The Hub – The leading Nordic startup recruitment platform (founded by Danske Bank, now owned by Mesh Community). It provides exposure to over 650 000 job seekers, with cross-posting to partner boards. Startups can access a basic ATS. Posting is not universally free: as of 2025, pricing tiers are €89 (Basic), €330 (Pro), and €1 100 (Max). Very early-stage or unfunded startups can apply for free postings under a community program.
thehub.io

Startuplab Jobs – A job board run by Oslo’s StartupLab incubator, highlighting vacancies at member companies. As of 2025 it lists nearly 200 openings across 180+ startups, with the tagline “Work for Norway’s most exciting tech startups.”
jobs.startuplab.no

Startupmatcher (merged) – Originally a Norwegian platform, Startupmatcher was acquired by Mesh and integrated into The Hub in 2021. All job traffic now redirects to The Hub.

FINN.no (FINN Jobb) – Norway’s largest classifieds and job portal (owned by Schibsted). According to JobboardFinder, FINN has over 4.1 million unique monthly users and commands ~80% of Norway’s online recruitment market. Workello reports 23 000 active job ads and ~1.8 million monthly users in 2023. Pricing: NOK 5 335 + VAT (part-time), NOK 10 670 + VAT (full-time/management) for a 42-day ad.
finn.no/job

Arbeidsplassen (NAV) – Norway’s official public employment service portal. Free for employers to post jobs, with automatic syndication to EURES (the EU-wide network). While some work permit applications require evidence that a job was advertised broadly in Norway/EU, there is no fixed 14-day posting rule (unlike Sweden). Still, startups hiring non-EU workers should use Arbeidsplassen postings to strengthen applications.
arbeidsplassen.nav.no

Jobbsafari – A Nordic aggregator listing ~9 000 jobs and attracting ~60 000 monthly visits. Pricing ranges from NOK 995 (DIY ad) to NOK 4 495 (professional package).
jobbsafari.no

Jobs in Oslo (JobsinNetwork) – Focused on English-speaking professionals. Part of a network of 100+ boards globally, targeting international talent.
jobsinoslo.com

LinkedIn – With ~3.0 million users in Norway (3.04 M in March 2025; 2.96 M in July 2025), LinkedIn is essential for sourcing and headhunting, though competition is intense.

Community channels – Developer talent is often approached via Hacker News “Who’s Hiring” threads, Reddit communities (e.g., r/NorgeJobb), and Slack groups. Facebook groups for “English jobs in Oslo” are widely used by expats.

AvantGarde Search – Oslo-based boutique firm specializing in fast-growing tech companies. They recruit management, technical, design, and sales roles for startups and scaleups.
avantgardesearch.no

Amby – Offers embedded recruiters who join startup teams during scaling phases. Strong focus on tech and product hiring.
amby.com

Academic Work – Known as the “Home of the Young Professionals,” operating across the Nordics. Focuses on students, recent graduates, and early-career hires.
academicwork.no

Adecco Norge – A global staffing giant, with large operations in Norway. Active across construction, engineering, healthcare, IT, and hospitality.
adecco.no

Manpower Norge – Covers a wide range of industries, including IT and business support. Used by startups for flexible staffing solutions.
manpower.no

Collett Search – Oslo-based executive search boutique specializing in C-level and niche expert roles.
collettsearch.no

👉 Best practice:

• Use contingency recruiters (pay-on-success) for urgent or difficult hires.
• Use embedded recruiters (Amby-style) when scaling after seed/Series A.
• For C-level hires, engage a retained search firm like Collett.

NAV Work Training (Arbeidstrening) – Allows companies to host job seekers for up to 12 months (extendable by 6 more if reduced work capacity). NAV pays the candidate’s benefits; the company provides supervision. A cost-effective way to trial junior hires.

Apprenticeships (Lærlingordning) – Formal vocational apprenticeships last about 2 years (typically one year training, one year productive work). Subsidized by the government, relevant for startups in trades, mechanics, or IT support.

Internships (Sommerjobb/Praksis) – Summer internships (6–10 weeks) are standard and usually paid. Erasmus+ interns from EU can also be hosted.

University career services:

• NTNU (Trondheim) – Hosts KarriereDagene, Norway’s largest career fair, with 15 000 student visitors and 150+ companies.
• University of Oslo (UiO) – Runs career fairs and job portals via its Karrieresenter.
• NHH (Norwegian School of Economics) – Uses JobTeaser for internships and jobs .
• BI Norwegian Business School (Oslo) – Active career centre for business and marketing roles.
• Other universities (UiB, OsloMet, UiT) – Specializations in marine sciences, UX, biotech.

Student innovation networks – Organizations like Start Norge and student incubators (e.g., Oslo Student Innovation) connect startups with entrepreneurial students.

Work Permits (Non-EU/EEA)

Skilled Worker Visa – For candidates with relevant education or vocational training. Requirements:
– Full-time job offer (≥80%).
– Qualifications must match the role.
– Salary in line with collective agreements or norms. New thresholds from 1 Sept 2025:

• Bachelor-level roles: ≥ NOK 522 600/year.
• Master’s-level roles: ≥ NOK 599 200/year.

– Permit typically valid 2–3 years, renewable. After 3 years, employees can apply for permanent residence.

Processing times – Police guidance indicates up to 12 weeks for skilled-worker permits. Fast-track cases may be shorter if documentation is complete.

Labour market advertising – No fixed “14-day” posting requirement, but employers should demonstrate the job was advertised in Norway/EEA. Posting on NAV/EURES is strongly recommended.


EU/EEA Citizens

Free to work in Norway. EU/EEA nationals must register with the police if staying >3 months. Nordic citizens can live and work freely with minimal paperwork.


Self-Employed / Independent Contractors

Norway does not have a general “digital nomad visa.” Instead, non-EU freelancers with a Norwegian client contract may apply for a residence permit as a self-employed person with a company abroad.

Valid for up to 2 years; renewable up to a 6-year cap. After six years, must leave Norway for two years before reapplying.

Remote work for foreign clients is not permitted on this visa.


Job-Seeker Permit

For non-EU graduates of Norwegian universities or researchers finishing projects. Valid up to 12 months.

Requires proof of funds: at least NOK 27 116 per month (~NOK 325 400/year) in a Norwegian bank account.


Family Reunification

Spouses/partners of skilled workers can obtain permits with unrestricted access to the labour market.


Relocation & Integration Support
Specialist firms help startups manage immigration, housing, and cultural onboarding:

• Expat Relocation AS – Immigration, housing, settling-in.
• Onboard Norway – Relocation with emphasis on integration & retention.
• Norway Relocation Group – End-to-end services: visas, housing, cultural training.
• Pytheas – Immigration compliance and relocation logistics.
• Service Centres for Foreign Workers (SUA) – Government one-stops in Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim where foreigners can handle police, tax, and UDI registration in one visit.