If you are trying to get your foot through the door in the Nordic region by finding employment, Norway could be the ideal country to focus on. Like many other countries in Europe, this Scandinavian nation too suffers from a skills shortage and is likely to recruit professionals in large numbers in the coming months.
A company survey by NAV (the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration) at the beginning of 2023 indicated a shortfall of approximately 70,000 employees in the Norwegian labour market with engineering, health, and manufacturing being the sectors with the greatest need to recruit. Though we are close to the end of the year, some recent reports put the shortfall to around 53,000, especially in critical sectors like healthcare services and other skilled trades.
Statista forecasted a continuous increase in the number of employed people in Norway between 2023 and 2024 by 0.02 million people in total (+0.7%). After the 4th consecutive increasing year, the country is estimated to employ 2.88 million people, thus touching a new peak in 2024. With a high standard of living and good work-life balance, Norway can be the ideal place to hunt for a new job.
In-Demand Jobs in Norway
In line with the Nordic vision for 2030 to become the world’s most sustainable and integrated region, 25% of Nordic workers today are engaged in what’s considered a green job. This percentage is higher than the OECD average. However, since most of these jobs are often in historically male-dominated sectors, just a little over 30% of all Nordic workers in green jobs are women.
It’s expected that the green transition will cause an increased need for recruitment in several sectors. However, the creation of the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) in the US has slowed the process because companies and other entities planning on taking the lead have slowed down significantly because they expect similar support schemes to be implemented in the EU/EEA area.
Apart from health, manufacturing, and engineering being the sectors expected to recruit big numbers, other industries that are likely to have vacancies and hire in sizable numbers are education, tourism and transport, retail and sales, IT, building and construction, agriculture, and forestry and fishing.
It’s interesting to note that Norway’s unemployment rate came down to 3.5% in September 2023 from 3.6% in the previous month, thus touching the lowest level in three months. But a large proportion of those who are unemployed belongs to the labour category with no occupational or an undisclosed background. This indicates that these people need to build on or upgrade their skills to get employed.
Lack of Skilled Professionals – A Worrying Factor
There’s growing concern about Europe losing the race for talent and Norway is no different. The country is hit by a skills shortage that threatens to adversely affect the ability of big companies, SMEs, and other employers to stay competitive and adapt to changing market conditions.
The European Commission (EC) recently launched a new ‘Skills and Talent Mobility’ package to create a new European Union Talent Pool, which will match EU-based employers (including those in Norway) with jobseekers from outside the EU. But the challenge is to beat high-income countries like the United States, Australia, Canada, and Japan, which are the preferred choice of the highly educated migrants that the EU wants to target.
Even when trying to find talent from partner countries in the EU, Norwegian employers face multiple challenges while navigating the search, recruitment, and retention route. It’s vital to remember that not everyone has the network or means to reach top talent (including passive talent, which refers to professionals not actively looking for a new job). Even when a suitable professional is hired, retaining the person could prove to be a challenge. That’s where an experienced headhunter can help.
Why Partnering with a Headhunter in Norway Can Pay You Rich Dividends
Skills shortage is a worrying reality for Norwegian employers. With some experts cautioning employers to brace for employees resigning in the New Year in favour of better job profiles and pay packets, now’s the time to plan and fill your talent pool. With an expert headhunter as your partner, the process can become smooth and streamlined.
Not sure what this means for you? Even if you have vacancies to fill, the positions won’t lie vacant for long because you can either hire candidates from your talent pool or let your headhunter do the legwork on your behalf to find suitable candidates.
Partnering with a headhunter can become all the more vital when you are looking to recruit C-level executives, who aren’t easy to find. By drawing on their industry experience, networks, and resources, your headhunting partner can make the hitherto challenging task look easy.
For seamless C-suite hiring in Norway, you can trust us at InHunt World!
This article was written by Sonali