Salary and tax in Norway: how much tax do you pay, and what is a normal salary?

Updated 26.09.2026. Facts checked against the Norwegian Tax Administration, Statistics Norway (SSB), the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, NAV and Ny i Norge.

Short answer: In 2026 you pay 22 % tax on general income, 7.6 % national insurance contribution and bracket tax from 1.7 to 17.8 %. On NOK 500,000 a year you keep around NOK 389,000, or NOK 32,450 a month (our example calculation). The average monthly salary was NOK 62,070 in November 2025 (SSB). Norway has no general minimum wage, but in some industries a minimum wage is mandatory. Foreign workers on short stays can pay a flat 25 % tax (PAYE).

Key facts

What applies to you?

• You have a job offer and want to know your take-home pay: see salary after tax.
• You are coming for a short period or a seasonal job: see PAYE – flat 25 % tax and seasonal work.
• You want to compare salaries: see average salary and minimum wage.
• You need help from NAV: see contacting NAV.

How much tax do you pay in Norway?

Tax on salary has three parts (2026 rates, Norwegian Tax Administration):

• National insurance contribution: 7.6 % of gross salary. Below NOK 99,650 you pay no contribution.
• Tax on general income: 22 % of salary after the minimum standard deduction (46 %, max NOK 95,700) and the personal allowance (NOK 114,540).
• Bracket tax on gross salary: 1.7 % from NOK 226,100, 4.0 % from NOK 318,300, 13.7 % from NOK 725,050, 16.8 % from NOK 980,100 and 17.8 % from NOK 1,467,200.

You pay the tax as you go through withholding, based on your tax deduction card. How to get a tax deduction card is in our guide to moving to Norway.

Video: how the Norwegian tax return works (Skatteetaten, 5:20, in Norwegian)

Salary after tax: example calculations for 2026

We used the Norwegian Tax Administration's 2026 rates for a person aged 17–69 with no other deductions, not living in Finnmark or Nord-Troms. Net per month is an average over twelve months; how withholding is spread over the year depends on your tax deduction card. Calculate your own salary with the Tax Administration's tax calculator.

PAYE: flat 25 % tax for foreign workers

Most foreign workers automatically join the PAYE scheme (Pay As You Earn) if they have short work stays in Norway, or if it is their first year living here. The conditions for 2026 (Norwegian Tax Administration, checked 26.09.2026):

• you work in Norway for less than 183 days in a 12-month period, or less than 270 days in a 36-month period;
• you earn less than NOK 725,050 in 2026;
• the tax is 25 % of your salary, or 17.4 % if you are exempt from national insurance contributions;
• you get no tax return and need to do nothing more. You can opt out of the scheme.

Example: on NOK 500,000 with PAYE you pay NOK 125,000 in tax and take home NOK 375,000 – less than with ordinary tax in the example above. So it pays to check whether you should opt out. More: tax for seasonal workers and interns.

What is a normal salary in Norway?

The average monthly salary for full-time equivalents was NOK 62,070 in November 2025, 4.5 % more than the year before. Men earned NOK 65,610 and women NOK 57,690 a month on average (SSB, published 05.02.2026).

As an annual salary that is around NOK 745,000. With the 2026 rates this gives about NOK 550,000 net, or around NOK 45,800 a month (our example calculation, same assumptions as above).

Does Norway have a minimum wage?

No, Norway has no general statutory minimum wage. But in some industries collective agreements have been made generally applicable, so the minimum wage applies to everyone who works there – including the automotive industry, construction, electricians, freight transport by road, agriculture and horticulture, hospitality, passenger transport by tour bus, cleaning and maritime construction (Labour Inspection Authority, checked 26.09.2026). The rates change regularly – check the current hourly rates with the Labour Inspection Authority.

Holiday pay and holiday

• Holiday pay is at least 10.2 % of the basis for holiday pay; from age 60 at least 12.5 %.
• Many collective agreements give 12 % (14.3 % from age 60) with five weeks of holiday.
• Holiday pay is earned in the previous year. If you did not work in Norway the year before, you are entitled to holiday but not to holiday pay that year.
• It is normally paid on the last regular pay day before your holiday; many employers pay it in June.
• All employees are entitled to 25 working days of holiday a year; from age 60 one extra week.

Source: Labour Inspection Authority, checked 26.09.2026.

Employment contract, working hours and overtime

You have the right to a written employment contract, however long the job lasts. If the job lasts more than one month, the contract must be ready no later than seven days after you start. Normal working hours are at most 9 hours a day and 40 hours a week; work beyond that is overtime, paid at least 40 % on top of the hourly wage. Your employer must give you a payslip showing gross pay, deductions and net pay (Labour Inspection Authority, checked 26.09.2026).

Jobs in Norway for foreigners and seasonal work

You can find vacancies on arbeidsplassen.no, NAV's job portal, among other places (Ny i Norge). From outside the EU/EEA you need a residence permit to work – see registration and residence permit.

Seasonal work: read about fishing and processing and fishing and maritime logistics. Recruitment agencies are in our directory – see your city.

Seasonal work in tourism and farming: if you come from outside the EU/EEA, you need a residence permit as a seasonal worker. The job must be tied to a particular time of year or be a holiday stand-in, you must have a concrete offer of full-time work, and pay and working conditions must not be poorer than is normal in Norway. You can stay in Norway as a seasonal worker for no more than six months out of twelve (UDI, checked 27.09.2026).

Working with English only: it is possible in some sectors. Some companies, especially startups and tech firms, use English as their working language, but without Norwegian you miss many vacancies and much of the social life at work. Many employers pay for Norwegian courses for their staff (Tekna, 31.01.2025).

NAV: phone and opening hours

NAV's main number is +47 55 55 33 33 (choose 1 for private persons). The phone line is open weekdays 9 am–3 pm. Opening hours of your local NAV office are at nav.no/sok-nav-kontor (NAV, updated 25.09.2026).

Recruitment agencies and accountants in your city

Photos: salary, tax and seasonal work

People also ask

• How much tax do you pay in Norway?
• What is the tax rate in Norway?
• What is bracket tax?
• How much do I take home from NOK 500,000?
• Salary after tax – calculator
• How much tax do foreigners pay in Norway?
• What is the PAYE scheme?
• What is the average salary in Norway?
• What is a normal monthly salary in Norway?
• Does Norway have a minimum wage?
• What is the minimum wage in hotels and restaurants?
• How much is holiday pay?
• When is holiday pay paid?
• How many hours a week do people work in Norway?
• How much is overtime pay?
• How can a foreigner get a job in Norway?
• Where can I find seasonal work in Norway?
• When is NAV open?
• What is NAV's phone number?
• Can I work in Norway with English only?
• Do I need a permit for seasonal work in Norway?

Sources

All links checked 26.09.2026.

• Norwegian Tax Administration: advance tax assessment 2026 (rates)
• Norwegian Tax Administration: bracket tax
• Norwegian Tax Administration: national insurance contributions
• Norwegian Tax Administration: PAYE for foreign workers
• Norwegian Tax Administration: tax calculator
• Statistics Norway: wages (published 05.02.2026)
• Labour Inspection Authority: minimum wage
• Labour Inspection Authority: holiday pay
• Labour Inspection Authority: your rights when working in Norway
• Ny i Norge: work
• NAV: contact us
• UDI: seasonal workers
• Tekna: working in Norway without speaking Norwegian (31.01.2025)

Readers' experiences

Did the example match what you were actually paid? How did you find a job in Norway? Tell us in the comments at the bottom of the page. We use your experiences when we update this guide.