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Employment guide

Hire and pay employees
in Norway

Employment law, payroll compliance, taxes, benefits, and hiring requirements for Norway — curated and reviewed by Remote&.

Capital
Oslo
Currency
kr Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Working Hours
37.5–40 hours per week
Min. salary
01 — Country basics

Norway at a glance

Capital
Oslo
Language
Norwegian
Currency
kr Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Working Hours
37.5–40 hours per week
Public Holidays
12 days per year
Tax Year
Jan 1 – Dec 31
Worker misclassification risk
Misclassifying an employee as a contractor in Norway can result in fines of up to two annual salaries. Norway's midnight sun is famous — but its employment protections are equally notable.
02 — Tax obligations

Taxes in Norway

Employer Contributions

ContributionRate
Total employer tax16.1% – 39.2%
Social security14.1% (lower in sparsely populated areas)
Supplementary pension2% – 25.1%
Employer contributions
ContributionRate
Total employer tax16.1% – 39.2%
Social security14.1% (lower in sparsely populated areas)
Supplementary pension2% – 25.1%
Employee contributions
ContributionRate
Social security8%
Income tax base rate22%
Total employee tax (incl. progressive supplements)30% – 47.4%
Income tax brackets
Gross Income (NOK)Bracket Tax Rate
0 – 190,3490%
190,350 – 267,8991.7%
267,900 – 643,7994%
643,800 – 969,19913.4%
969,200 – 1,999,99916.4%
Over 2,000,00017.4%
03 — Remote& EOR

Employer of Record in Norway

How Remote& Works in Norway

Standard EOR is not a recognized model in Norway. Instead, Remote& employs workers through a company established specifically for that purpose, achieving the same compliant outcome. Remote& handles payroll, tax filings, statutory benefits, and employment contracts.

PartyRole
Your CompanyManages work tasks, performance, and team direction
Remote&Employs worker via dedicated Norwegian entity; runs payroll, files taxes, administers benefits
EmployeeWorks for your company under a locally compliant Norwegian contract

Ask Remi:

"Hire a senior developer in Norway — NOK 85,000/month, starting Q4" Remi handles everything: contract, NAV registration, payroll setup, and OTP pension enrollment.
04 — What employees receive

Benefits in Norway

Statutory
  • Medical coverage (universal public healthcare via NAV)
  • Supplementary pension (OTP — mandatory for most employers)
  • Work injury insurance
  • Medical examinations (role-dependent)
Common additional
  • Remote work arrangements
  • Life insurance
  • Private health insurance top-up
  • Stock options
  • Free meals or meal allowance
  • Paid relocation
  • Additional top-up during parental leave
  • Gym membership
  • Flexible working hours
05 — Time away from work

Leave entitlements

Leave typeEntitlement
Paid Annual Leave21–25 working days
Sick Leave52 weeks paid (medical certificate required)
Maternity Leave12 months + 15 weeks paid
Paternity Leave2 weeks
Parental Leave12 months paid + 12 months unpaid
06 — Contracts & rights

Employment conditions

Probation

Up to 6 months.

Non-Compete

Non-compete clauses are only enforceable when necessary to protect the employer's legitimate interests and cannot exceed 1 year in duration.

Employee Rights & Protections

Norwegian workers are entitled to: written employment contract, payslip, workload review meetings, compensation during non-compete periods, whistleblower protection, discrimination and harassment protection, working environment committee representation, overtime pay, and unemployment allowance.

07 — Payroll cadence

Payments

Payment frequency
Monthly
Payday
No fixed statutory date; commonly around the 20th of the month (paid in arrears).
08 — Off-boarding

End of employment in Norway

Norway has stringent termination protections. Permitted dismissal grounds:

  • Economic reasons — redundancy or reorganization
  • Personal reasons — poor performance or gross misconduct
  • Mutual consent — via a signed termination agreement

Temporary workforce reduction (layoffs/permittering) is permitted in economic downturns.

During a termination dispute, the employee has the right to remain in their post until courts resolve the matter. Norwegian law has no statutory severance requirement, but it is customary to negotiate severance as part of any termination agreement.

09 — Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Four approaches: run payroll from HQ (generally unlawful long-term); engage contractors (not compliant for full-time exclusive workers); establish a Norwegian AS entity; or partner with Remote& for compliant employment through a dedicated Norwegian entity. Remote& handles all compliance without you needing to set up locally.

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