Tormod Ytrehus

foreignworkers@lomedia.no

On December 15, 2022, the statutory minimum wage was raised.

This minimum wage is derived from the collective agreements negotiated by trade union federations.

The minimum wage applies to all industries, not just the companies with collective agreements. This means that it is against the law for employers are prohibited from paying employees less than the minimum wage.

The purpose is to ensure that foreign workers receive the same salary and working conditions as Norwegian employees and to keep wage levels in certain areas from falling.

The new minimum wage rates apply in the following industries:

• Construction work

• Cleaning personnel

• Hotels/restaurants/catering

• The maritime construction industry

• Agriculture and horticulture

• Fish processing enterprises

• Electrical trades

• Freight transport by road

• Passenger transport by tour bus

Here is an overview of the new minimum wage rates and other legislative regulations applicable to the various industries:

NB: If you are covered by an agreement or other terms that make you eligible for higher salary and working conditions, the most favourable conditions will apply.

Related article: This is the normal monthly wage in Norway

1. Construction sites

Building workers on construction sites must be paid a minimum hourly wage of:

• Skilled workers: 230 kroner (previous rate 220 kroner)

A skilled worker has a trade or craft certificate in the relevant or particular field. Foreign trade certifications recognised by NOKUT (Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education) have the same legal validity as Norwegian trade certificates.

• Unskilled workers with at least one year’s experience of the industry: 216 kroner (previous rate 206.50 kroner)

• Unskilled workers with no experience of the industry: 207.40 kroner (previous rate 198.30 kroner)

• Employees aged under 18: 139 kroner (previous rate 132.90 kroner)

On assignments requiring overnight stays away from home are required, the employer must have a written agreement in place to cover travel expenses as well as arrange or pay for board and lodging.

The employer must also ensure that employees have appropriate workwear and protective footwear for the season and workplace.

This includes workwear suitable for both men and women if the unisex model is insufficient, as well as warm clothing, rainwear and gloves.

2. Cleaning companies

Employees performing cleaning work and employed by private companies selling cleaning services must receive a minimum hourly wage of:

• 204.54 kroner (previous rate 196.04 kroner)

• Under 18: 153.55 kroner (previous rate 146.27 kroner)

• Additional rate for working between the hours of 21:00 and 06:00: 27 kroner (previous rate 26 kroner)

If the company does not have a collective agreement with partial general application and thus has a different arrangement, travel time between assignments must also be remunerated. Extra travel expenses must be paid for.

On assignments requiring overnight stays away from home are required the employer must have an agreement in place to cover travel expenses and arrange or pay for board and lodging.

The employer must also ensure that employees are equipped with the necessary work attire and footwear appropriate for the workplace and their duties.

3. Hotels/restaurants/catering etc.

Employees working for hotel, restaurant and catering companies and similar operations on land must receive a minimum hourly wage of:

Young employees:

• 16 years of age: 118.08 kroner (previous rate 114.08 kroner)

• 17 years of age: 127.58 kroner (previous rate 123.58 kroner)

• 18 years of age: 141.84 kroner (previous rate 137.84 kroner)

• Starting pay over 20 years of age / after four months of practice for employees aged over 18: 179.94 kroner (previous rate 175.47 kroner)

4. The maritime construction industry

In the shipyard and shipbuilding business, employees conducting production, assembly, and installation labour must receive a minimum hourly pay of:

• 197.01 kroner for skilled workers (previous rate 189.39 kroner)

A skilled employee possesses an officially-recognised trade or craft certificate or formal equivalent expertise in the trade in which the employee is employed.

• 188.04 kroner for semi-skilled workers (previous rate 180.87 kroner)

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 tasks required in the production process. (Must be at least 18 years of age.)

• 179.17 kroner for unskilled labourers (previous rate 172.44 kroner)

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

Employees who are required to stay overnight away from home due to off-site work assignments must get the following hourly allowance:

• 39.40 kroner for skilled workers (previous rate 37.88 kroner)

• 37.61 kroner for semi-skilled workers (previous rate 36,17 kroner)

• 35.83 kroner for unskilled labourers (previous rate 34.49 kroner)

These allowances also apply to personnel employed on terms requiring them to travel and spend the night away from home as part of their employment.

At workplaces operating shift systems, the allowances per hour must be:

Two-shift work (36.5 hours per week):

• No allowance for the first shift up until 14:00 on Saturday.

• 21.16 kroner for the second shift (previous rate 20.10 kroner)

• 45.22 kroner after 14:00 on Saturdays and the day before a public holiday (previous rate 42.96 kroner)

• 64.83 kroner from 14:00 on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, Easter Saturday and Whit Saturday (previous rate 61.58 kroner)

• 32.46 after midnight (previous rate 30.84 kroner).

Three-shift work (35.5 hours per week):

• No allowance for the first shift up until 14:00 on Saturday

• 21.81 kroner for the second shift (previous rate 20.72 kroner)

• 32.46 kroner for the third shift (previous rate 30.84 kroner)

• 46.53 kroner after 14:00 on Saturdays and the day before a public holiday (previous rate 42.96 kroner)

• 66.66 kroner from 14:00 on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, Easter Saturday and Whit Saturday (previous rate 63.32 kroner).

Continuous three-shift work (33.6 hours per week):

• No allowance for the first shift up until 14:00 on Saturday

• 23.12 kroner for the second shift (previous rate 21.96 kroner)

• 32.46 kroner for the third shift (previous rate 32.57 kroner)

• 49.13 kroner after 14:00 on Saturdays and the day before a public holiday (previous rate 46.67 kroner)

• 70.44 kroner from 14:00 on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, Easter Saturday and Whit Saturday (previous rate 66.91 kroner).

Employees must be compensated if working hours are shorter than usual. If working hours are reduced from 37.5 hour per week to:

• 36.5 hours: Employees must receive 2.74 per cent of the minimum wage

• 35.5 hours: Employees must receive 5.63 per cent of the minimum wage

• 33.6 hours: Employees must receive 11.61 per cent of the minimum wage

Overtime pay must be equal to 50% of the minimum wage. Overtime worked between 21:00 and 06:00, as well as on Sundays and public holidays, must be compensated at 100%.

On assignments that require overnight stays away from home, the employer must cover travel expenses in Norway and have a board and lodging agreement in place. This also applies to personnel who are employed on terms that require them to travel and stay overnight away from home.

The employer is also responsible for providing the necessary protective clothing and workwear. The employer must also adapt workwear for men and women as needed, provided that it meets HSE requirements, is available, and is economically viable.

5. Agriculture and horticulture

Employees performing agricultural and horticultural work must be paid at least:

Temporary and harvest workers:

• Under 18 years of age: 114.40 kroner (previous rate 109.40 kroner)

• Over 18 years of age with up to 12 weeks’ seniority: 134.40 kroner (previous rate 129.40 kroner)

• Over 18 years of age with between 12 weeks’ and six months’ seniority: 139.90 kroner (previous rate 134.90 kroner)

• More than six months’ seniority: Same wage as unskilled permanent employee

For the purpose of determining wage seniority, all practical experience in the industry is considered.

Permanent employees:

• Unskilled: 154,30 kroner (previous rate 149,30 kroner)

• Under 18 years of age: 123.90 kroner (previous rate 118.90 kroner)

Allowance for skilled workers: 14 kroner

Animal husbandmen and substitutes working on regular rota systems must be paid 25% more per hour between midnight on Saturdays and midnight on Sundays. The same applies on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and other public holidays.

Trainees with written training contracts are entitled to 80% of the starting salary for permanent employees.

Employees under the age of 16 or over the age of 70 are exempt from the minimum wage. Their wage must be agreed upon by the employee, the employer, and the union representative - or by the employee and the employer in the absence of union representatives.

6. Fish processing companies

Employees of fish processing companies must receive a minimum hourly rate of:

• Skilled workers: 213.78 kroner (previous rate 205.55 kroner)

A skilled employee holds a trade or craft certificate or expertise that in formal terms is equivalent in the trade in which the employee works.

• Production workers: 199.78 kroner (previous rate 193.55 kroner)

• Under 18 years of age: 80 per cent of the minimum wage rate

• Over 17 years of age who have worked for the company for 12 weeks: Same wage as others

Teenage school students retain accumulated wage seniority in the industry.

Allowance for two-shift work: 20 per cent of the minimum wage rate.

Allowance for three-shift work: 25 per cent of the minimum wage rate.

7. Electrical trades

Employees who install, assemble, and maintain electrical systems for automation, data, telecommunications, and similar purposes must be paid a minimum hourly wage of:

• 234.14 kroner for skilled workers performing skilled work (previous rate 225.15 kroner)

A skilled employee has a trade certificate, DSB approval, or a similar qualification in the profession in question. Foreign trade certificates recognised by NOKUT (Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education) have the same legal standing as Norwegian trade certificates.

• 205,46 kroner for other employees (previous rate 196,47 kroner)

Compensation for shift work:

• Two-shift work: 17 per cent of the minimum wage

• Three-shift work: 27.3 per cent of the minimum wage

Employees must be compensated if their working hours are reduced. If the working week is reduced from 37.5 hours to:

• 36.5 hours: Employees must receive 2.74 per cent of the real hourly wage

• 35.5 hours: : Employees must receive 5.63 per cent of the real hourly wage

• 33.6 hours: : Employees must receive 11.61 per cent of the real hourly wage

On assignments requiring overnight stays away from home, the employer must have an agreement in place to cover travel expenses as well as arrange or pay for board and lodging.

8. Freight transport by road

Employees performing road haulage work driving vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes (except when shipping the company's own goods) must be paid a minimum hourly wage of:

• 196.50 kroner (previous rate 185.50 kroner)

Employees driving over multiple days must not be paid for less than 7.5 hours on any day, with the exception of the first and final day.

The subsistence allowance for transportation assignments with planned overnight stops is the tax-free subsistence allowance rate.

Salary must be paid by the 20th of the month, unless the 20th is a public holiday. Variable allowances are due the following month. Companies that have a collective agreement with a major trade union federation may reach an agreement on alternative terms.

9. Passenger transport by tour bus

Employees providing passenger transportation via coaches or buses must be paid a minimum hourly wage of:

• 194.12 kroner (previous rate 174.12 kroner)

The employer must cover the cost of board and lodging.

Translated by Robert Lovering 

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