Norway (NO)
Norway is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy in Northern Europe — one of the three Scandinavian nations, occupying the western and northern portions of the Scandinavian Peninsula.
Social Security in Norway
Benefits, contributions, and how the system works for expats.
Norway's social security system is Folketrygden (the National Insurance Scheme) — one of the world's most comprehensive welfare systems. Funded by contributions from employers (14.1% arbeidsgiveravgift) and employees (7.9% trygdeavgift), plus general taxation. Administered by NAV (Arbeids- og velferdsetaten). Covers: healthcare, sickness benefit, parental leave, unemployment, disability, pension, and death benefits. All registered Norwegian residents (with fødselsnummer) are members of Folketrygden. Non-EEA work permit holders contribute and are entitled to benefits.
Fødselsnummer / D-nummer
Fødselsnummer (permanent residents) / D-nummer (temporary)
Fødselsnummer: Register your permanent address with Skatteetaten (via Folkeregisteret). D-nummer: Applied for by your employer or applied for directly at Skatteetaten — needed for work before permanent address registration. Both are 11-digit numbers.
- Accessing all Norwegian public services (healthcare, NAV, Skatteetaten)
- Opening a bank account and getting BankID
- Receiving salary from a Norwegian employer
- Filing tax returns (skattemelding)
- Applying for benefits at NAV
- Registering a business at Brønnøysundregistrene
- Receiving state payments (pension, child benefit, unemployment)
- Signing rental contracts and formal agreements
- All medical appointments and prescriptions
Benefits & Support Payments
Dagpenger (Unemployment Benefit)
Dagpenger ved arbeidsløshet
Income replacement for unemployed persons who are registered as job-seekers at NAV and are available for and actively seeking work.
Must have earned at least 1.5G (~NOK 205,000) in the past 12 months, OR at least 3G (~NOK 410,000) over the past 3 years. Must be registered at NAV as a job-seeker. Must be available for and actively seeking work. Must live in Norway.
Apply online at nav.no using BankID. Apply immediately upon becoming unemployed — benefits are not backdated beyond 3 days before application date.
Sykepenger (Sick Pay)
Sykepenger
Full salary replacement during illness.
Must have been employed for at least 4 weeks before the sick leave starts. Must be unable to work due to illness or injury. Requires sykemelding (sick note) from fastlege.
For employer-period (days 1–16): egenmelding (self-certification) for short absences; sykemelding from fastlege. For NAV period: NAV automatically receives the sykemelding electronically from the doctor.
Uføretrygd (Disability Pension)
Uføretrygd
Permanent income replacement for those with long-term reduced capacity to work.
Permanently reduced working capacity by at least 50% due to illness or injury. Must have been member of Folketrygden for 3 years before disability. Age 18–67.
Apply at nav.no after arbeidsavklaringspenger has been exhausted or when permanent disability is established.
Arbeidsavklaringspenger (AAP)
Arbeidsavklaringspenger
Transitional benefit for those whose work capacity is being assessed or who are in rehabilitation.
Work capacity reduced by at least 50% due to illness or injury. Must be actively participating in work assessment or rehabilitation activity.
Apply at nav.no. Typically follows sick leave period.
Foreldrepenger (Parental Benefit)
Foreldrepenger
Income replacement during parental leave.
Must have been employed or self-employed for at least 6 of the last 10 months before the birth/adoption. For those who do not qualify: engangsstønad (lump sum NOK 92,648, 2026).
Apply at nav.no. Apply at least 4 weeks before planned leave start date.
Barnetrygd (Child Benefit)
Barnetrygd
Monthly universal child benefit for all resident children.
All children resident in Norway aged 0–17. No income test.
Automatic for children registered in Folkeregisteret. Apply at nav.no if not received automatically.
Sosialhjelp (Social Assistance)
Sosialhjelp / Sosialstønad
Last-resort means-tested financial assistance for those without other income.
Means-tested — all other income sources and assets must be exhausted first. Administered by NAV kommunal.
Apply at your local NAV office in person or at nav.no.
Contribution Overview
Employee: 7.9% trygdeavgift on gross income. Employer: 14.1% arbeidsgiveravgift on gross salary (5.1% in the far north — Finnmark zone). These contributions fund the Folketrygd. Additionally, 2% minimum OTP (occupational pension) is mandatory for employers. The Norwegian social security system is among the world's most generous in terms of replacement rates and duration.
International Social Security Agreements
Norway has social security totalisation agreements with the USA, Canada, Australia, India, Chile, South Korea, and others. EEA/EU: full EU social security coordination applies under Regulation (EC) 883/2004 (incorporated into EEA). Nordic countries: special Nordic Social Security Convention provides seamless portability across Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. Totalisation prevents double contribution and allows accumulation of benefit rights across countries.
The Norwegian welfare system (Velferdsstaten) is funded by the Oljefondet (Government Petroleum Fund / GPFG) — the world's largest sovereign wealth fund with over NOK 20 trillion in assets. Norway's generous welfare system is sustainable due to this massive buffer fund. However, Norway monitors the sustainability of the system carefully — benefit rules and rates are adjusted annually via the National Budget (Statsbudsjettet). All benefit rates are linked to the grunnbeløpet (G) — the national insurance base amount, NOK 136,549 from 1 May 2026 (source: nav.no/regulering-2026) — adjusted annually on 1 May.
Social Security
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