As a general rule you must have been a member of the National Insurance Scheme for three years to be entitled to pension rights in Norway.
However, there is some coordination of pension schemes between EU/EEA countries and it is possible to transfer some old-age pension rights between countries. This also applies to countries that have a bilateral agreement with Norway.
- For more information see: Pensions and pension applications from outside Norway – Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV)
- As a general rule you must have been a member of the National Insurance Scheme for three years to be entitled to pension rights in Norway. As an EU/EEA citizen you must have been a member for one year. You are entitled to full pension rights after 40 years of membership.
- There is some coordination of pension schemes between EU/EEA countries and it is possible to transfer some old-age pension rights (Basic and Occupational pensions) between countries. This also applies to countries that have a bilateral agreement with Norway. For more information see: Coordination of social security systems – EUR-Lex
- Researchers employed at universities, university colleges and some independent research institutes are members of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. [VSC1] The pension from the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund supplements the pension provided under the National Insurance Scheme.
- For more information see: the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
- Pensions paid by the Public Service Pension Fund and the National Insurance Scheme are coordinated:
- Basic and occupational pensions: Basic pension is earned irrespective of previous income. Occupational pension is a supplementary pension from a pension scheme linked to an employment contract, based on pensionable income and the number of pension points earned
- Mandatory occupational pensions: Employers must provide mandatory occupational pensions of at least 2 per cent of your gross income.
- The EU's Mutual Information System on Social Protection (MISSOC) provides detailed, comparable and regularly updated information about national social protection systems. For more information see: Your social security rights in Norway
Calculating your pension can be difficult, especially if your mandatory occupational pension is built up through a defined contribution scheme, where you know the costs but not the final pension amount. For more information see Retirement pension – Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
The retirement age in Norway is 67. Early retirement with a reduced pension may be taken from the age of 62. You should contact the National Insurance Scheme at least six months prior to the date you are planning to start drawing your pension.
- For more information see: Membership of the National Insurance Scheme – NAV
- If you have worked in the public sector in Norway, you should also contact the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund six months prior to the date you planning to start drawing your pension to make sure it has all the necessary information.
Those who have worked in two or more EEA countries may earn pension rights in both countries. You apply for a pension in the country in which you are living when you retire. What and how much you are entitled to, when it is possible to receive various pensions, etc., may vary considerably from country to country. This applies both to EEA countries and to countries with which Norway has a national insurance agreement.
The mobility of researchers is a driver of excellence in research. However, researchers face many difficulties in preserving their occupational pension benefits when moving between different countries and organisations.
To overcome this problem, the European Commission is supporting a consortium of employers, through Horizon 2020, in creating a single pan-European pension arrangement (RESAVER) that will offer a defined contribution plan tailor-made for research organisations and their employees.
- For more information see: RESAVER