Norway has no general minimum wage set by law. But in ten exposed sectors there are binding minimum rates through the general application of collective agreements (allmenngjøring). On a building site, for example, you must earn at least NOK 264.32 per hour as a skilled worker, and in cleaning at least NOK 236.54 per hour (over 18), in force from 15 June 2025.
Many newcomers believe Norway has one fixed minimum wage. That is not true, and the misunderstanding can cost you dearly. Unscrupulous employers exploit exactly this uncertainty, especially towards labour immigrants who are new to the country. This guide explains how the minimum wage in Norway actually works, which sectors have binding rates, what you should earn at a minimum, and what to do if you are underpaid.
Is there a minimum wage in Norway?
No, there is no law saying that all employees must have a set minimum wage. Pay is agreed between employer and employee, often through collective agreements (tariffavtaler) between trade unions and employers. So in most occupations there is no statutory floor, and the pay level is set by agreements, sector and experience.
But there is an important exception. In some sectors with a high risk of social dumping and underpayment, parts of the collective agreement have been turned into law for everyone. This is called general application (allmenngjøring). The minimum rates then apply to everyone working in the sector in Norway, including foreign workers and those who are not union members. So you do not have to be a member of a trade union to be entitled to the generally applied rate.
It is Tariffnemnda (the Tariff Board) that decides which sectors are covered and how high the rates are. Arbeidstilsynet (the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority) supervises and checks that employers follow the rules. If you get less than the generally applied rate in such a sector, it is illegal, and the employer can be ordered to pay you the difference.
Why does this matter for you as someone new in Norway? Because knowing what you are legally entitled to earn is your strongest protection. An employer cannot contract their way out of the generally applied rate, even if you have signed a contract with lower pay. The rate applies regardless.
Which sectors have a generally applied minimum wage?
As of 2026, a minimum wage is set in law in ten sectors. If you work in one of these, you are entitled to at least the fixed hourly pay:
- Building sites (construction)
- Cleaning (private cleaning companies)
- Hotels, restaurants and catering (accommodation and serving)
- Fish-processing companies
- Agriculture and horticulture (the green sector)
- Electrical trades (electricians)
- Goods transport by road (lorries over 2.5 tonnes)
- Passenger transport by tour bus (coach)
- The shipbuilding and shipyard industry
- The car trade (car care, tyre change and workshops)
These are not random sectors. They are sectors where many labour immigrants work, and where there has historically been a lot of underpayment and social dumping. That is exactly why they are covered. If you work in a sector that is not on the list, such as retail, warehousing or kindergartens, there is no statutory minimum wage. Then your pay is what you and the employer have agreed, often following a collective agreement if the workplace has one.
What is the minimum wage in construction and cleaning in 2026?
The rates change from time to time after new pay settlements, and you always find the updated figures at Arbeidstilsynet. As of today (pay rates in force from 15 June 2025), the minimum wage is, among other things, as follows:
Building sites (per hour):
- Skilled worker: NOK 264.32
- Unskilled without sector experience: NOK 239.61
- Unskilled with at least one year of sector experience: NOK 249.00
Cleaning (per hour):
- Employee over 18: NOK 236.54
- Employee under 18: NOK 185.55
By comparison, electrical trades have one of the highest rates at NOK 270.45 per hour for skilled workers, while goods transport by road is at NOK 229.00 per hour and passenger transport by tour bus at NOK 218.62 per hour. In hotels and restaurants the minimum rate is lower and depends on age and experience.
The rates above are the minimum before tax. Many earn more, but no one in these sectors may legally earn less. Note that several supplements come on top of the hourly pay, for example for overtime, evening and night work, weekends or travel and accommodation. So always check the full rates for your own sector at Arbeidstilsynet, and note the date the rates apply from, since they are usually updated after the pay settlement each spring.
Legal pay in Norway: what should you check yourself?
The minimum wage is only the floor. To know that your pay is actually legal, you should check a few things every month:
- Is the pay stated in your employment contract? You are entitled to a written agreement with pay and working hours. Read more about what an employment contract in Norway should contain.
- Do you get a payslip? Every payment should show the number of hours, hourly pay, tax deduction and holiday pay.
- Is the pay paid to a bank account? Pay in cash without a payslip is a clear warning sign of undeclared work in Norway, which is illegal and deprives you of important rights.
- Do you get holiday pay? It comes on top of the hourly pay (at least 10.2 per cent) and is not part of the minimum wage.
If you know your rights as an employee in Norway, it is much harder for an unscrupulous employer to exploit you. Knowledge is the best protection against underpayment.
What do you do if you are underpaid?
If you suspect you earn less than the generally applied minimum wage, you have several options. You do not have to accept illegally low pay, and you can ask for help without risking your residence permit:
- Gather documentation. Keep your employment contract, payslips, messages and timesheets. Write down how many hours you actually worked each day.
- Raise it with your employer. Sometimes it is a mistake or a misunderstanding. Ask in writing to be paid the difference you are entitled to.
- Contact Arbeidstilsynet. Arbeidstilsynet's enquiry service (telephone +47 73 19 97 00) gives free guidance in several languages, and you can report underpayment to them anonymously.
- Contact a trade union. If you are a member, your union helps you with the case. Large federations such as LO and Fellesforbundet have long experience with pay cases for labour immigrants.
Remember that the right to correct pay applies regardless of citizenship, and regardless of whether you are permanently employed, temporarily employed or hired through a staffing agency. You may also be entitled to back pay for earlier months where you were underpaid. The most important advice is simple: know the rate for your sector, check your payslip, and ask for help early if something is wrong. The sooner you act, the easier it is to put right.
In short
- Norway has no general minimum wage, but ten sectors have binding minimum rates through general application.
- In construction the minimum wage is NOK 264.32 per hour for skilled workers, in cleaning NOK 236.54 per hour (over 18), in force from 15 June 2025.
- If you get less than the rate for your sector, contact Arbeidstilsynet or a trade union – it is free, and you can report anonymously.
