Software Developers in Norway: Why Is It So Hard To Find Them?
Globally, the talent shortage in the software development industry has become a problem even more than in the last decade. Among the many countries, Norway is not an exception. Many companies are reporting the shortage they are experiencing when it comes to software developers specialising in various fields. So, why do you think it happens?
It has a thriving economy with a low unemployment rate. But some factors make it hard to find programmers. The education system, population, the gap between supply and demand for IT skills, and rules and regulations all contribute to the need for more software developers in Norway. In this article, you can explore the reasons why you find it difficult to see them in detail. Read on to learn more.
Factors Contributing to the Shortage of Norwegian Programmers
The software development industry in Norway is in great demand for IT professionals across various industries. Product innovation, digitisation, robotics, and network security are in-demand skills. However, the industry is suffering due to the shortage of talented programmers in the country due to the following contributing factors.
- Norwegian Education System
- Gap Between Supply and Demand
- Population
- Rules and Regulations
1. Norwegian Education System
Many people receive secondary education and attend universities in Norway. But the problem is that not everyone goes on to pursue careers in technology or science, as many did earlier. Those who did are moving abroad for better job opportunities. Even if they do, they are usually picked up very early. It is one of the main reasons for the talent shortage that is happening now.
2. Gap Between Supply and Demand
Programmers from Norway are in great demand, and many professionals are working in the IT industry. However, the gap between supply and demand has been continuously increasing recently. Therefore, many fast-growing Norwegian software development firms are struggling to find enough technical personnel to support expansion. There are not many potential candidates out there for companies looking to hire programmers or developers for their goods or services.
3. Population
The country has one of the oldest populations. A large portion of the citizens in Norway are over fifty-five years old, which means that there will be fewer young people entering the workforce in future years. It will cause problems because many developers and professionals in the industry will be retiring while the number of young people entering the workforce is decreasing.
As said earlier, the education system in the country needs to produce more candidates to fill the software developer positions in various software development companies. Also, the ones in the country are not interested in taking the place of retiring programmers. They are leaving the country to work abroad, where they can earn more.
4. Rules and Regulations
Even if you think of dealing with the shortage of developers by outsourcing or hiring them from other countries, it will be a challenging task. Because of the strict employment and immigration laws in Norway, not everyone can come and work there. Developers who come from foreign countries or are non-EU nationals will need help getting visas for work permits or residency permits due to the bureaucracy associated with hiring processes.
And for some companies, these processes can take months or even years. If you are looking for a specialist in artificial intelligence or machine learning, you are out of luck unless you are willing to wait around until things are resolved and he can be hired.
Skill shortages can threaten the very existence of many software companies, not to mention the inability to scale the companies without the required number of skilled software developers. So, in the case of Norway, the factors mentioned above are the reasons for the shortage of developers and that makes it so hard to find them. There are some ways you can solve the talent shortage, thereby allowing businesses to close the skill gap.
- One way is to grow the necessary expertise on site. It means the companies can introduce their own training programmes, eventually turning them into a workforce.
- Another option for addressing the talent shortage is to relocate skilled specialists from other countries.
- And finally, what can be done is to hire skilled software developers remotely, partnering with professional staffing agencies.
Norway is also home to a number of tech companies, such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, which create a large demand for software engineers. Additionally, the Norwegian government provides generous tax incentives to tech companies, which further encourages companies to invest in the country. But a shortage of programmers is a problem. So, you should have gotten an idea of how the talent shortage happens in Norway and here are some of the solutions for you to consider to solve the problem. Explore the article in detail to learn more.
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Shortage of Nordic programmers
Hi, my name is Rahil. I work at YUHIRO Global and I help web agencies and software companies from Europe to build developer teams in India.