This is the new minimum wage in Norway

Torgny Hasås

foreignworkers@lomedia.no

It was decided on Wednesday 23 October that the minimum wage of cleaners, electricians and personnel in six other industries is to be increased.

The minimum wage was adjusted upwards with effect from 1 November 2024.

This applies to personnel who are paid the minimum wage and are not already party to a collective agreement.

The new minimum wage rate applies to the following industries:

• The maritime construction industry

• Bus and passenger transport by tour bus

• Fisheries

• Hotels, restaurants, and catering

• Agriculture and horticulture

• Construction

• Cleaning

• Electrical industry

• Goods transport by road

Continue reading to see the new wage rates payable in the various industries.

Why is the wage being increased?

The minimum wage is being increased because the collective agreements are being given general application.

This means that it will be against the law for an employer to pay lower wages or offer less favourable conditions than the minimum as defined in the collective agreement.

Bus and passenger transport by tour bus

Employees performing passenger transport services using coaches or buses must receive a minimum hourly wage of:

• 213.62 kroner (previous rate: kr 202.62)

The employer must cover board and lodging.

The maritime construction industry

• The rate for skilled employees rises to 211.79 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 204.51).

A skilled employee is a person who holds a trade or craft certificate or equivalent expertise in the trade in which the employee is working.

• The rate for semi-skilled workers rises to 202.14 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 195,54).

A semi-skilled worker is a person who has had sufficient practice to be able to operate machinery and equipment unsupervised and to perform other semi-skilled work required in the production process. (Must be at least 18 years of age.)

• Unskilled labourers: 192,61 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 186,67).

An unskilled labourer performs work of a less specialised nature in the production process.

If overnight stays are required employees must be paid the following in addition to wages:

• 42.36 kroner for skilled workers (previous rate: kr 40.90)

• 40.43 kroner for semi-skilled workers (previous rate: kr 39.11)

• 38.52 kroner for unskilled workers (previous rate: kr 37.33)

Electrical trades and industries

• Rate for skilled workers: 257.79 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 242,34)

• Other workers: 229.11 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 213.66)

The employers must as a general rule provide board and lodging.

Cleaners

• Cleaners must be paid an hourly rate of at least 227.54 kroner (previous rate: kr 216.04)

• Employees aged under 18 must receive an hourly wage of at least 176.55 kroner (previous rate: kr 165.05)

If the work needs to be performed between the hours of 21:00 and 06:00, an additional hourly allowance of at least 29 kroner must be paid.

Travel time between successive work assignments must either be calculated into the number of hours worked or remunerated separately based on the transfer time.

The question of travel time may be handled differently in companies covered by collective agreements.

Construction

• Rate for skilled workers: 250.30 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 238,30)

• The rate for skilled workers with no prior experience of the industry is 226.90 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 214.90)

• The rate for unskilled workers with at least one year’s experience of the industry: 235.80 kroner an hour (previous rate: 223.80 kroner)

• The rate for employees under 18: 153.83 kroner (previous rate 146.50 kroner)

The employer must as a general rule provide board and lodging.

The employer is responsible for providing the necessary work clothing and protective footwear suited to the time of year and place of work.

Fisheries

• The rate for skilled workers is 231.15 kroner an hour (previous rate: 220.03 kroner)

• The rate for production workers is 216.16 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 206,03)

Agriculture and horticulture

Temporary and harvest workers:

• Workers under 18: 135.90 kroner an hour (previous rate: 124.90 kroner)

Employees over 18 are paid on the basis of seniority:

• Up to 12 weeks’ seniority: 155.90 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 144,90)

• Between 12 weeks’ and  six months’  seniority: 161.40 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 150.40)

Employees with more than six months’ seniority must receive the same rate of pay as unskilled permanent employees.

Permanent employees:

• Unskilled employees: 175.80 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 164.80)

• Employees under 18: 145.40 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 134.40)

• Additional rate for skilled employees: 14.50 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 14.00)

Hotels, restaurants, catering

Young employees:

• Under 17 years of age: 135.58 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 128.58)

• 17 years of age: 145.08 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 138.08)

• 18 years of age: 159.34 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 141.84)

Starting pay for employees over 20 or with four months’ practical experience after reaching the age of 18:

• 197.79 kroner an hour (previous rate: kr 190.79)

If employees stay overnight on company premises, the employer may deduct the following amounts before tax:

• For a single room: 660.48 kroner per month (previously: kr 630.83)

• For a double room: 429.58 kroner per month (previously: kr 410.30)

Goods transport by road

Employees performing road haulage work driving vehicles with an overall weight of over 3.5 tons must receive a minimum hourly wage of:

• 222 kroner an hour (previous rate: 207 kroner)

Translated by Robert Lovering.

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