is “enough” to live on.
Despite earning more than in Spain, Kely emphasizes that nursing in Norway “is one of the lowest paid careers” compared to other professions. “I know that many expected higher numbers, but this is reality. I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” he says in his video.