As a jobseeker with NAV, you can get help finding work and apply for certain benefits. First you must register, then confirm your registration every 14 days. A reporting card is a separate task for people who receive a benefit that requires it, for example unemployment benefits.
Jobseeker with NAV: what does registration mean?
When you register as a jobseeker with NAV (the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration), you state that your goal is to get a job and that you will carry out activities to reach that goal. You have the right to register if you have legal residence in Norway. If you are under 18, you need consent from your guardians.
Registration does not automatically give you money. It is not an application for unemployment benefits and is no guarantee that you will receive a benefit. However, it allows you to apply for unemployment benefits or other support that requires registration. NAV must also assess whether you need work-oriented follow-up. You can receive information about relevant vacant positions. For a broad overview of schemes, read NAV for immigrants in Norway.
You can register digitally with BankID, Buypass or Commfides. NAV asks, among other things, about your age, address, work experience, education and challenges. The information is used to assess which help may suit you. If you do not have electronic ID, you must visit a NAV office. There you can get help with registration and with using MinID for reporting cards.
You do not always need to register. If you are a student who needs accommodation, or need help keeping a job but are not ready for active job seeking, you can ask NAV for work-oriented follow-up without registration.
Confirmation every 14 days is not the same as a reporting card
Everyone registered as a jobseeker must submit a confirmation every 14 days. This also applies when you do not receive money from NAV. On Min side, you can see the date and the period the task applies to. Submit it as soon as the task appears if possible, and wait for a receipt before closing your browser.
The confirmation is short. You answer whether you have worked during the last 14 days and whether you want to remain registered for the next 14 days. If you do not submit it, or answer no, you are no longer registered as a jobseeker. You can register again later, but do not wait if a benefit or follow-up depends on the registration.
A reporting card is more detailed. You submit it when you receive a NAV benefit as a jobseeker and NAV asks for a reporting card, including unemployment benefits. You then state work, absence and activities during the period. NAV uses the information to calculate the payment. For unemployment benefits, you therefore often need to follow both the confirmation and the reporting-card requirement.
| Task | Who must do it? | What does it show? |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmation | All registered jobseekers | That you still want to be registered, and whether you have worked |
| Reporting card | People who receive a benefit that requires a reporting card | Work, absence and activities that affect the benefit |
When is the deadline for reporting cards?
For unemployment benefits, one reporting card covers 14 days. You should submit it as soon as the period has ended. Always check Min side, because NAV shows your next deadline there.
The deadline to avoid a deduction in unemployment benefits is 23:00 on Monday one week after the reporting period ends, as of 12 July 2026. If you submit one day after the deadline, NAV states that the deduction may apply for six weekdays. If more than 20 days pass since the previous reporting card, you are removed from the jobseeker register. Unemployment benefits stop, and you must register and apply again as soon as possible.
If you entered something incorrectly, correct the old reporting card and submit it again as soon as possible. Do not try to solve an error by not submitting the next card. Contact NAV early if you cannot submit it. If you resigned or lost your job, unemployment benefits after resignation explains what may affect your entitlement.
What requirements apply if you apply for unemployment benefits?
For unemployment benefits, it is not enough simply to be registered. You must apply for unemployment benefits, submit reporting cards, be available to NAV and be a genuine jobseeker. NAV also assesses other conditions, such as previous income, loss of working hours and membership in the National Insurance Scheme.
Being a genuine jobseeker normally means that you must:
- apply for jobs, attend interviews and keep your CV updated
- take part in courses, training or other labour-market measures when NAV asks you to
- be able to start work at short notice
- be healthy enough to work at least 50 percent
- be willing to take work required by the rules, including work with a longer commute or lower pay
There are exceptions, including reduced health or responsibility for small children. Write about your situation in the application and attach documentation when NAV asks for it. During a temporary layoff, your availability may be different; see the rules for temporary layoffs.
A safe routine when you are looking for work
A simple routine reduces the risk of missing a deadline or providing incorrect information. Use the calendar on your phone and create two reminders: one when NAV opens the task, and one before the deadline. Save applications, interviews and working hours continuously. This makes it easier to complete your CV, agreements with NAV and reporting cards correctly.
- Register at nav.no or ask the NAV office for help if you do not have electronic ID.
- Complete and update your CV. You can use the advice in Norwegian CV and application.
- Check Min side every week. Submit the 14-day confirmation when it opens.
- If you apply for or receive unemployment benefits, submit a reporting card for every period, including while you are waiting for a decision on the application.
- Report quickly if you start work, get more hours, become ill, travel or have another change that may affect the benefit.
At SamfunnPrep's checklist for the first week in Norway, you can gather more practical tasks in one place. Many NAV rules are also useful to know for the social studies test. Practise for free with SamfunnPrep when you want to understand everyday life and your rights in Norway.
Sources
The rules and deadlines in this article were checked against NAV on 12 July 2026. Always use Min side for your own deadline and contact NAV if your situation differs from the examples.
