The Norwegian pension system
In Norway the pension system is divided into three parts: retirement pension from the National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden), occupational pension or contractual early retirement pension (AFP) from employers, and private pension savings. It is important that you learn about all the levels in the pension system, to give you an idea of how much your pension will be.
You are entitled to a retirement pension from the National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden) in Norway if you have lived or worked in Norway for at least five years after your 16th birthday. This means that you can receive retirement pension from Norway if you have been covered by national insurance or have received pensionable income in Norway for at least five years.
The pension you are entitled to when you reach retirement age also depends on the pension schemes that applied in your terms of employment. All employees in both the public and private sectors are covered by an occupational pension scheme. If you have worked in Norway, you may therefore have earned occupational pension through your terms of employment. Contact your current and previous employers to find out the types of pension schemes that apply to you. For most employees, occupational pension is paid from the age of 67.
Contact the pensions company responsible for your occupational pension to find out what you may be entitled to if you move from Norway.
You may be entitled to a contractual early retirement pension (AFP) if your employer has a collective agreement (tariffavtale) that includes AFP. The AFP scheme covers all employees in the public sector and approximately half of employees in the private sector. For entitlement to AFP, you must also satisfy certain individual conditions. It is the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) that decides whether you qualify for AFP. AFP is not covered by the national insurance provisions in the EEA Agreement or other national insurance agreements. Consequently, if you receive an AFP pension, you do not have the same rights to, for example, health services as people receiving a normal retirement pension when they move to another EEA country.
Your employer or occupational pension provider can give you information about the pension scheme that applies to you.
Your own savings can also form part of your pension. These savings can form a supplement to other payments when you retire. There are different ways of saving, and different savings products designed for pension savings. You must look into which is the best product for you. Some savings schemes are locked and the savings cannot be withdrawn until you reach a certain age, while others are not locked.
Who should you contact if you have questions about the pension system in Norway?
If you have questions about pensions in Norway, contact NAV Pensjon or check Din Pensjon on nav.no.
Please fill in our contact form if you have any questions or if you have encountered an obstacle in another Nordic country.
NB! If you have questions regarding the processing of a specific case or application, or other personal matters, please contact the relevant authority directly.
