Oslopolitan — Oslo Region's coordinated international talent attraction and integration programme

Oslo Business Region — rebranded Oslo&Co — is the official business development and promotion agency of Oslo municipality. Its international talent work is coordinated with the Oslo Region Alliance, a membership organisation representing 64 municipalities and over 2 million residents in eastern Norway.

What it does: The talent programme encompasses several interconnected strands:

1. Oslopolitan (Oslo Region Alliance initiative) — a regional job board and talent pool targeting international professionals, entrepreneurs, students and investors seeking opportunities in the greater Oslo area, positioning the city-region as a competitive and sustainable European hub.

2. Digital Wallet visa pilot (2023) — in partnership with pre-approved employers, the City of Oslo piloted a digital credential system that compresses residence permit processing from the standard 37 weeks to approximately 3 days for vetted companies, directly addressing a projected shortfall of 6,000 ICT professionals in the Oslo region by 2026.

3. Partner integration ('lovepat' programme) — specifically targeting the professional and social integration of international employees' partners, addressing a documented barrier to long-term talent retention.

4. 'Onboarding Oslo' — introductory programme helping newly arrived international workers and families navigate Norwegian life, culture and public services.

5. Oslo Connect Talent Summit — annual convening; the 2023 edition gathered 300+ attendees across 4 days and 8 events, with new initiatives including the Oslo Talent House announced.

Funding: The programme is co-funded by Oslo municipal budget and through grants for integration and qualification measures from Integrerings- og mangfoldsdirektoratet (IMDI), Norway's Directorate of Integration and Diversity.

Context: Norway ranks 2nd globally in gender equality (WEF 2023, 88% gap closed), 5th in English proficiency and 7th in the World Happiness Report 2024, underpinning the city-region's talent value proposition.

Sources: https://osloandco.no | https://businessnorway.com/articles/norway-welcomes-top-international-talent-with-open-arms

Read the full analysis: https://www.oslopolitan.no/