Is there a minimum wage in Norway?
There is no general statutory minimum wage in Norway. Pay is agreed between the parties, and in sectors with a collective agreement it is the agreement that sets the lowest pay. But in about nine exposed sectors, parts of the collective agreement are "generally applied", so a specific minimum wage binds every employer in the sector — including those with no collective agreement, and where the staff are not unionised. This covers, among others, construction, cleaning, hotels and restaurants, freight transport, passenger transport, electrical work, agriculture, fish processing and shipyards. The rates are set by the Tariff Board and updated regularly, so a figure you find in an old article may be out of date. Outside these sectors there is no statutory pay floor.
📋 The rules
- No general statutory minimum wage in Norway
- Pay is agreed between employer and employee / in a collective agreement
- About 9 sectors have a generally applied minimum wage
- Covers construction, cleaning, hotels, transport, agriculture and more
- The rates are set by the Tariff Board
🔓 Exceptions
- Outside the generally applied sectors there is no pay floor
- Generally applied rates apply whether or not the employer has a collective agreement
- Rates are updated regularly — check the current amount for your sector
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Paying below a generally applied minimum wage is illegal, and the Labour Inspection Authority supervises it. The Authority can issue orders to put things right, coercive fines that run until the wage is paid, and sanction charges — and back-pay for what the employee was underpaid comes on top. What employers often do not see coming is that liability travels up the chain: a client can share responsibility for its subcontractors paying the correct wage. Outside the generally applied sectors there is no equivalent sanction, quite simply because there is no pay floor to breach.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
Is there a statutory minimum wage in Norway?
No, there is no general minimum wage. Pay is agreed between you and your employer, but in about nine exposed sectors a binding minimum wage has been generally applied, and it holds whatever the two of you agreed.
Which sectors have a minimum wage?
Among others construction, cleaning, hotels and restaurants, freight transport, passenger transport, electrical work, agriculture, fish processing and shipyards — about nine sectors where parts of the collective agreement are generally applied. Check whether your own sector is covered.
Who sets the generally applied rates?
The Tariff Board sets the rates, and they are updated regularly. That is why you should look up the current amount for your own sector with the Labour Inspection Authority rather than trust a figure you remember from last year.
Does the minimum wage apply without a collective agreement?
Yes. A generally applied minimum wage covers every employer in the sector, including those without an agreement. You can therefore be entitled to the minimum wage even if neither you nor your workplace is unionised.
What applies outside these sectors?
There is no statutory pay floor, and the pay is whatever you and your employer agree. If your workplace has a collective agreement, it is that agreement which sets the lowest pay for your post.
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