Foreldrepenger
Parental benefits
Parental benefit is intended to replace income while you stay at home with your child.
1. Award criteria
1.1 Requirements
There are 3 requirements that must be met in order to receive the benefit:
- work in Norway for 6 of the last 10 months
- earn a minimum income of at least 0.5 G, i.e. 62 014 NOK
- live in Norway (or be a member of the Norwegian social security system)
1.2 What counts as income?
Income also includes payments from the following benefits:
- sykepenger (sick pay)
- pleiepenger (care benefit)
- arbeidsavklaringspenger (work assessment allowance)
- svangerskapspenger (pregnancy benefit)
- dagpenger (unemployment benefit)
- opplæringspenger (training benefit)
- as well as previously granted foreldrepenger
It also includes income from:
- work in another EEA country
- remuneration for civil servants and public sector employees who were dismissed because their post was abolished or they lost their job (ventelonn)
- severance pay (sluttpakke)
- pay from an employer during further or continuing education
1.3 Who is a member of the Norwegian social security system?
When we work, we pay contributions from 1 month, so after this period of work in Norway we are entitled to the benefit, because we then become a member of the Norwegian social security system.
It is worth noting that working in Norway does not always mean that this rule is met. If, for example, we are posted to work in Norway and our employer settles in, for example, Poland, then we are automatically members of the Polish system and are only entitled to Polish benefits.
1.4 Foreldrepenger and engangsstonad
Receiving the birth grant (engangsstonad) excludes later receipt of foreldrepenger.
2. Benefit duration
2.1 General rules
When applying for parental benefit, you decide the length of the benefit period. The choice made in the mother's application also applies to the father or partner and cannot be changed later. The length of the benefit depends on whether both parents are entitled to parental benefit. The following combinations are possible:
- both father and mother are entitled to benefits
- only the mother is entitled to benefits
- only the father is entitled to benefits
- a single parent (this can be either the mother or the father)
- same-sex couples (mother with partner / father with partner)
In some cases, the mother is required to be active by meeting one of the following conditions:
- work at least 75% of full time
- start full-time education
- combine education with work so that the total equals full-time work
- be completely dependent on help with childcare because of illness
- take part in a qualification programme
- take part full-time in the introduction programme for newly arrived immigrants
The parental benefit period consists of the maternity quota (mødrekvoten), the paternity quota (fedrekvoten) and a shared period that can be divided (fellesperioden). The benefit can be taken at 80% (the period is then longer) or at 100% rate (the period is then shorter). The whole period can also be planned flexibly, as long as the general deadlines are followed. However, any planned change must be reported to NAV in good time.
2.2 Both father and mother are entitled to benefits
**Mother - 3 weeks (before birth) +15 weeks at 100% rate or 19 weeks at 80% rate
**The first 6 weeks must be taken immediately after birth, the remaining 9 can be taken later.
**+ Father - 15 weeks at 100% rate or 19 weeks at 80% rate
**it does not matter what the mother does during this time
- **Shared period - 16 weeks at 100% rate or 18 weeks at 80% rate (can be divided between the parents as they wish)
**mother activity requirement if the father is to receive the benefit
In some cases, it is also possible to start receiving the benefit 12 weeks before birth, but then the shared period will be reduced.
2.3 Only the mother is entitled to benefits
3 weeks (before birth) +46 weeks at 100% rate or 56 weeks at 80% rate
2.4 Only the father is entitled to benefits
**Only the father is entitled to benefits
**A common situation among Poles in Norway. Receiving the benefit is also possible when the mother stays with the child in Poland.
**40 weeks at 100% rate or 50 weeks at 80% rate
**On the first day of the 7th week after the child is born, the period begins when the father can switch to paternity benefit. However, if the mother is entitled to maternity leave, she must use at least 14 weeks (this follows from ZUS requirements), so the father can use his Norwegian period only after that time at the earliest.
If the mother is not entitled to maternity benefit in Poland, she must meet the activity requirement.
2.5 Single parent
This can be either the mother or the father
**- single mother - 3 weeks (before birth) +46 weeks at 100% rate (49 weeks in total)
**or 3 weeks (before birth) +56 weeks at 80% rate (59 weeks in total)
- single father - 46 weeks at 100% rate or 56 weeks at 80% rate
2.6 Same-sex couples
mother with partner / father with partner
Mother + Mother
**Mother - 3 weeks (before birth) +15 weeks at 100% rate or 19 weeks at 80% rate
**The first 6 weeks must be taken immediately after birth, the remaining 9 can be taken later.
+ **co-mother - 15 weeks at 100% rate or 19 weeks at 80% rate (can start receiving 7 weeks after birth or later, but the application must be submitted no later than just before the end of the shared period or an application for postponement must be made)
**it does not matter what the mother does during this time
+ **Shared period - 16 weeks at 100% rate or 18 weeks at 80% rate (can be divided between the parents as they wish)
**mother activity requirement if the father is to receive the benefit
Father + father
**Father 1 - 15 weeks at 100% rate or 19 weeks at 80% rate
**it does not matter what father 2 does
**Father 2 -15 weeks at 100% rate or 19 weeks at 80% rate
**it does not matter what father 1 does
**Shared period - 16 weeks at 100% rate or 18 weeks at 80% rate
**father activity requirement (on the same basis as the mother activity requirement)
The biological father of the child receives the entire parental benefit period as father 1. The second father may receive parental benefit if he adopts the stepchild. Paternity as the biological father must be approved in Norway in order to receive parental benefits. If the child is adopted and neither father is the biological father, you can choose which father will be father 1.
After 6 weeks, you can suspend the benefit (after submitting the relevant application) and use it at any time within 3 years. In some cases, the benefit can be suspended immediately; see 7. Work and receiving the benefit at the same time
3. Unusual situations
3.1 Twins
In the case of twins, you receive an additional 17 weeks at 100% rate or 21 weeks at 80% rate.
3.2 Multiple births
In the case of multiple births, you receive an additional 46 weeks at 100% rate or 56 weeks at 80% rate
3.3 Premature babies
If the child was born before the 33rd week of pregnancy, the parental benefit period is extended by the same number of weeks as the normal length of pregnancy. The length of the extended period is independent of the number of children. The rule applies both when taking 80% benefit and 100%.
3.4 Stillbirth
Mothers who give birth to a stillborn child will be entitled to 30 days of foreldrepenger or, if they have not earned entitlement to this benefit, to engangsstonad, if the birth takes place in the 22nd week of pregnancy or later.
4. Benefit amount
4.1 General rules
Parental benefit is intended to cover income normally earned up to 744 168 NOK (six times the basic amount G).
Parental benefit is usually calculated on the basis of the average income earned during the last 3 calendar months before the start of the parental benefit period. This applies both to people in permanent employment and to those with varying periods of work or income. If there is a difference of more than 25% between annual income and income over the last 3 months, it will be considered which income is most representative in the given situation.
- if employment lasted less than 3 months, parental benefit should be calculated on the basis of the income earned during the period in which you were employed. Income is then converted to a monthly average.
- in the case of leave or a short period of unpaid leave, income is set at the level you would normally have if you were working as usual.
- if employment ends before the start of the parental benefit period and no other job has been taken up, parental benefit is calculated on the basis of income during the last 3 months before the employment ended.
- for an employee with simultaneous income from freelancing, income must be calculated separately and added together as one amount. If total income exceeds six times the basic amount, the employee income is used as the basis for calculation.
- If you are both an employee and self-employed, parental benefit is calculated on the basis of both incomes. Employment income is used first.
- If the average of your income in the last three completed years is higher than your salary, and earned income does not exceed six times the basic amount, the difference is paid as self-employment income. After payment, income is always covered up to six times the basic amount.
4.2 Income included in the rate calculation
- income from salary and benefits equivalent to salary income
- bonuses / allowances resulting from your own work effort
- benefits received in a non-cash form, if you lose them during parental leave, e.g. a free company car, phone, internet
4.3 Income not included in the rate calculation
- overtime pay
- feriepenger
- allowances covering work-related expenses, such as a meal allowance, car allowance, tool allowance
5. When should you apply?
5.1 NAV recommendation
Due to NAV processing times, it is recommended to apply 4-6 weeks before the planned start of benefit payments.
We can receive a response to the application no earlier than 4 weeks before the planned benefit payment starts.
5.2 Mother
The application must be submitted no later than 3 months after the start of the parental benefit period to which we are entitled, because submitting the application more than 3 months after that point means losing the days to which we are entitled.
5.3 Father or partner
They may apply for parental benefits as soon as the child is born. The exception is where the mother is ill, hospitalised or in a healthcare institution.
The application must be submitted no later than the day on which the mother has her last day of parental benefit. If the application is submitted later, fewer benefit days will be granted.
6. Leave/feriepenger
An employee is entitled to holiday pay during parental benefit. If the employer pays salary during leave, holiday pay is paid to the employer. Holiday pay amounts to 10.2% of the amount paid during the first 12 or 15 weeks of the benefit period, before tax.
7. Work and receiving the benefit at the same time
7.1 General rules
It is possible to combine benefit receipt and work. You can choose between:
- working full time and postponing the parental benefit period
- working part time and thereby extending the parental benefit period
In this case, the rate is reduced depending on how much you work, while the payment period is extended accordingly.
That is, if you work 80% of full time, you receive 20% of the benefit. At the same time, the benefit period is extended, because you have used fewer weeks from the total allowance.
Importantly, the number of hours worked per month must correspond to the declared percentage. This means the number of hours cannot be either lower or higher. If, for various reasons, the number of hours is different, you may need to sign a new contract or draw up an addendum to the contract. This is very important, because NAV mainly relies on the information in the contract, not on the actual working hours.
NOTE!!! - in the case of Poles, it is very common that only the father working in Norway is entitled to the benefit. Therefore, when postponing benefit receipt, the mother must meet the activity requirement (work/study etc.).
If we want to postpone the benefit and the mother is not active, the application will most likely be rejected.
7.2 Both parents staying at home
You can divide time at home and work from the 7th week after birth. The first 6 weeks are always reserved for the mother for medical reasons.
You can combine staying at home with work for a period of time, and you can combine it with part-time work. For example, the father works 1/2 time and receives 50% of the benefit, and the mother also works 1/2 time and receives 50% of the benefit. In this way, the mother also meets the activity requirement and receives benefits together with the father for half of the time.
You can also take paid or unpaid leave and be at home together at the same time. However, unpaid leave is something agreed directly with the employer and is not part of the parental benefit period from NAV. Unpaid leave may affect entitlement to other NAV benefits and entitlement to parental benefits.
Under employment law, the father or "co-mother" is entitled to 2 weeks' leave after the child is born. However, this must be agreed with the employer (this is not NAV leave, but strictly employment leave).
8. Illness of one parent
If one parent is ill and will not be able to care for the child, or is admitted to hospital or a healthcare institution, it is possible that:
- the other parent may take over the parental benefit period of the sick or hospitalised person
- any sick or hospitalised parent may postpone the parental benefit period.
Parental benefit may be postponed or transferred due to illness at any time after the child is born. During this time, the sick parent may receive sickness benefit.
9. Required documentation
9.1 Basic documentation
- Before birth - pregnancy card - after the 22nd week of pregnancy, if the pregnancy is managed outside Norway, the card translated into Norwegian or English
- After birth - child's birth certificate - if the child was born outside Norway and is not present in the Norwegian population register, on an EU form or a certificate translated into Norwegian or English
- registration in Norway (registeringbevis) or residence permit (oppholdstillatelse)
- payslips for the last 6 months worked
9.2 Additional documentation
Depending on the situation:
- documentation confirming the other parent's return to work or education (if applicable)
- mother's identity document
- other - depending on the applicant's situation (e.g. combining employment with self-employment, etc.)
10. What happens after the application is submitted?
After submitting the application, we receive confirmation from NAV that the application has been submitted. The document must be passed to the employer, who must then send an "inntektsmelding" to NAV, providing information about our earnings. On the basis of this information, NAV calculates the benefit rate.
After the application has been received and approved, we receive from NAV a decision and a payment plan, which will include all periods. They can be changed or, for example, suspended during the benefit period, but any change must be reported to NAV.
11. What does the service include?
The service includes:
- sending the application to NAV together with the required documentation (in the case of postal submission, we are not responsible for delivery),
- attaching additional documentation (up to 2 times), further sending of documents/messages relating to the case is chargeable (changing the parental benefit date is additionally chargeable).
NOTE: The decision on whether the benefit is granted rests with NAV in Norway. The service only covers mediation between you and the authority.