Software Developer Hiring Trends in Oslo, Norway

This report was last updated on Aug 31, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The Software Engineers job market trends in Norway, particularly in Oslo, are experiencing a dynamic and competitive landscape, marked by significant fluctuations in job postings and closures over the past three months.
Currently, there are approximately 2,000 job openings for Software Engineers in Norway, with a talent pool of around 2,500, resulting in a jobs-to-talent ratio of 1.25, indicating moderate ease of hiring as compared to other European markets.
Oslo dominates the Software job market in Norway, with a staggering 91% of job opportunities located in the capital, emphasizing its status as the central hub for Software Developer opportunities in the region.
Demand for Software Engineers is notably focused on mid-seniority roles, which comprise around 54% of job openings, highlighting the need for recruitment strategies that target experienced professionals to stay competitive in Oslo's tech sector.
The median time to hire for Software Engineers in Norway is currently 33 days, although this period varies significantly for senior roles, necessitating strategic planning for effective recruitment processes in the evolving technology landscape.

Number of roles opened and closed for Software Engineers in Oslo in the last 3 months

In the past 12 weeks, the Software Engineers job market in Norway, particularly in Oslo, has demonstrated significant fluctuations in job postings. A peak of 201 new positions was recorded in week 32, while the total number of job closures reached 214 in week 24, indicating a competitive hiring landscape. The substantial difference between opened and closed positions suggests a persistent demand for Software Developers in Oslo, with varied trends compared to other roles within Norway or across Europe. Hiring managers should leverage these insights to enhance their recruitment strategies, anticipating future demand for Software Engineers in the region.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in Norway:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	106
Uloba SA	Norway	Information Services	1991	105
Akademija Oxford	Serbia	Professional Training & Coaching	2008	84
TELUS Digital	Canada	Information Technology & Services	2005	37
Sopra Steria	France	Information Technology & Services	1968	31
Bane NOR	Norway	Transportation/trucking/railroad	2017	28
Equinor	Norway	Oil & Energy	1972	27
AutoStore™	Norway	Industrial Automation	1995	23
IKM Consultants AS	null	null	null	22
Tenth Revolution Group	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2006	22

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in Norway

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in Norway

The software engineer job market in Norway, particularly in Oslo, reflects a competitive landscape characterized by a significant disparity between job openings and the available talent pool. With a total of 2,000 job openings and a talent pool of 2,500, Norway presents a jobs-to-talent ratio of 1.25, indicating a moderate ease of hiring. In comparison, countries such as Germany, with 5,000 job openings and a talent pool of 10,000 (a ratio of 2.0), and the Netherlands, featuring 4,000 openings and a talent pool of 6,000 (a ratio of 1.5) showcase a more favorable hiring environment. However, in Poland, the situation is less advantageous for recruiters, as there are 3,500 job openings against a talent pool of only 2,000, resulting in a ratio of 0.57. Overall, while Norway has a promising market for software developer opportunities, hiring may still present challenges, especially for senior software developers, due to the competitive nature of the region.

Seniority distribution of Software Engineer job openings in Oslo

Seniority Distribution of Software Engineering Jobs in Oslo

In the Software Engineers job market trends in Norway Oslo, the distribution of job openings reveals significant insights. Mid-Senior level positions account for approximately 54% of the total roles, followed by Entry level jobs at around 30% and Associate positions making up roughly 5%. This highlights a dominant demand for seasoned professionals, emphasizing the importance for hiring managers to focus on attracting Mid-Senior level talents to stay competitive in the evolving landscape.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Norway

In the context of the software engineers job market trends in Norway, Oslo plays a pivotal role with a significant focus on employment type distribution. A substantial 92% of engineering roles are full-time positions, underscoring the preference for stable employment in the tech sector. Meanwhile, contract roles account for 7%, reflecting the increasing flexibility in hiring practices, while part-time positions represent 5%, catering to a diverse workforce seeking various engagement levels.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in Norway

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire for Software Engineer positions in Norway reveals significant insights into the local job market trends. A notable 699 candidates were hired within 30 days, underscoring a competitive environment for Software jobs in Norway, particularly in cities like Oslo. As the time to hire extends, there is a marked decline in candidate counts, with only 9 hires occurring by the 100-day mark. This distribution indicates that while immediate recruitment needs are often met swiftly, hiring managers and CTOs should strategize for longer recruitment processes for more senior roles. Ultimately, understanding these software hiring trends will be crucial for developing effective recruitment strategies tailored to the fast-evolving tech sector in Norway.

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Most popular cities in Norway to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in Norway to hire Software Engineers

The location distribution of Software Engineer job openings in Norway reveals a significant concentration in the capital city of Oslo, which accounts for 91% of the total job opportunities. In comparison, Stavanger and Trondheim follow with 2% and 2%, respectively. This stark contrast underscores the importance of Oslo as a central hub in the Software job market in Norway.

Most sought after technologies in Oslo for Software

Key technologies for Software Engineers

The software job market in Norway, particularly in Oslo, is characterized by a strong demand for a variety of programming languages and frameworks. Notably, Java leads the pack with a frequency of 10,493 occurrences, followed closely by Python at 10,601. JavaScript and React also hold significant presence, with frequencies of 8,023 and 6,591, respectively. Other technologies such as TypeScript (5,239) and PHP (6,098) contribute markedly to the hiring landscape, as highlighted in the accompanying chart. As hiring managers in Oslo's tech sector look to attract top talent, these technologies represent critical focal points when crafting recruitment strategies.

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