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Country hiring guide

Hiring in Norway ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ด

Norway offers a highly skilled, English-fluent workforce with strong protections and a compulsory occupational pension. All-in employer cost runs around 1.14x the gross salary. Here is what to know before your first Norwegian hire.

Calculate a Norway hire โ†’
Capital cityOslo
CurrencyNorwegian krone (NOK)
LanguagesNorwegian
Population~5.5 million
Payroll frequencyMonthly
VAT standard rate25%
Employer burden*~14% of gross
TGTC flat EOR fee$699/mo ยท Tier C
Overview

Employing in Norway

Employment runs under the Working Environment Act, which sets strong protections on working time, dismissal, and the work environment. There is no general minimum wage, but some sectors have made agreements universally binding, and occupational pension is compulsory.

Minimum wage

  • No general statutory minimum wage
  • Sector minimums via allmenngjoring

Payroll cycle & extra pay

  • Monthly salary
  • No 13th salary; holiday pay instead

Public holidays

  • ~10 public holidays
  • Paid for salaried employees

Onboarding & probation

  • Probation max 6 months
  • Written contract mandatory
Employer costs

What you pay on top of salary

Employer costs sit around 14%, driven by the employer's national-insurance contribution (zone-based) plus the mandatory occupational pension.

Employer contribution*Rate
Social security (arbeidsgiveravgift)14.1%*
Occupational pension (OTP, minimum)2%
Holiday pay10.2% (12% where 5 weeks)

Zones

The employer's national-insurance rate varies by geographic zone and is lower in the north, so location changes the cost.

Employee-side taxes

Employees pay national insurance plus income tax under the PAYE (a-melding) system, withheld at source. Withholding is the employer's responsibility, which under EOR means ours.

Types of leave

Statutory leave in Norway

Annual leave

  • 25 days statutory (about 4 weeks + 1)
  • Holiday pay 10.2% of prior-year earnings

Maternity & parental leave

  • 49 weeks at 100% or 59 at 80%
  • Mother and father quotas ~15 weeks each

Sick leave

  • Employer pays the first 16 days in full
  • Then NAV up to 6G, for one year

Other leave

  • Reserved pre/post-birth weeks; child sick-care days
Employment termination

Ending employment in Norway

Notice

  • 1 month standard, up to 6 by age/tenure
  • 14 days during probation

Severance

  • No statutory severance
  • May arise via agreement or settlement

Probation

  • Max 6 months
  • 14 days' notice during probation

Contractor risk

  • Strong protection; reality of relationship governs

*All figures are estimates from public sources (2025-26), pending ops verification - same basis as the EOR cost calculator. Not tax or legal advice.

Employ in Norway without opening an entity

Compliant Norwegian employment contract, payroll, national insurance, and pension, handled. One invoice, flat $699 per month.

Get a Norway quote