Did you know that Norway, a country with just over five million people and a population slightly larger than that of South Carolina, directly supports nearly half a million jobs in the United States? These jobs are found in all states and span a diverse range of economic sectors.
“Norway Creates Jobs in the United States: Norway’s Impact on the American Economy,” a new report released by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C., spotlights the significant impact Norwegian involvement has on job creation in the United States.
The report estimates the number of jobs in each state that are directly supported by the almost 300 Norwegian-affiliated companies operating in the United States, as well as those created by trade and investments. Select Norwegian companies and business sectors working to facilitate business between Norway and the United States are also profiled.
In addition, the report highlights the beneficial trade relationship between the two countries and the positive influences they have on each other. It is noted that the United States is Norway’s second most important export market, and third most important source of imports. Goods being exported from the U.S. to Norway have more than doubled in the last decade and amount to more than $4 million annually to date. There is also discussion of the contribution Norwegian companies make to growth and innovation in the American marketplace by paying taxes, supporting their local communities, and sharing knowledge and technologies. As the countries continue to build on this partnership, the benefits are only expected to grow.
Norway’s ambassador to the United States, Kåre R. Aas, commented on the report in The Huffington Post, noting, “I believe few relationships better illustrate the win-win nature of an open economic partnership than the relationship between Norway and the United States. Bilateral trade is strong — and growing.”