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flag Norway Norway: Operating a Business

Setting Up a Company | Working Conditions | Cost of Labor | Social Partners

Setting Up a Company

Legal Business Entities

Types of Companies and Capital (Max/Min) Number of Partners/Shareholders and Liability
Limited Company (Aksjeselskap, AS)
 
NOK 100,000
No minimum.
 
Liability is limited to the amount contributed.
Public Limited Company (Allmenne aksjeselskap, ASA)
 
NOK 1 million
No minimum.
 
Liability is limited to the amount contributed.
General Partnership w. shared liability (Ansvarslig selskap med delt ansvar, DA)
 
No minimum capital.
Minimum: 2
 
Unlimited, but each owner is responsible for debt corresponding to his/her share of the ownership
General partnership (Ansvarslig selskap, ANS)
 
No minimum capital.
Minimum: 2
 
Liability is unlimited.
Sole proprietorship (Enkeltmannsforetak)
 
No minimum capital.
Only 1 person.
 
Liability is unlimited.
 
The Competent Organization
Brønnøysund Register Centre maintains open annual accounts on all Norwegian companies.
Search a Company or a Financial Report
Brønnøysund, Register Centre
Register Authority
 
Setting Up a Company Norway OECD
Procedures (number) 5.0 5.6
Time (days) 7.0 13.8

Source: Doing Business.

 
Business Setup Procedures
Consult Doing Business Website, to know about procedures to start a Business in Norway.
Trade Register

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Working Conditions

Legal Weekly Duration
35,5 hours for shift workers and 37,5 hours for others. This includes a half an hour lunch break.
Retirement Age
Official retirement age is 67, but early retirement is allowed at 62. Employees have the right to continue working until the age of 70. 
Working Contracts
Legal clauses regulate employment contracts and to a lesser degree collective agreements and individual negotiations. The terms of employment contracts are rather rigid.

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Cost of Labor

Minimum Wage
There is no legally mandated national minimum wage.
Average Wage
The average wage is NOK 30,600 per month.
Social contributions
Social Security Contributions Paid By Employers: Varies regionally, between 0 and 14,1 %.
Social Security Contributions Paid By Employees: 7,8 %.

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Social Partners

Social Dialogue and Involvement of Social Partners
Norway has strong traditions in collective bargaining and trade unions hold a prominent position. Strong emphasis is placed on central organizations of employers and employees. Compulsory collective agreements supplement legislation in wages, working conditions and benefits. Results of central wage negotiations between the large employee's and employer's organizations serve as guidelines for the local wage negotiations.
Unions
Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
Confederation of Unions for Professionals
Federation of Norwegian Professional Associations
Unionization Rate
60 %.
Labor Regulation Bodies
Ministry of Labor and Social Inclusion

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Learn more about Operating a Business in Norway on Globaltrade.net, the Directory for International Trade Services.
 

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Last Updates: January 2012