Recruitment in oil industry, immune to crisis

According to the Noro Consulting Services official, more than 75 pct of Norwegian oil and gas companies have recruitment plans for 2009, having announced development projects and being in permanent need for experts.

Most incoming requests are for oil and gas experts, but mining and water supply companies also place numerous demands for workforce; hiring in the medical sector is also upbeat.

Oil engineers and skilled oil and gas workers who relocate for jobs to northern countries pocket wages between 4,000 and 10,000 euros, whereas IT experts are paid between 4,100 and 7,000 euros a month.

'Northern countries work intensely to maintain economic growth and limit the impact of the financial crisis. The authorities are cutting interest rates to stimulate development. The Norwegian central bank is expected to take the interest rates somewhere around 2 pct, which will encourage companies and private persons to seek loans and carry on with their projects,' explained Sletten.

Ariel Ungureanu, project consultant with recruitment company Barnett McCall, says nothing has changed in the oil and gas trade recruitment. Ungureanu says that at this moment demand for Romanian oil and gas experts has not slackened and they are offered the same financial packages as by now.