Svalbard Living here
What is different on Svalbard: the rules, practices and advice a newcomer needs, from the authorities that set them.
Health and emergencies
Practice
The hospital has no delivery room, scheduled surgery or psychologist
Longyearbyen hospital has no delivery room, psychologists, CT or MRI, and no scheduled operations. A midwife follows pregnant women, but with no delivery room births take place on the mainland. Emergency patients are flown out, depending on weather and aircraft availability.
Rule
Non-Norwegians without a Norwegian employer pay in full
Norwegian citizens, and non-Norwegians with a Norwegian employer, pay the ordinary patient fee and have patient travel rights to the mainland. Non-Norwegians without a Norwegian employer, such as self-employed residents, pay in full. European travel insurance may not cover Svalbard at mainland levels.
Rule
Only urn graves are allowed in Longyearbyen
Coffin burial is not permitted at the Longyearbyen cemetery; only urn graves are allowed. People who lived on Svalbard when they died have the right to an urn grave. Svalbard kirke (Svalbard Church) can admit others in special cases.
Practice
Avalanche-exposed homes can be ordered evacuated
When Skred AS advises that avalanche danger is high, Sysselmesteren (the Governor of Svalbard) decides on evacuation of exposed houses. The Governor also decides on traffic bans on roads such as Road 100 and Road 300 in Nybyen. Decisions follow advice from Skred AS, NVE (the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate) and Longyearbyen lokalstyre (the local council).
Advice
Install the Longyearbyen resident app
The resident app of Longyearbyen lokalstyre (the local council) carries news from the council and Sysselmesteren (the Governor of Svalbard), flight times, avalanche warnings and, offline, emergency numbers and preparedness advice. Accept notifications when you install it. An English version exists.