I am a Canadian and I have worked in Europe, Asia and the US. Some of what has been posted is true and some is not.
With regards to working in the US the biggest advantage is that there are several opportunities. Airline, helicopter, MRO, manufacturers, etc and thousands of companies. It really is the land of opportunity. There is also a large geographical area to choose from. I worked a contract on helicopters in Pennsylvania and loved the work! Very interesting and probably the best I have done.
But the people were a bit off and to generalize, ignorant in many areas. However I also found that the spectrum from ignorant to brilliant was quite large. But overall I found the ignorance tiring and left. I would say though that different areas in the US have different people. I have heard that the Western portion is quite different from the East. I would go there again if the right opportunity came along.
One thing I found which was quite refreshing is that most of the guys that I worked with rarely complained about their profession. I think the reason is because most of them came from the military. In Canada complaining and whining about aviation ruining their lives is quite common. I did not find this with the Americans, they were quite proud of themselves.
In contrast to Europe I would say you will find the overall knowledge to be less. Things are less regulated than in Europe as well. And as I said before you will find a broad spectrum of people. In contrast to Norway I think you would come to understand the benefits of your social style government.
If you are looking for cash then the US might not be the best. If you are looking for the adventure/experience then I think you will find it quite different from Europe.
I would not worry about getting the A&P. I think you would find it very easy. A lot of Canadians go down to a 1 week course and get it quite easily. The A&P does not compare to what we call an AME. In the US it is the IA(or maybe AI can't remember) which is the guy who signs things off. The next step up from the A&P.
Best of luck!