Unemployment benefits in Norway

If you lose your job or are temporarily laid off (permittert), Nav can pay unemployment benefit (dagpenger). There is no separate unemployment insurance fund. Dagpenger is part of the National Insurance Scheme and is based on your earlier income. If you do not qualify, or your dagpenger ends, the Nav office in your municipality can give financial social assistance (økonomisk sosialhjelp).

Who can get dagpenger

• You have lost at least 50% of your total working time.
• You earned at least NOK 204,824 (1.5 G) in the last 12 months, or at least NOK 409,647 (3 G) in total over the last 36 months (amounts from 1 May 2026).
• You register as a job seeker with Nav, send an employment status form (meldekort) every 14 days, and stay in Norway.
• Apply about 2 weeks before your last day with pay. You can get dagpenger from the day you apply and register at the earliest.
• If you worked in another EEA country, Nav needs a PD U1 form from that country's labour authority so those periods can count.

Amount and duration

• Dagpenger is 62.4% of your previous income. Income above NOK 819,294 (6 G) does not count (2026).
• If you support children under 18, you get a supplement of NOK 38 per child per day, 5 days a week.
• Duration: up to 104 weeks if you earned at least NOK 273,098 (2 G) in the last 12 months, or on average over the last 36 months. Otherwise up to 52 weeks.
• Nav pays every 14 days, 1–3 working days after you send the meldekort. In 2026 Nav's processing time for new applications was about 7 weeks.
• If you are laid off temporarily, your employer pays you for the first 15 days. You can then get dagpenger for at most 26 weeks within 18 months.
• You can take dagpenger to another EEA country to look for work for up to 3 months. You need a PD U2 and at least 4 weeks as a registered job seeker before you leave.

Social assistance after that (økonomisk sosialhjelp)

Social assistance is temporary, means-tested help from the Nav office in your municipality. Your income, savings and your spouse's situation are taken into account. The state guideline rates for living costs from 1 January 2026 (per month) are:

• single person NOK 8,300; married or cohabiting couple NOK 13,800
• children NOK 4,050 (0–5), NOK 4,150 (6–10) and NOK 5,400 (11–17)

Rent, electricity, transport and children's leisure activities are assessed on top of these rates. Municipalities can use their own rates. People aged 18–67 who need closer follow-up can be offered the full-time qualification programme (kvalifiseringsprogrammet).

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• If you apply late, you lose days of benefit. Apply no later than the day your pay stops.
• If you miss a meldekort, payments can stop. Keep sending it while you wait for a decision.
• A trip abroad without telling Nav can stop your dagpenger. Ask your Nav office before you travel.
• The Nav office can require you to apply for housing allowance (bostøtte) before it grants social assistance.

Official guidance: Nav: unemployment benefit, Nav: financial social assistance, Nav: basic amount (G)