Labour market research: Norway
Norway's oil wealth funds a high-wage economy with persistent labour shortages. The research tracks where the energy transition, tech growth and an aging population create the steepest hiring gaps.
Norway has one of Europe's lowest unemployment rates and one of its highest wage floors. The petroleum sector still dominates the economy, but the transition to renewables, aquaculture and tech is reshaping the talent map.
IPMERC Research monitors the Norwegian market with a focus on sectors affected by the energy transition and by the geography of labour supply (coastal versus inland, north versus south). Fieldwork is in Norwegian and English.
All data is published openly under the GDPR statistical research exemption.
Sectors under study.
What the research unit monitors in Norway.
Energy (petroleum and renewables)
Oil and gas, offshore wind, hydrogen and CCS. Norway's energy sector is transitioning, and the research tracks how the same engineering talent pool serves both legacy and new energy.
Technology
Oslo and Bergen are the main hubs. Fintech, maritime tech and energy tech dominate. Salaries are among the highest in Europe, which affects cross-border competition for remote workers.
Healthcare
Nursing, GPs and elderly care. Norway's geography (long distances, sparse populations in the north) creates regional shortages that national averages mask.
Aquaculture and maritime
Salmon farming, shipping and offshore services. Coastal communities depend on these sectors, and the talent pipeline competes with the petroleum industry for technicians and engineers.
Recurring monitors.
Published openly after each fieldwork round. No paywall, no registration.
Scarcity monitor
Vacancy-to-candidate ratios by sector and region, including the north-south split. Published twice a year.
Salary tracker
Median salaries by sector and seniority. Norway's collective bargaining system means sector-level data is especially informative.
Energy transition tracker
Dedicated monitor for roles moving from petroleum to renewables. Tracks reskilling, cross-sector mobility and salary expectations.
Questions about this research.
How does Norway's wage level affect the research?
High wages mean scarcity shows up differently: employers struggle to find candidates even at premium salaries. The monitor tracks unfilled vacancy duration at given salary levels.
Is the research in Norwegian?
Fieldwork is in Norwegian and English. Published reports are in English.
Do you cover Svalbard?
No. Svalbard has a distinct labour market regulated under separate rules. The scope is mainland Norway.
Research in other countries.
The same methodology, comparable data.