Nav: 34,200 Job Ads in October, Unemployment Steady at 2.0%
Nav's October figures show a stable labour market with more job ads than a year ago. For foreign jobseekers the numbers matter less than the question behind them: who is allowed to take the jobs.
Nav, the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, published its monthly labour market statistics on 30 October 2026. According to Nav, 59,100 people were registered as fully unemployed in October, which is 2.0 per cent of the labour force. Seasonally adjusted, the number rose by 400 from September while the share stayed at 2.0 per cent.
The short version: Nav reports about 34,200 job ads on arbeidsplassen.no in October, 10 per cent more than in October 2025. Most ads were in health and care. A job ad does not give a foreigner the right to take the job: that depends on citizenship and permit.
What Nav reported
- Unemployment: 2.0 per cent fully unemployed. Gross unemployment, which adds jobseekers on labour market programmes, was unchanged at 2.6 per cent seasonally adjusted. Nav says the past half year has shown a slight rise in unemployment.
- Job ads: 34,200 ads on arbeidsplassen.no in October, about 2,000 per working day seasonally adjusted.
- Where the ads are: health, care and nursing had the most (8,500), then retail and sales (3,600) and engineering and ICT (3,200).
- Regions: Nav gives the highest gross unemployment in Østfold and Oslo (3.2 per cent) and the lowest in Troms (1.5 per cent).
- Construction: Nav says falling construction unemployment is probably because some labour immigrants have gone back to their home countries.
What it means for jobseekers abroad
Job ads count open positions advertised on one site. They are not a count of unfilled jobs that employers will give to applicants from abroad, and Nav's release says nothing about who is hired. For citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA, a job also needs to meet the conditions of a residence permit, such as the skilled worker permit. EU/EEA citizens have different rights. Our guide to jobs in demand in Norway explains the difference between a shortage and eligibility, and working in Norway without a job offer compares the two groups.
For health jobs, which lead the ad count, many professions are regulated and need Norwegian authorisation; see foreign nurses: authorisation steps.
Sources
- Liten økning i arbeidsledigheten i oktober (Nav): published 30 October 2026; read 6 November 2026.
Is Working in Norway a Realistic Option for You?
General information can help you understand Norway's labour market, but it cannot determine whether you personally qualify to work here. Your citizenship, current residence status, education, work experience and professional qualifications can all affect your options.
JobsNorway provides an independent assessment of your potential eligibility, qualifications and realistic employment opportunities in Norway. Every assessment is checked before it is sent, and includes personal advice where relevant. Before investing months in applications or spending money on relocation plans, find out whether Norway is a realistic option for you.
One-time paid assessment. No job placement. No employment guarantees.
General information, not legal advice or an individual assessment. Decisions on permits and authorisations are made by the Norwegian authorities. JobsNorway does not find jobs. More news: all news.