Norway welcomes top international talent with open arms

“Follow your dreams and Norway can help you achieve them,” says Surabhi Gupta, Research Scientist at Morrow Batteries. Originally from India, Gupta has a PhD in materials science from Japan and holds five national and international patents. She is typical of the high-quality professional who has chosen Norway in which to work and live.

A big draw for top talent like her is Norway’s flat hierarchical structure. In the workplace, this means that everyone is encouraged to innovate and contribute. Professionals have the freedom to apply their skills and talents to the fullest, and when they collaborate with equally skilled co-workers, magic happens.

“As the CEO or leader, it is never the objective to be the smartest person in the room,” states John Lervik, CEO of Cognite, a leader in the digitalisation of legacy industries. “We always aim to hire the most talented people out there who will push boundaries and develop new solutions that the world hasn’t even thought of yet.”

Another key aspect of a flat hierarchy is gender equality.

Norway ranks second in the world in gender equality, having closed nearly 88 per cent of its gender gap, according to the World Economic Forum. Women have a high level of autonomy in industry, and while still not perfect, gender equality is a value so ingrained in Norwegian society that it almost seems to be taken for granted.

“Honestly, I haven’t seen any gender inequality in Norway. People respect each other regardless of gender,” says Gupta. Her colleague, Adriana Navarro-Suárez of Colombia, agrees. “In Norway, equality between the genders is a given. This is apparent when conversing and collaborating,” she says. Navarro-Suárez is R&D Manager at Morrow Batteries.

Today’s professionals often seek out fulfilling jobs that contribute to something bigger than themselves. As a leading environmental nation, Norway offers many such career opportunities. Ayse Gul of Turkey, for example, finds special meaning in her work as Senior Quality Management Engineer at FREYR Battery.

“I started my career in oil and gas, but I wanted to switch to a green industry,” says Gul. “After considering other job offers in Europe, I chose to work at FREYR in Norway. I know that here my contributions will make a difference in the world. It isn’t only about my own career,” she says.

Moreover, all Norwegian jobs – regardless of industry – run on clean renewable energy. Sustainability is a core value within all Norwegian industries, and an impressive 98 per cent of Norway’s electricity is produced from renewables, giving energy-intensive industries the world’s smallest carbon footprint. Green electricity also enables the production of green hydrogen and ammonia.

Historically, weather and geography have kept Norway relatively isolated, and thus homogenous, by global standards. So professionals from abroad are often surprised by the cultural diversity of Norwegian workplaces, especially in science and technology. By recruiting the best talent from around the world, Norwegian industries are busting the myth of homogeneity.

Moreover, many organisations use English as their working language, due in part to the multicultural workforce. As one example, 25 nationalities are represented at Morrow Batteries, which is typical of high-tech industries. Communicating with colleagues is easy, as Norway ranks fifth in the world in English proficiency, with working professionals age 26 to 40 showing the greatest fluency.

Gul says this about her workplace. “FREYR is like a cultural soup, so to speak. I like the exposure to many different cultures, from China to France to India. I have Norwegian friends and international friends. It’s great being part of an international landscape where everyone is working towards one goal,” she shares.

Norway outperforms most other countries on the World Happiness Scale. Along with a high standard of living, Norway offers a good work-life balance, public safety and a clean environment.

Excellent health care and higher education are available to all. Norway provides generous family leave, including for men, and universal, low-cost childcare.

Employers offer their new international hires excellent relocation services, including airport pick-up, housing assistance, and professional and social introductions. For non-EU members, visas are always a concern, and the City of Oslo has implemented a pilot project to reduce visa processing from 37 weeks to only three days using digital wallet technology.

All the social benefits won’t mean a lot without a good monthly paycheck, and Norway can deliver this as well. Norway ranks fourth in the world for average annual wages, one place behind the US and well above the OECD average.Statistics Norway estimates that for the years 2024 to 2027, annual real wage growth and purchasing power will increase, while inflation will continue to decrease.

“Being able to offer employees competitive compensation, including share-based incentives, has been crucial in attracting top talent to work at Cognite,” explains Lervik.