Aarvik served was a member of the
municipal council of
Strinda Municipality during the term 1951–1955. He was elected as a deputy representative to the
Parliament of Norway from
Oslo in 1957, and became a full representative in 1961. He chaired the Standing Committee on Social Affairs during his first term. He was not re-elected in 1965, but gained his seat back again in both 1969 and 1973. In 1965, having recently lost his Parliament seat, Aarvik was appointed as the
Minister of Social Affairs in the centre-right
Borten's Cabinet. He held the position until Prime Minister Borten's Cabinet fell in 1971. Meanwhile, Aarvik was appointed to the Borten cabinet, he did not meet in parliamentary session and then-deputy
Kåre Kristiansen filled his seat. After returning to Parliament, Aarvik served as a member of the
Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs from 1971 to 1977 and was
President of the Lagting from 1972 to 1973. He lived in
Bærum Municipality for some time, being elected from the constituency
Akershus in 1973. As a pensioner he moved to
Nøtterøy Municipality. From 1977 to 1981, he spent the final years of his professional career working in
Norwegian Church Aid. He was also chairman of the board of
Blue Cross, Norwegian branch, from 1960 to 1962. He was vice chairman of the
Norwegian Nobel Committee from 1975 to 1982, and chairman from 1982 to 1990. He was a deputy board member of
Folketrygdfondet from 1972 to 1983 and chaired the corporate council of
Statoil from 1973 to 1984. ==Selected works==