According to the latest preliminary figures from Statistics Norway, the total number of jobs in the Norwegian economy stood at 3.07M in October 2023. From September to October, around 12 000 jobs were added, marking a reversal from the previous two months when the number of jobs declined.
Job gains in most industries
Over the past 12 months, the majority of industries have seen a positive job growth. The largest gains over the past year were in financial and insurance activities with a growth of over 4%. As for the total number of jobs, the health services industry tops the list, followed by wholesale and retail trade, education, and construction.
Positive job growth in most counties
The number of jobs increased in all counties from Q3 2022 to Q3 2023, except for The biggest increase was in Oslo and Rogaland.
At the municipality level there was more mixed picture, with around half seeing growth and the other half seeing decline.
Non-resident employment close to pre-pandemic levels
As for non-resident employment, the number of jobs held by non-residents in Norway decreased significantly during the pandemic. However, with the easing of cross-border mobility restrictions and an increasing demand for labor, non-resident employment levels have increased but are still a way off pre-pandemic levels.
About the data
Data on jobs are from Statistic Norway “Number of employments and earnings“. Seasonally adjusted number of jobs is published monthly, while data on jobs by county and municipality, as well as by immigration category is published every quarter.