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You might have rights to unemployment benefit (dagpenger) if you are laid off or unemployed

Last updated on December 21st 2020 10:40

You might have rights to unemployment benefit (dagpenger)

  • If you have been laid off or have become unemployed, you may be entitled to unemployment benefit.
  • Once you have registered as a job seeker, you can apply for unemployment benefit.
  • You can sign in using bankID, Buypass or Commfides using your passport if you have a Norwegian D number (D-nummer) or national identity number with 11 digits (fødselsnummer).
  • For help, call NAV (tel. +47 2107 3700).

REGISTER AS A JOB SEEKER AND APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT

Brexit

The UK has left the EU, and the transition period ends on 31 December 2020. British citizens in Norway and Norwegian citizens in the UK who were receiving unemployment benefit pursuant to the EEA regulations before the end of the year will continue to be able to receive unemployment benefit next year, assuming there are no other changes in their situation. There is more information on Brexit at this link.

I live in Norway

If you have become wholly unemployed and live in Norway, you should apply for unemployment benefits (dagpenger) in Norway.

I live in another EEA country and am a frontier worker

You are defined as frontier worker if you have returned to your country of residence (another EEA country) at least once a week.

If you have become wholly unemployed from your work in Norway, you must apply for unemployment benefit (dagpenger) in the other EEA country where you resided during your last employment.

I live in another EEA country and am not a frontier worker

You are not defined as frontier worker if you have worked in Norway and returned to your country of residence (another EEA country) less often than once a week.

If you have become wholly unemployed from your work in Norway, you can choose to apply for unemployment benefits in Norway, or choose to return to your country of residence and apply for unemployment benefits in that country.

  • If you choose to remain in Norway, you can apply for unemployment benefits in Norway.
  • If you choose to return to your country of residence, you can apply for unemployment benefits in that country.

Is your employer bankrupt?

You can apply for:

  1. Wage guarantee funds
  2. Advance on wage guarantee funds in the form of unemployment benefit
  3. Unemployment benefits

  1. The wage guarantee scheme ensures that you as an employee are paid wages, holiday pay, and other employee pay you are due, when your employer goes bankrupt. The application to the wage guarantee scheme must be submitted by way of the estate administrator. Here you can read more about our processing times for the wage guarantee scheme (in Norwegian).
  2. While you are waiting for your application for the wage guarantee funds to be processed, you can apply for an advance on the wage guarantee funds. The advance is paid out in the form of unemployment benefits, and you apply for this advance by submitting an application for unemployment benefits.
  3. When you submit an application for unemployment benefits, you can choose to apply for an advance on the wage guarantee funds in the form of unemployment benefits, and at the same time apply for unemployment benefits for the period following the end of your wage guarantee funds.

I am laid off or partially unemployed

I live in Norway

If you have become laid off or partially unemployed and live in Norway, you should apply for unemployment benefits (dagpenger) in Norway.

I live in another EEA country and am a frontier worker

You are defined as a frontier worker if you have returned to your country of residence (another EEA country) at least once a week.

If you have become laid off or partially unemployed from your work in Norway, you can receive unemployment benefits from Norway and stay in your country of residence.

I live in another EEA country and am not a frontier worker

You have worked in Norway and returned to your country of residence (another EEA country) less often than once a week.

If you have become laid off or partially unemployed from your work in Norway, you can receive unemployment benefits from Norway.

The main rule is that you must stay in Norway to qualify for unemployment benefits from Norway.

Exception from the requirement to stay in Norway applies if you have worked in shifts or rotations longer than a week at a time, and normally returned to your country of residence during your time-off-periods.

How do you apply for unemployment benefit in Norway?

  1. Register as a job seeker (this also applies to persons who are laid-off)
  2. Apply for unemployment benefit
  3. You must submit the employment status card every 14 days.
  4. Register your CV with NAV
  5. Make sure that your correct account number is registered with NAV

Please note that you will receive unemployment benefit at the earliest from the day you registered as a job seeker and applied for unemployment benefit.

You must stay in close contact with your employer when you have been laid off and notify NAV of any changes in your situation.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

I do not have bankID, Buypass nor Commfides

It is possible to apply for unemployment benefits even if you do not have electronic ID.

You can sign in using your passport if you have a Norwegian D number (D-nummer) or national identity number with 11 digits (fødselsnummer).

You can order Buypass from abroad With Buypass it is possible to sign in to our digital services.

Order Buypass.

What does NAV consider your country of residence?

NAV will make an assessment of what your country of residence is based on where you are employed, where you have housing, where your family is, where you spend your free time and the like.

Do you have an appointment with a staffing agency?

If you do not receive pay for contract-free periods, NAV considers you to be wholly unemployed.

Apply for work in another EAA country?

You may be entitled to retain unemployment benefit from Norway for up to 3 months when traveling to another EEA country to apply for a job. You must submit a separate application to NAV before traveling.

Read more about this (Norwegian information).

Didn't find what your are looking for?

Maybe the norwegian information can be of some help.

Arbeidsledig (Unemplyed)

Permittert (Laid-off)

For deg som har søkt dagpenger (You have applied for unemplyment benefit)

Student (Student)

Lærling (Apprentice)