TABLE OF CONTENTS

• General rules
• Duration options
• Leave payment
• Eligibility Criteria

In Norway, employees are entitled to paid leave, supported by NAV (the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration). This article explains how it works, who qualifies, and what to expect during the process.

General rules

• Employees are entitled to up to 12 months of paid leave. 
• This leave is typically shared between both parents.
• The leave includes:
  • Pregnancy leave
  • Maternity leave
  • Paternity leave
  • Parental leave
    
    

Important:

1. NAV does not cover income above 6G (six times the National Insurance basic amount). Some employers may  choose to cover the difference.
2. You must always apply for parental benefits through NAV and submit required documentation.

Duration options

• Pregnancy leave: Up to 12 weeks before birth.
• Maternity leave: Last 3 weeks before birth + first 6 weeks after birth.
• Paternity leave: 2 weeks immediately after birth.
• Partial leave: Parents can take leave part-time over a 3-year period.
• Extended leave: Up to 12 months per parent (unpaid).

Leave payment

Parents can choose between:

•  49 weeks of leave with 100% pay or 61 weeks and 1 day with 80% pay.

For adoptive parents, the options are:

•  46 weeks at full pay or 58 weeks and 1 day at 80% pay.

There are two ways employees can receive parental leave payments:

1. Through the employer

    Horizons may choose to continue paying your regular salary during leave. 
    In this case, NAV reimburses the company.

2. Directly from NAV

    Alternatively, you may receive parental benefit payments directly from NAV.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for parental benefits from NAV, you must:

• Have had income for at least 6 of the last 10 months before the leave starts.
• Have earned at least NOK 65,080 in the past year.
• Be a resident of Norway.