Employment in Norway is governed by the Working Environment Act, the Holidays Act and the National Insurance Act, with collective agreements setting pay and extra benefits in many sectors. Here is what employers need to know about leave, pay, tax and ending employment.
Norway combines employer-paid holiday pay with generous benefits from NAV, the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration. Many benefits are linked to the National Insurance basic amount (G), which is NOK 136,549 from 1 May 2026.
Working days (4 weeks and 1 day) under the Holidays Act. Most collective agreements give 5 weeks. Employees aged 60 or over get an extra week.
The employer pays the first 16 calendar days of sickness absence. NAV then pays sickness benefit for up to 1 year, capped at 6G.
When both parents qualify, or about 61 weeks at 80% cover. Paid by NAV, based on earnings up to 6G (NOK 819,294).
| Period | At 100% | At 80% |
|---|---|---|
| Before birth (mother) | 3 weeks | 3 weeks |
| Mother's quota | 15 weeks | 19 weeks |
| Father's / co-mother's quota | 15 weeks | 19 weeks |
| Shared period | 16 weeks | 20 weeks + 1 day |
Fathers and co-mothers are also entitled to 2 weeks of care leave around the birth. Whether this is paid depends on the employment contract or collective agreement. Each parent may also take up to 12 months of unpaid leave after the parental benefit period.
Set up each Norwegian leave type in IceHrm with its own accrual, carry forward and approval rules, including the extra week for staff aged 60 or over and pro-rata entitlements for part-time staff. Employees see their live balance before they apply, and managers see who is away on a shared calendar. Leave management →
Norway has no general statutory minimum wage. Pay is set by agreement, and collective agreements have been made generally applicable in sectors such as construction, cleaning, hospitality and transport, which sets binding minimum rates there.
And 9 hours a day. Most collective agreements set 37.5 hours a week.
On top of normal pay for every overtime hour. Overtime is limited to 10 hours a week, 25 hours in 4 weeks and 200 hours in 52 weeks.
Of the previous year's earnings, paid instead of normal salary during the holiday. Usually 12% where 5 weeks are agreed, plus 2.3% for employees aged 60 or over.
Record working hours and overtime in IceHrm and feed the hours straight into payroll, so overtime premiums reflect what was actually worked and you stay within the legal limits. Time & attendance →
Employees pay 22% tax on ordinary income (after deductions), plus bracket tax and a national insurance contribution of 7.6% on gross pay. Employers withhold tax each pay run using the employee's tax deduction card from the Norwegian Tax Administration.
| Personal income | Bracket tax rate |
|---|---|
| Up to NOK 226,100 | 0% |
| NOK 226,101 – NOK 318,300 | 1.7% |
| NOK 318,301 – NOK 725,050 | 4.0% |
| NOK 725,051 – NOK 980,100 | 13.7% |
| NOK 980,101 – NOK 1,467,200 | 16.8% |
| Over NOK 1,467,200 | 17.8% |
On top of gross salary, employers pay national insurance contributions, a mandatory occupational pension and occupational injury insurance.
In zone 1, which covers most of the country. Lower rates apply in other zones, down to 0% in Finnmark and Nord-Troms. Also due on holiday pay and pension contributions.
Mandatory occupational pension (OTP) of at least 2% of salary from the first krone up to 12G.
Compulsory for all employees. Premiums depend on the insurer and the type of work.
The temporary additional 5% employer contribution on pay above NOK 850,000 was abolished from 1 January 2025.
Build Norwegian pay the way you already structure it, with your own salary components, deductions and formula columns, such as holiday pay and pension columns. Want to know how well IceHrm handles payroll calculations for Norway? Contact us or see Payroll →
Employment in Norway is not "at will". A dismissal must be objectively justified by circumstances relating to the business, the employer or the employee. The employer must hold a discussion meeting with the employee before deciding, and give notice in writing, delivered personally or by registered post.
| Service | Notice |
|---|---|
| During probation | 14 days |
| Less than 5 years | 1 month |
| 5 years or more | 2 months |
| 10 years or more | 3 months |
| 10 years or more, aged 50 or over | 4 months |
| 10 years or more, aged 55 or over | 5 months |
| 10 years or more, aged 60 or over | 6 months |
There is no statutory severance pay. Some collective agreements provide a severance payment for older employees made redundant, and severance is often negotiated as part of a settlement agreement. In a redundancy, dismissed employees have a preferential right to new positions with the employer for 1 year.
Final pay includes accrued holiday pay. Employees may be entitled to remain in their position while a dispute over the dismissal is pending.
Norway has 12 public holidays, several of them linked to Easter. 1 May and 17 May are paid by law; pay for the other holidays is usually provided through collective agreements or contracts.
Leave groups give each office its own holiday calendar, so your Norwegian team and colleagues in other countries each get the right days off automatically. Holiday calendars →
Every employee must have a written employment contract. Permanent, full-time employment is the main rule, and temporary employment is only allowed on the grounds listed in the Working Environment Act.
Probation can last up to 6 months and must be agreed in writing. It can be extended by the length of any absence during the period if the employee is told in writing before it ends. Temporary contracts are allowed, for example, for work of a temporary nature or to cover for absent staff.
Send contracts for e-signing, store them on the employee's record, and track onboarding with task lists so nothing is missed on day one. Documents & e-signing →
This guide is general information to help you plan HR processes, not legal, tax or financial advice. Employment law and rates change regularly and awards, enterprise agreements and state rules may give employees more than the minimums shown here. Always confirm current requirements with the official sources or a qualified adviser.
Configure leave types, accrual rules and public holidays for Norway, keep employee records and contracts in one place, and run payroll with your own salary components. Want to know how IceHrm handles payroll calculations for Norway? Talk to us.
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