Norway experienced an increase in unemployment last year, rising to 136,000 individuals, a rate climbing from 4% in 2024 to 4.5% in 2025. This rise in unemployment was mainly attributed to more young people entering the job market and being classified as unemployed, particularly those aged 15 to 24. Ingebjørg Aamodt from Statistics Norway noted that an important factor was that many young individuals, previously outside the labor force, began actively searching for jobs.

Additionally, there was a notable increase in unemployment among those aged 25 to 39, a crucial demographic for the labor market. This age group saw a slight decrease in employment numbers compared to the previous year. The labor force participation rate for this group declined from 87.8% in 2024 to 87.4% in 2025, indicating a shrinking workforce in this core age range.

Overall, the increase in unemployment rates, particularly among young men, highlights ongoing economic challenges in Norway, with implications for future workforce dynamics and the need for targeted job creation strategies to support young job seekers.