Minimum wages in Norway, current rates for 2024. Norway has introduced minimum wage rates for the following professional groups: construction industry, cleaning workers, the hotel and restaurant industry, shipbuilding industry and many more.
Minimum wages in Norway. New wages are valid since 1st of November 2024.
The minimum wage in Norway is becoming more common. Agricultural workers, electricians and workers in the fishing industry are the new professional groups to which the expanded minimum wages apply. In contrast, collective agreements that are not affected by the universal minimum wage are continually updated as a result of negotiations between trade unions and employers’ organizations.
The minimum wage in Norway applies in selected industries, particularly those with high demand for foreign workers. The purpose of the minimum wage is to prevent foreign workers from being underpaid in comparison to native Norwegian workers. On the other hand, the minimum wage’s intention is to stop Norwegians from moving away from less popular professions, especially those physically demanding. The regulations apply to both skilled and unskilled workers in selected industries. Since 2019, further groups of employees have been included in the minimum rates.
Minstelønn in Norwegian means minimum wage.
Since the 1st of November 2024, the minimum wage in agriculture starts from 145.40 NOK per hour (earlier 134,40 NOK).
The new rates for agricultural and horticultural workers in Norway apply since 1st of November 2024. It is worth noting that they vary depending on the length of the contract and the age of the employee. That means that the minimum wage per hour varies between NOK 135,90 (earlier NOK 124.90) and NOK 161,40 (earlier NOK 150.40) for seasonal workers. Permanent employees are to be paid between NOK 145,40 (earlier NOK 134.40) and NOK 175,80 (earlier NOK164.80) depending on their age. Skilled workers, on the other hand, are to be paid an additional allowance of NOK 14.50 per hour (earlier NOK 14,00)
Minimum wages in Norway covers more and more professional groups. Photo by Rob Lambert on Unsplash
List of professional groups to which the universal minimum wages in Norway apply:
- construction industry
- cleaning workers
- the hotel and restaurant industry
- workers in the shipbuilding industry
- agricultural workers
- fish processing workers
- the electrical installation industry
- the goods transport industry
- passenger transport
There have also been established new minimum rates for workers within the fishing industry. It is worth noting that the group of these professions has been strictly defined and includes a wide range of occupations from warehousemen, drivers to refrigeration equipment operators within the industry. The minimum hourly rate for production workers has been set at NOK 216,15 (earlier NOK 206,03). In addition, skilled workers are entitled to a minimum of NOK 231,15 per hour (earlier NOK 220,03 per hour).
The minimum wage in Norway in the electrical installation industry since the 1st of November 2024 starts from NOK 229,11 (earlier 213.66 NOK per hour).
The last new group that has been added to the minimum wage in Norway is electricians, with the exception of electricians working in offshore oil companies. The minimum wage for qualified electricians with a diploma is 257,79 NOK per hour (earlier 242,34 NOK).
The above mentioned rates may be higher for shift work depending on each occupational group.
Find out more about:
- skattekort in Norway,
- what is a d-number?
- HMS card for construction workers in Norway
- is Norway in the EU?
- VAT in Norway
Finally please remember that to the universal minimum wage system, there are also set minimum wages in selected occupational groups negotiated separately in collective agreements between the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprises NHO and the national or sectoral trade unions. Detailed information about collective agreements in Norway can be found HERE
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