In accordance with the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement Norway applies the EU social security coordination rules.

Membership of the National Insurance Scheme

Membership of the National Insurance Scheme is the key to your entitlements from Nav. If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA-country and come to work in Norway you automatically become a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme from your first day of work.

You become a member even if you are residing in another EU/EEA member state while working in Norway. You do not have to be a Norwegian citizen, registered with the National Population Register or liable to pay taxes in Norway. What is crucial is that you are legally entitled to perform work in Norway.

• Through the membership you are entitled a.o. to health care in Norway and can earn pension rights according to the regulations of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.
• Membership of the National Insurance Scheme means that you must pay national insurance contributions.

You can read more about membership and national insurance contributions in the meny to the right.

Irrespective of being a resident or not you will generally not become a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, if you are sent by an employer in an EU/EEA-country to work for this employer in Norway for a period of up to 24 months. If this is the case you will as remain under the social security system legislation of the country you are sent from.

If you take up work in more than one EU/EEA country you should contact the social security authorities in the country where you live. There are special rules for persons working in two or more EU/EEA countries.

You will find a practical guide to the legislations that applies to workers in the EU, EEA and Switzerland.